To defeat jihadism, Western elites would have to form an alliance with citizens they've long disrespected and viewed as bigots: Voters who want secure borders. In the case of US Republicans other than Donald Trump, it's doubtful they can do this-Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 3/24/16

3/24/16, "How to Defeat Radical Jihadism," Peggy Noonan, Wall St. Journal, opinion (subscrip)

"It will require Western elites to form an alliance with the citizens they've long disrespected."

"These things are obvious after the Brussels bombings: In striking at the political heart of Europe, home of the European Union, the ISIS jihadists were delivering a message: They will not be stopped....

Radical jihadism is not going to go away, not for a long time, probably decades. For 15 years it has in significant ways shaped our lives, and it will shape our children’s too....

The usual glib talk of politicians—calls for unity, vows that we will not give in to fear—will produce in the future what they’ve produced in the past: nothing....

Let’s say only 10% of the 1.6 billion harbor feelings of grievance toward “the West,” or desire to expunge the infidel, or hope to re-establish the caliphate. That 10% is 160 million people. Let’s say of that group only 10% would be inclined toward jihad. That’s 16 million. Assume that of that group only 10% really means it—would really become jihadis or give them aid and sustenance. That’s 1.6 million. That is a lot of ferociousness in an age of increasingly available weapons, including the chemical, biological and nuclear sort....We must absorb that central fact....

 

The “they” is radical Islamic jihadism. Normal people have seen that a long time, but the leaders of the West-its political class, media powers and opinion shapers-have had a hard time coming to terms....They cast about-if only we give young Islamist men jobs programs or social integration schemes, we can stop this trouble. But jihadists don’t want to be integrated. They want trouble....

On April 28, 2010, in Rochdale, England, Britain’s then prime minister accidentally performed a great public service by revealing what liberal Western leaders think of their people. 

At a campaign stop a 65-year-old woman named Gillian Duffy approached him and shared her concerns regarding crime, taxes and immigration. Mr. Brown made a great show of friendliness and appreciation. Then, still wearing a live mic, he got into his Jaguar, complained to his aides about “that woman” and said, “She’s just a sort of bigoted woman who said she used to be Labour.”

That was the authentic sound of the Western elite....The elites have for a long time enjoyed nothing more than sneering at the anger and “racism” of their own people. They do not have the wisdom to understand that if they convincingly attempted to protect the people and respected their anxieties, the people would feel far less rage.... 

Republican operatives and elected officials in the U.S. don’t want to change their stand on illegal immigration, and a key reason is pride. They’re stiff-necked, convinced of their own higher moral thinking, and they will have open borders—which they do not call “open borders” but “comprehensive immigration reform,” which includes border-control mechanisms. But they’ll never get to the mechanisms. They see the rise of Donald Trump and know it has something to do with immigration, but—they can’t bow. Some months ago I spoke to an admirable conservative group and said the leaders of the GOP should change their stand. I saw one of their leaders wince, as if I had made a faux pas. Which, I understood, I had. I understood too that terrorism is only making the border issue worse, and something’s got to give.

But I doubt they can change."...

..............................

Among comments to Peggy Noonan article:

.............................

"Jeff Boone The top-end strategy of radical Islam relies on Western liberal ideology. Without it, radical Islam would be significantly weaker."

.............

Re: The Wall St. Journal:

In 1984, the Wall St. Journal called for open borders via Constitutional amendment:

7/3/1984, "In Praise of Huddled Masses," Wall St. Journal Editorial

"If Washington still wants to "do something" about immigration, we propose a five-word constitutional amendment: There shall be open borders."...

 




..............................