World Council for the Cedars Revolution - Phares addresses the EPP Conference in Paris on Terrorism

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Phares addresses the EPP Conference in Paris on Terrorism

Written by The Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED)

Wednesday, 02 July 2008

Walid Phares

EPP-ED Group Study Days focus on security

The Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED), the most influential group in the European Parliament with 288 Members from the 27 Member States, held its Study Days in Paris during the first few days of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Chaired by Joseph Daul MEP (UMP, F), the European centre-right parliamentary group has concentrated its three working days on the theme of security in Europe: security for citizens, energy security and food security.

More than thirty speakers addressed MEPs who were joined by French Ministers Alliot-Marie, Barnier, Lagarde and Morin, Polish Minister Klich, German Minister Schmidt, the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, the President of the UMP Group in the National Assembly, François Copé, the Secretary-General of the UMP, Patrick Devedjian, the European Union Counter Terrorism Coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, as well as European Commissioners Ferrero-Waldner, Barrot and Tajani.

The event has been transmitted live on the EPP-ED website.

http://www.epp-ed.org/Activities/pday08/day085_en.asp

02/07/2008

Speech by Professor Walid Phares, "European Foundation for Democracy"

Remarks by Professor Walid Phares, European Foundation for Democracy
Journées d’Etudes du Groupe du PPE-DE
Paris July 2, 2008

JIHADIST TERRORISM IDENTIFICATION AND COUNTER STRATEGIES

Executive Summary of the presentation by Professor Walid Phares

Introduction:
The study and analysis of the so-called “Jihadist Terrorism” is highly relevant to European policy makers and citizens because of the impact it has on European Security, Economy and Foreign Policy. The inability to understand and explain this phenomenon has been a major reason behind the strategic failure in containing and reversing the threat which growth continues to expand across the continent.

Three Questions are to be addressed: The Identification issue, the Failure in Perception and Strategic Guidelines.

1)      Identification

a.       Self Identification: How do the Jihadists identify themselves?

b.      European Debate on Root Causes: Arguments and Counter Arguments
Foreign Policy
Economic Disenfranchisement
Socio-Psychological Stress
Theological Debate
Ideological root

c.       A History of Jihadism: From Ideology, Movements and Strategies.
The 1920s: Salafism, Wahabism and Brotherhoods
The 1970s: Khomeinism
Pre WWII
Cold War Strategies
1990s Strategies
Current Strategies: Global, in Europe.

2)       An Ideological Warfare

      1945-1990: The first stage in the Arab and Muslim World
      1990-2001: The second stage in the West and in Europe
      2001-2008: The third stage in Europe and Worldwide

3)    Strategic Guidelines

a.European Priority: Define the Ideology
b.Explain it to the European Public
c.Isolate it from other legitimate crisis
d.Encourage Debate within the Arab and Muslim communities in Europe
e.Support Democracy Forces in the Arab and Muslim world

Professor Walid Phares is a Visiting Scholar with the European Foundation for Democracy and the author of the books Future Jihad, The War of Ideas and Confrontation