Coming soon: an ideological Anchluss and silencing of the Austrian. My latest in FrontPage:
Robert Spencer is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
The German-language Austrian publication Kronen Zeitung reported Tuesday that Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz flew to Paris in order to “coordinate ‘on a European level’ with French President Emmanuel Macron on the ‘fight against political Islam.’” This coordination involved a video conference that included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Union Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Angela von der Leyen, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. They all “announced that they would join forces and reform the Schengen rules.” But like so many things, it all sounded great until one started to examine the details.
“More far-reaching measures must be taken so that we can live safely in Europe and defend our way of life,” said Kurz, and who could argue with that? “We are in constant danger,” Kurz added, and pointed out that the European Union was full of “ticking time bombs” that is, thousands of “foreign fighters.” No argument there, either. But what did he and his colleagues propose to do about it?
Initially it looked as if the Euro honchos were on the right track: Macron “suggested implementing measures that have already been planned and decided in the fight against political Islam, or accelerating their implementation.”
These would include not only “against hate propaganda on the Internet and a reform of the Schengen rules,” but also “the linking of common databases so that the security services of the individual states can work better together.” Macron declared: “It takes reforms to enjoy our freedom and security.”
Why yes, Mr. Macron, yes it does. But does Europe have the courage to implement the reforms that would genuinely protect Europeans from further jihad massacres, such as immigration restrictions from jihadi hotspots and strict enforcement of the principle of one law for all, which would be a direct challenge to Sharia enclaves? None of that appeared to be even on the table at this video conference.
The Kronen Zeitung reported some of the Austrian Chancellor’s recommendations: “It is now very important to secure the EU’s external borders and to examine the financing of associations and institutions; Kurz would like to fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror.”
Good: the “ideological basis behind the terror” has for nearly two decades now been ignored, denied, and obfuscated, while those who have dared to point it out have been vilified, demonized, stigmatized, marginalized, and silenced. And German Chancellor Angela Merkel quickly made it clear that this willful ignorance is still very much with us, as she “declared that terrorism is not a conflict between Islam and Christianity. ‘Every form of religious hatred is condemned,’ said Merkel. In doing so, she wants to increasingly rely on a joint approach with Islamic countries.”
Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “emphasized that one now wants to make the major Internet platforms more responsible. They are now to be obliged to process references to dangerous content within an hour and to delete them as quickly as possible.”
So while Kurz wants to “fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror,” Merkel “declared that terrorism is not a conflict between Islam and Christianity. ‘Every form of religious hatred is condemned.’”
That’s just wonderful, but in saying it, Merkel is making it clear that she is not willing “to fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror.” She is not even willing to admit what that ideological basis is. So will she approve of Europe-wide measures that would actually take on this ideology? Absolutely not.
In light of the undeniable fact that Germany and probably the rest of the European Union will continue to deny and lie to themselves and the world about the ideological basis behind jihad terrorism, Ursula von der Leyen’s statement is nothing more than ominous. Given the European Union’s stance on what constitutes terrorism, the “dangerous content” that she wants quickly removed is much more likely to be “right-wing extremism” than incitement to jihadist violence. But in the long-established usage of the European Union, “right-wing extremism” includes any honest discussion of the “ideological basis behind the terror.” So that is what is most likely to be silenced, and silenced quickly.
Thus the situation is most likely to be that these European leaders started out fighting against “political Islam” and will end up enacting measures that restrict any actual effective defense measures against “political Islam.” These are the amusing little ironies that accompany the death of a once-great civilization.
Dude says
Like a disastrous plague where we would close them off and build a huge wall never letting anyone in or out, our only solution to islam is to keep these murderous scum in the desert forever. Let their lazy backwards societies evaporate.
mortimer says
The plague is people like Merkell who don’t know much about Islam but pretend that they do.
nicu says
so true Mortimer – BUT it’s even worse : she wants it that way – she loves her Muslims but hates her own people !
Michael Copeland says
Merkel is dangerously ignorant.
“Allah, oh our Lord, vanquish Your enemies, enemies of the religion in all places.
Allah, strike the Jews and their sympathizers, the Christians and their supporters, ….
Allah, count them and kill them to the last one, and don’t leave even one.”
Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas),
Palestinian Media Watch, 3 December 2010.
“O Allah! vanquish the unjust Christians and the criminal Jews, the unjust traitors; strike them with your wrath; make their lives hostage to misery; drape them with endless despair, unrelenting pain and unremitting ailment; fill their lives with sorrow and pain and end their lives in humiliation and oppression; inflict your tortures and punishments upon the unjust Christians and criminal Jews. This is our supplication, Allah; grant us our request!”
Formal prayers on loudspeaker at Mecca,
RaymondIbrahim.com, 7 November 2011.
Lesley Ward says
Merkel is a Dinosaur, has NO children and has no “skin in the game” so speaking. She has no commitment to the future and as a marxist her love of totalitarian ideologies extends to Islam. She truly does not care for the future of people, except to push the global philosophy of the Coudenhove-Kalergi plan (she won the Charlemagne Medal from this organisation for her outstanding efforts to progress the plan.
gravenimage says
Not everyone without children has given up on the future–but I do take your point about Merkel.
gravenimage says
Austria’s Kurz and Germany’s Merkel On Collision Course About How to Oppose Jihad Terror
………………..
Merkel basically isn’t opposing it at all–and is bringing in hordes more ravening Muslims.
Michael Avery says
Yeah except while Macron was toting his platitudes he imported more Refugees
https://www.ekathimerini.com/258857/article/ekathimerini/news/group-of-unaccompanied-refugee-minors-flies-to-france
But sure, tell me about the big stand of morals Macron and Kurz are making! Fakers, as usual.
gravenimage says
Better than saying nothing at all, Michael.
eduardo odraude says
I thought Kurz was elected in significant part because he was a genuine opponent of Islam and Islamic immigration. He has been an ally of the Visegrad group, has he not? His leadership in this case suggests that there is something to the impression I had. He is the one suggesting he wants to fight the ideological basis of political Islam.
LB says
I think that Kurz is doing his best with the cards he’s been dealt, which are not good to say the least. Since the breakup of Austrian-Hungarian Empire after WWI, Austria has molded pretty much its entire existence towards Germany, everything from economy to politics. Almost all native Austrians today have some friends or family in Germany, and a lot of them work in Germany as well. There are also no physical barriers on the border between Austria and Germany, only a road sign that says “Welcome to Germany” and a customs office for trucks etc. Austria is not called “Germany’s little brother” for nothing.
Now imagine having to tear away from all that because you don’t want to see your country going down with the suicidal sinking ship that is Germany. It’s practically impossible for Kurz to do it all on his own during his term no matter how well-versed on the muslim threat he is. So the fault doesn’t lie with him, but with all his predecessors for allowing Austria to become so dependent on Germany that it cannot stand on its own feet. Hopefully his efforts will pave the way for future Austrian nationalists who will continue to strive to break away from Germany’s grasp by moving closer to Visegrad Four. That is, unless Austrians elect a leftist globalist, but hopefully they are smarter than that. Hopefully…
James Lincoln says
LB,
Re: Germany
It would’ve been better if pre-1990 East Germany – bordering Poland and Hungary – had remained separate and joined the Visegrad Group – and said *no* to muslim migrants.
Thoughts?
LB says
James, don’t quote me on this, but I have heard from more than one person that most people in Eastern Germany at the time DID NOT want to join with its Western counterpart but the outcome (unification) has been decided for them regardless. Think of it what you will, but the results are obvious — the entirety of Germany is now forced to suffer consequences from the decision of the few globalist communist elites on top.
I don’t think it’s worth discussing potential “what ifs”; it is what it is. Smart native Germans (from both the former East and West) who could foresee this disaster coming have already fled Germany. The only ones left are the ignorant (willingly blind), the oblivious (who don’t know nor care), and the ones who can’t afford to move for whatever personal or financial reason.
mortimer says
Reply to GI: Yep, she wants more of the jihadists into Europe without knowing how catastrophic that is.
Merkel is willfully naïve about Islam.
The only way to stop the jihad is to remove the Koran as the object of belief. Once Muslims see substantial doubts about the Koran, they start to lose their faith in this Death Cult.
gravenimage says
True, Mortimer. Unfortunately, pious Muslims consider the Qur’an “uncreated”, and don’t allow themselves to doubt a single word of that ugly text.
Michael Avery says
I think you are giving Kurz way too much credit. He made it clear he believes it isn’t a war between Islam and Christianity either, he uses the term Islamism after all, a highly halal euphemism, you make it out like some big departure. What you describe won’t be a clash or silencing at all since it differs little, other than the attack occurring on Austrian soil so Kurz has to be more aggressive in rhetoric. Far too much is done in providing examples of imaginary bravery where there is none, Macrons made it clear when he said outright “France stands against Islamism, never Islam”. Merkel herself has held same position Macron did only, remember ten years ago? Albeit people’s heads weren’t being lopped off.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11236158
People don’t get it, you act like they aren’t toting the same thing, Macron and Kurz say what they have to as is typical and routine when massive attacks occur in their countries.
Hannah says
Anschluss isn’t the best comparison: it was lead by an Austrian and was more popular in Austria than in Germany itself
Wellington says
Just proceed on the easily verifiable assumption that Islam is an evil ideology and that all adherents of an evil ideology should be suspect even though many adherents of an evil ideology won’t fulfill all of its evil provisions or even know of its evil provisions.
If this course is taken, there will not have to be any more nonsense about “Islam” v. “Islamism,” “Islam” v. “political Islam,” “Islam” v. “radical Islam,” blah, blah, blah.
If done, Muslims will be excluded as Neo-Nazis are. Ditto, assuming sanity and common sense among government officials (a huge assumption I know), for anarchists, Marxists, syndicalists, et al.
And for all those in the West who get real weepy about “nice Muslims,” consider two things: 1) how weepy do you get about “nice Neo-Nazis,” and 2) how many Muslim-majority nations extend equal rights across the board to non-Muslims?
gravenimage says
+1
janicevanguilder says
if I knew their email addresses, I would forward articles such as this to them – in an endless torrent of emails.
John says
Maybe move some USA NATO troops to Austria and out of Germany. Message to Merkel.
Infidel says
They need to be pulled out completely! US troops no longer belong in Germany any more than they belong in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria. We need them back home, and we are likely to need them in the Pacific to counter China
Rob says
Merkel doesn’t want to admit her existential mistake in admitting so many ‘refugees’.
Like Obama her legacy matters so much more than her citizenry.
gravenimage says
If people have any sense they will see that Merkel’s legacy is pretty awful, as well.
Wellington says
Agreed, gravenimage. Obama—awful legacy. Merkel—awful legacy.
Infidel says
The last time there was an Austro-Prussian war, Prussia won. This time, hope that the fortunes are reversed (note that the war here is more political and metaphorical, as opposed to military). As for Anschluss, I think that is genuinely verboten for both countries under the terms of the WWII treaty
eduardo odraude says
Evidently Robert Spencer was indicated a metaphorical Anschluss, meaning a cultural or politico-ideological one, not a military one.
eduardo odraude says
“indicated” should read “indicating”
Infidel says
The original Anschluss was a political merger, or rather annexation of Austria to Germany. It may not be so bad if Merkel is replaced w/ Kurz
eduardo odraude says
Merkel is clueless. Really pathetic. And the Germans apparently keep electing her. She was raised in East Germany, I believe. Therefore probably has zero understanding of religion. Therefore all religions are the same to her, equally incomprehensible, equally prone to violence and terror, blah blah blah goes the ignorant moron.
Well, we Americans may have elected Biden, so we shouldn’t act too high and mighty…
Fred van de Bunt says
Merkel is the daughter of a Lutheran clergyman, that moved around 1955 from West Germany into USSR DDR East Germany, and she studied physics at Karl Marx university after which she became a researcher, apart from being a DDR youth member.
She is a bright lady, and from her upbringing and study one might expect her to have a strong Beta scientific Marxist conviction, meaning that one can make society (and Islam) ideal, as long as you apply the right formulas, being honest and scientific open-minded.
Allah knows all, sees all…
peter says
I am sure if she was any good at physics and her research she would not have taken up politics as some one said politics is the last resort of a scoundrel.
Fred says
When she opened the European gates, back in 2015, my very first thought was that this traitor should be hanged from a lamppost.