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| Home Front: WoT |
| Congress must protect 'soft' terrorist targets |
| 2017-06-12 |
| [Wash Examiner] Our public spaces face an unacceptable terrorist threat. Though terrorism-related casualties are comparatively low, their cumulative impact is corrosive to the public happiness. And the corrosion is growing. Manchester, London, San Bernardino and Orlando. Islamic State has inspired a toxic but potent rise of terrorism. It's a terrorism that sees streets not symbols and gatherings, not government offices, as its primary targets. Fortunately, we are in a somewhat better position than are our European allies. People who go to large and medium-size public events in this country are nearly always screened with metal detectors. Event-goers can also expect their bags to be opened and inspected at the entry point. The United States is also a harder place for terrorist recruiting. Our culture of assimilating immigrants isn't as consistently seen in Europe and is close to non-existent in some places. By including Muslim immigrants in the life of the nation, America reduces radicalization. Birthright citizenship, which some conservatives question, is actually one of the strongest tools for giving Muslim immigrants a stake in their new country's future. It also guarantees a stronger allegiance to Uncle Sam than Muslims in, say, France feel toward their adopted homeland. This allegiance has been critical in snuffing out a considerable share of the failed terrorist plots since 9/11. A 2011 report by Duke University estimated that between 2001 and 2010, voluntary tips from Muslims loyal to America were decisive in thwarting at least 48 (and possibly as many as two dozen more) Islamic terror plots out of 161. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |