Trump has given many gifts to Europe and other American allies. He recently gave another with the insistence that Europeans take back ISIS terrorists from the Middle East who left the nations of Europe according to a report:
In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump has said European countries should take back and put on trial hundreds of ISIS fighters who have been captured in Syria.
“Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing,” the US President tweeted late Saturday night.
He warned that as ISIS is “ready to fall,” more than 800 prisoners could make their way to Europe.
“The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them,” Trump tweeted.
“The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go.”
Trump’s comments come as the area that ISIS now controls has shrunk to just 700 square meters, a commander with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday.
The SDF has launched an offensive to oust ISIS from its last enclave in Syria, in the small town of Baghouz Al-Fawqani in the country’s east.
At its height, the group controlled an area the size of Great Britain and ruled over 10 million people.
On Friday UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Britain will “not hestitate” to prevent the return of ISIS fighters to the UK, but those who make it back will be investigated and potentially prosecuted.
Downing Street referred CNN to Javid’s Friday statement when asked about Trump’s tweets
“We have a range of tough measures to stop people who pose a serious threat from returning to the UK, including depriving them of their British citizenship or excluding them from the UK,” Javid said.
“We closely monitor any returnees who pose a risk and new terror legislation passed this week allows us to make traveling to certain designated regions an offense. We also support communities in their efforts to prevent radicalization.”
The Home Secretary added that it was his priority to “ensure the safety and security of the UK” and that he won’t “let anything jeopardize this.”
Trump’s tweets come days after a British teenager, who joined ISIS in 2015, said she wants to return home after falling pregnant.
Shamima Begum traveled from London to Syria with two of her classmates when she was 15 to join the caliphate. Now 19, she told The Times that she had no regrets about going to Syria but that she wanted to come home “to have my child.” On Saturday, her family’s lawyer announced Begum had given birth to her third child.
Meanwhile, the German Interior Ministry said Sunday that citizens suspected of fighting for ISIS have the right to return to Germany.
“In principle, all German citizens, including those suspected of having fought for the so-called IS, have the right to return to Germany,” spokeswoman Susanna Hartung told CNN in a statement. She added that an individual risk assessment is made for each person.
About 1,050 people are known by Germany security authorities to have left for Syria and Iraq since 2013 “in order to join the side of terrorist groups,” the Interior Ministry said. One third, it added, have already returned to Germany.
“Wherever possible, the German authorities are trying to deradicalize returnees. Support services, such as deradicalization measures, but also socio-educational and psychological support, are particularly important for returning children who may be severely traumatized and for whom criminal proceedings are out of the question,” the statement said.
In December, Trump announced that troops would be pulled out of Syria because ISIS had been “defeated.”
The US continues to face criticism for the plan, a move that shocked allies, appalled US lawmakers and triggered resignations — including that of Defense Secretary James Mattis. (source, source)
Truly, this is the gift that the Europeans want, and by Europeans, I am specifically referring to the persons who are in charge of the governments of Europe.
Bernard Connolly warned in 2009 that Europe and specifically Germany, wanted a return of nationalism that could be translated into militarism in order to make Europe “relevant” in world politics again:
Trump’s actions for most of his presidency have not been directed as “making America great again,” but rather making America and the world, specifically the nations of Germany and Japan, nationalistic again. This is part of a general plan in preparation for a larger war.
The very idea that Trump would “force” Europe to take “terrorists” into her nation, and that Europe would “submit” to Trump would be a public humiliation to Europe, and in a long line of such actions since he has become president. This will rouse the European people to anger again, further pressing them to believe that they must take a more assertive role in nationalistic affairs and especially, “self defense.” This is but one of a series of ongoing “crises” manufactured that is allowing Europe to justify a return to a more aggressive presence in the world, which include but are not limited to the “refugee crisis,” the situation with Islam in Europe, and even the situation in South Africa. This is not to say that the conflicts or suffering of the people in these situations are not real, but it is to say that they are not “natural” in that they arose from organic circumstances, and in the best cases have organic roots but were unnaturally worsened in nothing less than a raw power grab with no care for the lives of the people that are or would be affected by their actions.
The reality is that Germany and the US are close allies, just like with Japan. There are no signs they are going to turn against each other at all, but will continue working closely together. What is needed is “excuses” to justify their actions with a coating of legality, which is what is taking place.
Trump is not “getting tough” on Europe.
He is giving the European political classes a gift, which is another opportunity to raise the banner of nationalism and militarism, publicly proclaiming one thing while working together and for the same ends as they have all been since the end of the Second World War.