The policy of double standards and blatant hypocrisy of the European Union have led to what would have happened sooner or later – international terrorism striking back in the center of civilized world – Paris. On November 13, terrorists launched 7 separate attacks in the French capital, that claimed the lives of over 150 people. The attack in the Bataclan concert hall resulted in 118 fans killed, while the attack on the central Stade de France that was hosting a football match between the national teams of France and Germany, with President François Hollande and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier being present,resulted in 4 people killed. A separate attack on the visitors of a restaurant in the very center of Paris claimed the lives of at least 40 people. A state of emergency has been introduced across the country, with at least 1,500 national guard soldiers being deployed all across Paris, as the local gendarmerie took the security of foreign diplomatic missions into their hands, including the Russian embassy.
It came as no surprise that responsibility for these cruel attacks was claimed by the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIL), the group known for its cruelty, organization, and brutal efficiency. For example, once the concert hall was captured, terrorists started gunning down their hostages, while other terrorists were just shooting civilians in the streets, poor souls who tried to have a nice romantic evening before the weekend.
Of course, some may say that the Frenchmen have inflicted it all upon themselves with a liberal policy regarding migration, arrogant and ugly caricatures on the Prophet Muhammad that were published by Charlie Hebdo, the ongoing support of color revolutions in the Arab World, the bombing of Libya, and claims that the legitimate Syrian president Bashar al-Assad should go, handing over all power to ISIL and other terrorist groups. In Hollande’s term France became a sort of a satellite of the United States, taking orders from Saudi Arabia and Qatar in exchange for oil and gas contracts. But there’s no time for being bitter.
It’s time to review the unjustified Western stance against Russia and the fight it wages against terrorism. Immediately after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, the world rallied in opposition to international terrorism. But then, following the aggressive policies of Washington in Ukraine and Syria a lot European countries, including France, have changed their attitude towards Russia and imposed sanctions against it.
And now the terrorists are striking back in the heart of France. This terrorist attack is of the scale of the attack that happened a decade ago in Moscow. But there’s no doubt that it’s the bloodiest terrorist attack in Europe. But Moscow has repeatedly suggested the US and leading EU countries join its campaign against extremists in Syria. ISIL camps have prepared many Islamists from the West, including Frenchmen bound to return to Europe sooner or later. Yet, Russia was wise enough to send its warplanes to Syria, before those Russians who have become terrorists abroad find their way home. But France, Germany and other countries continued to host thousands of refugees from Syria and Iraq, which were forced out of camps in Turkey, due to the financial assistance of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Along with them Europe has already been infiltrated by militants that are trained to kill and hate.
Yet, the question remains – how the secret services of France, Germany, Britain and the United States, well-known for their competence, missed all of this? After all, this was not a lone suicide bomber on a bus, but a major assault. Or did someone know what was about it to happen? Just like it was with the downed Russian aircraft in the Sinai? Or maybe it was beneficial to some politicians, for instance, in order to tighten the screws on European immigration policy? – Then it’s monstrous.
But it’s hard to believe in something like this. It’s more likely that the Middle Eastern sponsors of ISIL and Jabhat al-Nusra have decided to encourage the EU to act more aggressively in the fight against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, while disrupting the Vienna talks on the prospects of a Syrian settlement. On the eve of these attacks terrorists struck in Lebanon. It was a wake-up call. But the signal hasn’t been understood. And now we have on our hands the brutal tragedy in Paris, the bewildered face of François Hollande, helpless in an attempt to find the words to address his people.
I want to believe those who perished in Paris did not die in vain. Europe will finally wake up to join its efforts with Russia, Iran and other countries in the struggle against the Islamic State and all sorts of other terrorists in Syria, Iraq and other Arab nations, but doing this with respect to international law and Syria’s sovereignty, while paying no heed to the United States.
The fact that there is a real enemy to be opposed, while Russia is not an enemy nor an “aggressor”, but the most loyal and reliable ally, must be understood. European officials are bound to understand that they have no controversy with Russia over Ukraine, over Russophobic Bandera killers that slaughter civilians in Donbass, while blaming Moscow of all sorts of nonsense. If not, European leaders will be bound to remain the obedient puppets of Washington and its “generous” Wahhabi allies -and that will be the end of a united Europe. As for the international community, it’s about time for it to call for an international tribunal to denounce the Islamic State and its sponsors and bring them both to justice.
Let’s wait and see if European leaders know any better than blind obedience toward their transatlantic partners. France has always been closer to Russia than other EU countries. And Russians have always been fond of France. It’s been a day of mourning in Moscow, with thousands of people bringing flowers and candles to lay in front of the French embassy in Moscow, to mourn over the lives of those innocent killed.
Peter Lvov, Ph.D in political science, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.