A perspective from Belgium on world politics, terrorism & radicalisation, and foreign policy
Review of: Jihadi Terrorism and the Radicalisation Challenge:
(…) an important updated second edition volume edited by Rik Coolsaet (…) a stirring account of the recent problems concerning jihadi terrorism and its precursor phenomenon, radicalization.
Europe did not wake up to terrorism on 9/11; terrorism is solidly entrenched in Europe’s past. The 9/11 attacks undoubtedly brought the EU into uncharted territory, boosting existing cooperation and furthering political integration – in particular in the field of justice and home affairs – to a degree few would have imagined some years earlier.
Rik Coolsaet (International Affairs)From the ashes of World War 2 Belgium emerged as a convinced supporter of Western European defence arrangements under British leadership. Only in 1947 did Belgium discover a privileged partner in the United States. When the Cold War ended, Belgium returned to its roots, trying to combine European primacy and autonomy with Atlantic loyalty.
Rik Coolsaet (Egmont Paper)President Barack Obama can make great strides in combating al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups if he abandons George W. Bush\’s heated rhetoric and unrealistic view of how terrorism is structured, says Rik Coolsaet, a top European expert on terrorism.
Don Ediger (Consortium News)there is no watertight partition between domestic and international politics. The success of the social democratic movement was always closely linked to the international context that enabled it. This holds equally true today, now that social democratic parties feel they have arrived at an impasse.
Rik Coolsaet (International Politik und Gesellschaft (2009:1))By announcing the EU summit in Brussels next Monday, Sarkozy wants to say clearly to Moscow that the European Union is \’a force which has to dealt with,’ and that agreements made with him by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev must be honoured.
(EUbusiness)Warum Belgien auch ohne Regierung funktioniert
Jochen Bittner (Die Zeit)A concise Report prepared by the European Commission’s Expert Group on Violent Radicalisation
rikcoolsaet.beIn the immediate aftermath of 911 the main threat was from established terrorist networks — such as Al Qaeda and its allies, including the Jemaah Islamiyah. Now, intelligence services around the world, including those in Singapore, are increasingly concerned with the dangers of \”self-radicalisation\”.
Loh Chee Kong (Today Online)Looking at today’s world… ten years back
Rik Coolsaet (Alpbach Forum 2006)Professor Rik Coolsaet argues that the US president who uses nuclear weapons without being attacked will be impeached. Expert on international terrorism, Prof. Coolsaet says there is no way US will use nuclear weapons against Iran and if it happens, America will lose its world supremacy.
Selçuk Gultasli (Zaman (Turkey))