What price freedom?
Threats of terrorism and renewed east/west tensions have raised fresh questions about defence and security. Are Europeans prepared to pay the price to safeguard their freedoms? How can we best respond to terrorism?
Chair: Johannes de Jong
9:30 – 10:45 Session 1:
Introductions
Presentation
Christiaan Meinen and Johannes de Jong: Defending Europe’s Freedom
Response – Johannes de Jong: Supporting a Culture of Freedom in the Middle East as the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy
Discussion
11:30 – 12:45 Session 2:
Introduction
Presentation – Julian Lindley-French (summarised by Christiaan Meinen): Ten Ways to Respond to East-West Tensions
Discussion
Conclusions and prayer
Contributors:
Julian Lindley-French (UK) is Vice-President, Atlantic Treaty Association, Senior Fellow of the Institute of Statecraft, Director of Europa Analytica & Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow, National Defense University, Washington DC. An internationally-recognised strategic analyst, advisor and author he was formerly Eisenhower Professor of Defence Strategy at the Netherlands Defence Academy,and Special Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of Leiden. Latest books: The Oxford Handbook on War 2014 (Paperback) (2014; 709 pages). (Oxford: Oxford University Press) & “Little Britain? Twenty-First Strategy for a Middling European Power”
Jarno Volmer (NL) As a Security consultant Jarno is responsible for (threat and security) analysis and the monitoring of (temporary) measures and procedures concerning terrorism threats to Dutch Airports. Jarno is involved in training of different security concepts based on behaviour profiling. Currently deployed at Amsterdam airport responsible for daily High Risk Security operations. He also cooperates with Dutch military and para-military organisations in day to day operations. Besides Jarno is city council member for ChristenUnie (CU) – Lelystad. Jarno is member of the CU party commission on Defence (and security) matters.
Session 1
Christiaan Meinen and Johannes de Jong: Defending Europe’s Freedom
FREEDOM HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AT A HIGH COST DURING WWII AND AFTER A TIME OF PAINFUL OPPRESSION IN HALF OF EUROPE. ONLY AFTER 1989 WE CAN SAY THAT EUROPE IS ACTUALLY FREE. THIS HISTORY ALSO SHOWS THAT THERE ARE POWERS THAT USE MILITARY POWER TO THREATEN AND (IF POSSIBLE) CRUSH AND OPPRESS FREEDOM. THIS REALITY CANNOT BE IGNORED AS IGNORING IT WILL COME AT A HEAVY COST FOR THOSE OPPRESSED.
Both the Second World War and the Cold War demonstrate that freedom needs to be defended and that military means are a sad necessity to maintain the freedom we cherish. The need for defence and security is not a necessity of the past. At the State of Europe Forum we discussed two major tensions that Europe is facing at the moment. Read more…
Johannes de Jong: Supporting a Culture of Freedom in the Middle East as the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy
ONE META-ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSE OF TERRORISM IS THE LACK OF FREEDOM IN THE MIDDLE EAST. There is no doubt that there is a lack of freedom in the Middle East in many aspects. Freedom of religion, association, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of women are either absent or seriously lacking in most countries in the Middle East[1][2][3][4][5]. The Freedom House deemed in 2015 only 2 of the 18 countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as free countries comprising only 5% of the total population of that region. Read more…
Session 2
Julian Lindley-French (summarised by Christiaan Meinen): Ten Ways to Respond to East-West Tensions
PROFESSOR LINDLEY-FRENCH STARTED WITH SKETCHING A SCENARIO FOR OUR FUTURE AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD. WHILE ALL ISSUES RAISED ARE FICTIONAL, THEY LOOK FRIGHTENING REALISTIC. THE POINT OF THE SCENARIO IS FOR POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS TO BE AWARE OF THE POSSIBLE FUTURE BUT ALSO OF THE CURRENT AND FUTURE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE ABILITY TO HANDLE SITUATIONS.
The military organizations of many western governments have been severely diminished, especially in numbers. Many investments have been used specifically for interventions (call it peace enforcing/peace building) in Afghanistan and Iraq instead of preparing for ‘conventional’ war. In short both European and American militaries are not prepared for a major threat situation at the moment. Read more…
Suggested reading:
• Putin’s long game has been revealed – The Guardian
• Beatrice de Graaf, counter-terrorism expert: 11 Lessons on terrorism
• Arun Kundnani, author of “The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror”: The west’s Islamophobia is only helping the Islamic State