From NYRB, if Brussels is the symbol of dysfunction, its lack of a clear identity, its fragmentation, and its flexibility also offer a sense of freedom and possibility — the EU, and perhaps Belgium too, are still experiments, and that might be their greatest strength. Leon Neyfakh on why Belgium is such a hotbed for Islamic terrorism. Michelle Hackman on the most important things to read to understand how Brussels became a terrorism hub (and more). Tara Golshan on how Tintin became the symbol of solidarity in the Brussels attacks. We are all Belgians? Not this time — the sense of Western unity inspired by terror attacks and felt as recently as Paris is gone. Beenish Ahmed on how the Brussels attacks are the latest in a string of deadly attacks around the world this month. From The Monkey Cage, John Sides on what social science can tell us about the terrorist attacks in Belgium; and Henry Farrell on why Europe can’t police terrorism very well.
Aaron Rupar on Donald Trump’s frightening response to the Brussels attacks. Trump all for torturing terror suspects: “He’ll talk faster with the torture”. Peter Holley and Lindsey Bever on why security experts called Donald Trump’s response to the Belgium attacks “preposterous”. Elise Jordan on how Ted Cruz’s counterterrorism strategy is unconstitutional. On Muslim rights, the GOP is now the Trump party: “Cruz’s belief is that subjecting a non-radicalized population to discriminatory policing will prevent rather than cause its radicalization”. Imagine how President Donald Trump or Ted Cruz would respond to the Brussels attacks: You don’t have to, because they spelled it out — scapegoat, close borders, and torture. We need adult leaders: Brussels attack is a sobering reminder of how important it is to have grown-ups in office, not Cruz or Trump. Jamelle Bouie on why terrorism doesn’t help Donald Trump: Americans don’t think he’s ready to defend the country.
John Judis: “I don’t see an end to these, and at the same time I don’t think Americans or Europeans will accept a strategy of letting them play out on the grounds that less people die in terrorist attacks than in highway accidents or bathtub electrocutions. They will strengthen the hand of interventionists, but not sufficiently so that the threat can finally be eliminated rather than exacerbated”.
