Europe, the charming continent of windmills and gondolas. Butlately, Europe has become the continent of endless strikes anddemonstrations, bombs on the trains and subways, radical Islamiccells in every city, and ghettos so hopeless and violent even thepolice won’t enter them. In Spain, a terrorist attack promptsinstant capitulation to the terrorists’ demands. In France, thesuburbs go up in flames every night. In Holland, politicians andartists are murdered for speaking frankly about Islamicimmigration.
This isn’t the Europe we thought we knew. What’s going on overthere?
Old Europe’s new crisis.
Europe, the charming continent of windmills and gondolas. But
lately, Europe has become the continent of endless strikes and
demonstrations, bombs on the trains and subways, radical Islamic
cells in every city, and ghettos so hopeless and violent even the
police won’t enter them. In Spain, a terrorist attack prompts
instant capitulation to the terrorists’ demands. In France, the
suburbs go up in flames every night. In Holland, politicians and
artists are murdered for speaking frankly about Islamic
immigration.
This isn’t the Europe we thought we knew. What’s going on over
there?
Traveling overland from London to Istanbul, journalist Claire
Berlinski shows why the Continent has lately appeared so
bewildering—and often so thoroughly obnoxious—to Americans.
Speaking to Muslim immigrants, German rock stars, French cops, and
Italian women who have better things to do than have children, she
finds that Europe is still, despite everything, in the grip of the
same old ancient demons. Anyone who knows the history can sense it:
There is something ugly—and familiar—in the air.
But something new is happening as well. Indeed, Europe now
confronts—and seems unable to cope with—an entirely new set of
troubles. Tracing the ancient conflicts and newly erupting crises,
Menace in Europe reveals:
? Why Islamic radicalism and terrorist indoctrination flourish as
Europe fails to assimilate millions of Muslim immigrants
? How plummeting birthrates hurtle Europe toward economic and
cultural catastrophe
? Why hatred of America has become ubiquitous—on Europe’s
streets, in its books, newspapers, and music, and at the highest
levels of government
? How long-repressed destructive instincts are suddenly
reemerging
? How the death of religious faith has created a hopeless,
morally unmoored Europe that clings to anti-Americanism,
anti-Semitism, and other dangerous ideologies
? Why the notion of a united Europe is a fantasy and what that
means for the United States
In the end, these are not separate issues. Berlinski
provocatively demonstrates that Europe’s political and cultural
crisis mirrors its profound moral and spiritual crisis.
But this is not just Europe’s problem. Menace in Europe makes
clear that the spiritual void at the heart of Europe is ultimately
our problem too. And America will pay a terrible price if we
continue to ignore it.
From the Hardcover edition.