As France, and with it the world, reels from yet another extremist attack, its government inevitably extended its state of emergency.
For all the good that will do, and has done to date.
The state of emergency in France had already been in place since the previous terror attack when almost 150 people were killed during an assault in Paris last November. The state of emergency was then extended to cover the recent Euro 2016 soccer championship.
But a recent commission determined the state of emergency was only having a limited impact on improving French national security.
No kidding.
As it not-so-surprisingly turns out, deploying thousands of additional troops and police to guard public institutions won't stop a depressed, delusional mind committed to the cause of chaos. Especially when that person largely acts alone.
Just about the only hope authorities have in foiling terror attacks is to tap into communications between collaborators planning a coordinated assault. Around the world, anti-terror units have experienced such success. But if a lone wolf decides to act, the police and military are left just about only with the possibility of stopping that person by sheer fluke, such as for example unwittingly stumbling upon the plot in a routine traffic stop.
And before anyone goes after blaming refugees — a sadly typical knee-jerk reaction — the fact must be underscored that the attacker, an individual of Tunisian decent, had a French residency. He also had a criminal past and was known to police, but not state intelligence services. This fact does not bode well for French authorities. How could a card-carrying resident with a criminal past go completely under the radar — especially during a state of emergency?
Of course now the typical fallout ensues. Not 24 hours after last week's attack in Nice, Newt Gingrich was already calling for the U.S. to screen all Muslims entering the U.S. despite the fact the attacker was already in legal standing.
Similar rhetoric will undoubtedly ripple its way through commentary from Canadian right-wing pundits and politicians.
What we are not as likely to hear about are the inspiring yet heart-wrenching stories of men like Iraqi citizen Najih Shaker Al-Baldawi.
Upon seeing a so-called Islamic State suicide bomber preparing to detonate his explosives in public, Al-Baldawi without hesitation ran up to wrap his arms around and hold the attacker. The subsequent explosion was largely absorbed by the selfless man who sought nothing more than to save innocent lives.
Unfortunately, two other bombers continued to carry out the attack, and dozens of people were killed. However, dozens more would no doubt have perished if not for the actions of Al-Baldawi.
He is an unlikely hero who did not think twice about making the ultimate sacrifice, proving along the way there are two sides to every coin and that we should all reserve judgment about people we do not know — especially in the wake of a terror attack.
Instead of seeking to lay blame and further fan the flames of hate, we should seek to support and express solidarity with those who are left scrambling to put the pieces back to together.
— Simon Ducatel, editor
