No single reason for, or solution to, terrorism
Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, countries in which Britain had disastrous interventions, cannot be brushed away. Such extremism flourishes in the horror of conflict and weak states, and Britain contributed to bringing this about. Moreover, did the UK do enough to end conflicts such as Syria’s?
In the case of Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi, events in Libya and the British role there were clearly a factor in his radicalization. How can any Libyan view that role positively when historically Britain backed King Idris, supported the US bombing of Libya in 1986, sanctioned the country, then lifted them in shady deals with dictator Muammar Qaddafi, before participating in a military intervention to remove him?
Iraqis know that Britain both propped up Saddam Hussein and removed him. Brutal tyrants such as Saddam, Qaddafi and the Assads have contributed hugely to advance this extremism, often deliberately for their own ends.
At the same time, like so many who succumb to this extremism, Abedi was a second-generation immigrant who struggled to connect to his country of origin and the one he was born in. Identity issues and alienation are factors, as are gang culture, criminality, drug use and mental health issues.
A similar synthetic debate shrouds the role of Islam. Many point to the religion as the ideological evil involved. Yet many of these young Muslims attracted to Daesh, Al-Qaeda and such groups have little to no understanding of the religion. Some who joined Daesh bought “Islam for Dummies.”
Ending this threat will not be solved by a different approach to British foreign policy, but it would help. Acknowledging that British foreign policy has not always been right or successful is not caving in to terrorism but owning up to a problematic past.
But it will not work without extensive and prolonged efforts to address social inequalities and exclusion in the UK that have nothing to do with the international scene. This applies to countries such as France and Belgium too. Tackling increasing anti-Muslim behavior must also be part of the mix.
As Manchester has come together to tackle the aftermath of the bombing last week, emotions are too raw for this debate now, but it must develop beyond the point-scoring that elections inevitably bring. Understanding the backdrop to such extremist attacks is key to finding a solution to the threat that seems a distant prospect. Above all, we must stop pushing the case that there is one reason and one magical answer. Chris Doyle is the director of the London-based Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU). He has worked with the council since 1993 after graduating with a first-class honors degree in Arabic and Islamic studies at Exeter University. He has organized and accompanied numerous British parliamentary delegations to Arab countries. He tweets @Doylech.