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ASSESSMENT OF THE JIHADI THREAT AND THE RESPONSE STRATEGIES
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when it has invaded sovereign territory on
different occasions without consequence;
compared with examples such as Operation
Desert Storm in 1991 to force Iraq to leave
Kuwait). We know only too well that the re-
ality, along with the persistence of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is used constantly
by the jihadis to try to justify their violent
action, presenting it as the only possible re-
sponse in the face of what they interpret as
discrimination against Arabs.
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Avoiding the demonisation of Islam and rad-
ical Islamism, not only because this type of
political movement has amply demonstrated
that they have the broad support of the local
populations –which means that they are
here to stay and that there is no way out of
the tunnel that these societies are in without
their participation–, but also because the
most basic strategy requires drawing a clear
line between those who choose violence
and those who reject it. In the same vein, it
is highly advisable to establish permanent
channels of dialogue with authorized repre-
sentatives of Islam who are accepted and
respected in those societies as preferred
partners in order to isolate those who use
violence.
– Employing the many powerful national and
community tools –which are especially sig-
nificant in the commercial and financial
fields, but also in the sphere of the peaceful
resolution of conflicts– to close the gaps of
inequality that characterise theMediterranean
Basin. None of the formulas applied so far by
Brussels has managed to even narrow the
gap, let alone improve the chances of the
majority of our neighbours to the south and
east of being able to aspire to a decent life,
subjugated as they are by failed, ineffective
and authoritarian governments.
Granted, none of this guarantees the suc-
cess of the venture and nor does it protect us
completely from possible violent outbursts.
There is no magic formula that is valid for every
case, nor will it have an immediate visible effect.
Yet in the face of militarist misadventures that
have clearly demonstrated their limitations, it is
high time to set the wheels in motion. Or will
we never learn from our mistakes?