A narrative to combat and eliminate the terrorist threat

The author argues that terrorism in Europe is primarily 'home grown' and driven by individuals who feel 'uprooted'. The text criticizes the 'war on terror' approach, stating that disproportionate repression breeds further terrorism and threatens democratic freedoms. It suggests that while intelligence and security measures are necessary to foil immediate plots, the long-term solution lies in mending the 'social fabric' and addressing global instabilities and Western geopolitical abuses that fuel extremist narratives.

• The primary objective of terrorist attacks is not the number of casualties, but rather to create shock and polarize society by targeting the 'grey zone' of citizens who have not yet taken a side in the conflict.
• Modern terrorism in Western Europe is largely 'home grown', with the majority of attacks perpetrated by European citizens, meaning the threat cannot be solved through borders, deportation, or exclusion.
• Military responses to terrorism can be counterproductive in the long term because blind and disproportionate repression can validate terrorist claims of self-defence and attract more attacks.
• Radicalisation is described as a search for answers by individuals who feel 'uprooted', driven by a combination of social, economic, ideological, and psychological factors.
• Salafism is identified as a simplified, globalised version of Islam that can encourage violent extremism through its uncompromising rejection of Western modernity and democratic values.
• The author argues that the 'global war on terror' under US leadership has led to counterproductive military interventions, high civilian casualties, and the compromise of basic human rights in EU countries.
• Long-term prevention of terrorism requires 'mending the cracks' of society, which include loose social fabric, lack of education, failed media, and weakened leadership.

APA

Gaudot, E. (2018). A narrative to combat and eliminate the terrorist threat. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/a-narrative-to-combat-and-eliminate-the-terrorist-threat/

Chicago

Gaudot, Edouard. A narrative to combat and eliminate the terrorist threat. Green European Journal, 2018. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/a-narrative-to-combat-and-eliminate-the-terrorist-threat/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gaudot |first1=Edouard |title=A narrative to combat and eliminate the terrorist threat |publisher=Green European Journal |date=5 July 2018 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/a-narrative-to-combat-and-eliminate-the-terrorist-threat/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gaudot2018narrative, author = {Gaudot, Edouard}, title = {{A narrative to combat and eliminate the terrorist threat}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2018}, month = jul, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/a-narrative-to-combat-and-eliminate-the-terrorist-threat/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }