On Tuesday,the deadly terrorist attacks in Brussels ushered Belgium into an unprecedented era of global terrorism one that's been quietly brewing between the cracks of the country's nationalistic and political divides.
Belgium's political dysfunction reached a tall point in 2010, when the country went without an elected government for nearly two years. The gapis formed primarily between two groups: The Flemish speakers in the north who identify culturally with the Netherlands, or the francophone,or French-identifying citizens of the south. Critics of Belgium's national security say this internal conflict is a distraction, and is one of the reasons why Belgium has become a nexus for jihadism — Belgium exports more fighters per capita to the Syrian conflict than any other European country.
How can Belgium, and domestic to both NATO and the European Union,move forward?Ambassador Marc Calcoen, the Consul General of Belgium, and shares his perspective on how his country can navigate this crisis.
Source: wnyc.org