Publication

This commentary examines the spread of political violence linked to Islamic extremism across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and the response of the affected governments, which the author brands as inadequate. The author argues that isolated and reactive security measures will hardly contain the spread of extremism, unless they are coupled with policies that give disaffected youth a stake in society. What he sees, however, is Western governments paying lip service to political pluralism, inclusiveness and minority rights in the region, all the while supporting autocratic regimes to secure lucrative arms deals. He argues that what these governments should be doing instead is taking a lead in pushing Middle Eastern and North African autocrats to change policies that fuel radicalization and to address widespread grievances.