Different T said:
@ Quintus
Why do you think ME countries that don't have Western qualms about the things you mention as solutions still have these same attacks?
Also, your comments remind me of the "Islam is worse than communism thread." Have you considered the massive amount of cognitive dissonance that would be generated in an "all are equal" liberal democracy? What percentage of today's Americans do you think would say the Japanese internment camps of WW2 were justified?
All I can say is this: Yes, you're right, you can never reduce these sorts of attacks to zero.
But there is a perception of European weakness out there that needs to be overcome, and overcome fast.
The big problem is the lack of deterrence. Yes, Mideast nations do have attacks here and there, but they also have the death penalty to get rid of problems and people who are murderously violent. (Mideast countries have other problems, like sectarianism, corruption, bad leadership, etc., but that isn't really germane to this conversation.)
Europe doesn't have that any more. They have useless militaries. They've been atrophying behind the US protective screen for 60 years, like the Japanese. And now they are sitting ducks.
As for "liberal democracy", my answer is this: in history, "liberty" varies inversely with the external threat faced. The greater the threat, the less liberty citizens can expect to have at that moment. Frankly, the Ten Commandments have to be silent when someone is trying to kill you or take over your country.
Furthermore, I don't really care about liberal notions of "looking good" or "looking bad." We're beyond that point. And it is the fault of liberals that we are at this point.
Their "liberalism" proved to be nothing but an enervating weakness that sapped our will to resist and to fight. These people need to be stand silent or be punished for sapping the national will.
It sounds brutal, but that is how life is sometimes. We didn't ask for this task. It was forced on us by the cowardice and negligence of our fathers' generation.
Things need to change from top to bottom.
It's just that this murder of this priest today really made me realize that some sort of Francoist solution will be necessary. An innocent 85 year old holy man has his throat cut at his own chapel and all the Holy See in Rome can do is wring its hands in regret.
We're almost hitting rock bottom.