Accession Number:

AD1038231

Title:

EUROPE IN CRISIS

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report

Corporate Author:

AIR WAR COLLEGE MAXWELL AFB United States

Personal Author(s):

• HALSETH,PETER

Report Date:

2017-04-06

Pagination or Media Count:

31.0

Abstract:

This research paper explores the broad structure of radicalization and impact that it has within the European community, as part of the migration, immigration, and influx of refugees and Islamist State fighters returning from Libya, Syria, and Iraq after being pushed back or out of ISIS strongholds. This paper argues that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is the only activity capable of leading and coordinating efforts to handle the current Syrian refugee crisis and providing intelligence assistance to member countries in the European Union EU of foreign fighters returning from the battlefields of Libya, Syria and Iraq infiltrating into the fabric of Europe. At the tip of this problem are sleeper cells that have the opportunity to continue the fight carrying out terrorist acts against targets within the EU at will as part of the Islamist states regional and global theater strategy. The paper discusses the magnitude of the problem facing Europeans currently, attempts to mitigate security concerns, and presents a case for reversing the current negative trend while addressing both European and US national security interests. The paper defines the core problem outside of the internal EU itself linking it to radical Islamist groups and the Islamist state in Muslim countries and failed states in the Middle East where only an organization such as NATO is capable of reversing the trend in Europe. The paper will explore the significance of foreign extremist organizations, Islamist ideologues and their network of overseas recruitment and training that lead to radicalization. The paper will explore several tangible and intangible factors that negatively affect Muslim assimilation into EU countries that lead to radicalization and may further alienate Muslim communities in countries such as France and Germany to include the United States

Descriptors:

• national security
• international relations
• terrorists
• nato
• european union
• border security
• united states government
• terrorism
• intelligence collection
• international organizations
• military operations
• IMMIGRATION
• refugees
• Libya
• Syria
• Iraq
• Europe
• crisis management

Subject Categories:

• Government and Political Science

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE