Daesh, "the Islamic State", is collapsing. But Daesh, the organization, is not. What Forbes once declared to be "the richest terrorist organization the world has known" with an annual turnover of US$ 2 billion, is simply shifting tactics and preparing to resume guerrilla warfare, writes Joe Fallon..

Daesh, the ideology, remains potent and resilient. Its narrative is of a Manichean world of good (Daesh) and evil (all others). Highly embellished with selected citations from the Quran and the hadiths on end-times "proving" Daesh will be victorious, it calls on Muslims to take direct action now to establish a "true" Islamic state on earth. Such a narrative appeals to many extremists. Despite military setbacks, despite the failure of the prophecy of the battle of Dabiq to be fulfilled, by which the Daesh version of Islam would achieve ascendancy over the West, its "true believers" continue to believe. Passionately.

It is estimated by U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism experts that, to date, some 60,000 Daesh fighters have been killed. And still they fight.

Read more...

Illegal immigration is probably one of the main security challenges Europe is facing. Never in recent history have so many people wanted to settle in Europe, either because they are threatened in their home countries and they seek asylum, or simply for economic reasons, as they want to enjoy a better life. But can one really talk about a European migration policy, asks Jean Cady ?

Read more...