Explosions at Brussels airport

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Two explosions were heard at Brussels airport early on Tuesday morning and Belgian media said several people were injured.

The cause of the explosions wasn't immediately clear.

"One person has died and perhaps there are several more," said a police official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the situation was developing.

Airport spokeswoman Anke Fransen said: "There were two blasts in the departure hall. First aid team are in place for help."

The explosions occurred around 8 a.m. local time.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/world/bruss ... -1.3501831


The Belga news agency reports that shots were fired and shouts in Arabic were heard before the two explosions.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

Tragic. Not sure what to say.

[Circled Square]

Uodate: Other news media outlets are reporting up to 11 deaths.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... lding.html

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Holy fuck. Another bomb went off in a Subway station.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/22/several- ... eport.html

[AkydefGoldberg]

Awful news - brought back memories of 7/7 but scary few weeks with attacks in Ankara and Istanbul also.

One of the attackers of Paris was arrested recently and I wonder whether he has had any involvement in this. Meanwhile, a hideous tweet so soon after the attacks today..

[Everlong]

The more this shit happens, the more it becomes terrifying to travel, at least for me. Brussels in the past had never been the kind of place you'd expect something like this to go down, but it's apparently become a hotbed for terrorist recruiting in recent years.

Absolutely awful for so many reasons. And, as insensitive as it sounds, I'm worried about the kind of political repercussions this could have here in the states. The more attacks like this happen, the more it fires up people to vote in someone who promises hardnosed military action, which means the more a guy like Trump or Cruz grows in power.

Scary times, especially for those who are close in proximity to the terror in Europe.

[Circled Square]

I don't like when politicians use terrorist attacks to further their political agenda, but at the same time, I don't like when internet Lefties talk about Islamophobia and act like that's worse than people dying. So I always find myself conflicted when events like this occur.

[Daz]

I think "internet lefties" only talk about Islamophobia in situations like this, because Islamophobia spreads fear and hatred that fuels attacks like this. In some ways it is worse than people dying, because it creates the cycle and turns more people to extremist viewpoints and results in more attacks and deaths.

I've already seen a lot of people blaming migrants and whatnot, which makes my head spin. This is almost assuredly a direct result of the Brussels raids and the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, who was French/Belgian. People who carried out these attacks were probably French or Belgian as well. I'd put good money on migrants having fuck all to do with it. That won't stop the Conservatives from using it to further a political agenda though.

The whole world is just really disappointing.

[Circled Square]

Well if somebody says Muslim immigrants don't assimilate and the counter argument is that they have been in Belgium their whole lives, you kinda back yourself into a corner.

[Daz]

Well if somebody says Muslim immigrants don't assimilate and the counter argument is that they have been in Belgium their whole lives, you kinda back yourself into a corner.

Well for starters Muslim immigrants aren't extremist so have nothing to do with the conversation. We're talking about extremists and the two are not related.

[Circled Square]

Well if somebody says Muslim immigrants don't assimilate and the counter argument is that they have been in Belgium their whole lives, you kinda back yourself into a corner.

Well for starters Muslim immigrants aren't extremist so have nothing to do with the conversation. We're talking about extremists and the two are not related.

Islamic extremism is still Islam. Not many white Belgians are interested in joining terror cells. Not all extremists are Muslim but if a good chunk are prone to radicalization, why bring them in?

[Daz]

Well if somebody says Muslim immigrants don't assimilate and the counter argument is that they have been in Belgium their whole lives, you kinda back yourself into a corner.

Well for starters Muslim immigrants aren't extremist so have nothing to do with the conversation. We're talking about extremists and the two are not related.

Islamic extremism is still Islam. Not many white Belgians are interested in joining terror cells. Not all extremists are Muslim but if a good chunk are prone to radicalization, why bring them in?

Isn't the point I'm making that they weren't brought in, they were already there?

And the thing is, a good chunk aren't prone to radicalization. It's a very, very small number when looked at on a global scale. And there have been a number of white people from the UK, becoming radicalized and joining ISIS, converting to their warped idea of Islam after previously having no religion at all.

If I went out and started a cult tomorrow, converted local people to my way of thinking, then committed a terrorist attack five minutes from my own front door, blaming migrants, suggesting to leave the EU, closing borders and building large walls would prove as ineffective countermeasures to prevent further attacks.

If you look at the last few big terrorist attacks; the shootings in Tunisia, the attacks in France and now this - the perpetrators were young people from the countries in which the attacks were carried out in.

Meaning, immigration had fuck all to do with it and people who automatically look to blame migrants are ignorant and political figures that use it are furthering a political agenda, which you yourself claim to dislike. As do I.

[Circled Square]

Yeah, young Muslim men who are put in the least radicalized place in the world sre still turning to extremism. That is very troubling and tears a hole in the.boat. You can understand when a family moves from a war torn country that say their son could get radicalized. You can get that. But when you're in Belgium surrounded by chocolate and white people, why would you even turn down that path?

I'll end it here though, because I think attacking Belgium wasn't the purpose of the bomb, it was about sending a message to the entire EU.

[Daz]

You can get that. But when you're in Belgium surrounded by chocolate and white people, why would you even turn down that path?

I think that's the larger problem that needs to be addressed. And it's not just happening in Belgium but all over Europe, when they're surrounded by diversity.

And I would agree. This attack had little to do with Belgium, and more to do with creating unrest in the EU. Belgium was just a convenient location to carry out the attack.

[Hanley!]

I don't like when politicians use terrorist attacks to further their political agenda, but at the same time, I don't like when internet Lefties talk about Islamophobia and act like that's worse than people dying. So I always find myself conflicted when events like this occur.

The lefties do this to try and create a more measured response. Because it's natural for people to lash out in fear or anger when something horrible like this happens. And in order to stop attacks like this from happening in the future, that fear and anger needs to be controlled or at the very least directed towards the appropriate targets.

Blaming all Muslims for extremist attacks really plays into the hands of terrorists, because it drives others towards those more extreme beliefs. Every time the Western world attacks Muslims in general, be it using weaponry or just the media, they make new enemies. And we really don't need to be making any more enemies.

Revenge is a very powerful motivator, but it's a terrible tool in managing conflict. One side commits an act of violence, the other side takes revenge, then the first side has to get revenge, and it goes on and on with more and more people being pulled into the fight, and more and more lives being lost.

The world is a terrifying place sometimes. It really is hard to figure out how to deal with attacks like these. All I know is that we haven't gotten it right so far.

[Viazon]

I've already seen a lot of people blaming migrants and whatnot, which makes my head spin

I heard about the attacks this morning before work and I really wasn't looking forward to going to work. Because I work with a guy who is the biggest Muslim hater I have ever met. Seriously, it's almost like an obsession. He talks about them everyday. He reads the paper in the break room and will only talk about articles relating to Muslims. So I knew he was gonna be on one today. He also blames it on immigration. He thinks Trump is right and that they should ban all Muslims from entering other countries. Just ban them all. I have tried to explain to him on countless occasions what is wrong with his views but he doesn't see sense. He thinks all Muslims are terrorists and he thinks all terrorist are Muslims. He thinks Muslims are taking over the country and actually showed delight when he heard about innocent Muslims being killed in their home countries but terrorists groups. He basically thinks they should all be killed.

I have come to accept that he will never see sense and have learned to just let him rant while I sit in silence.

[Circled Square]

Dear @Hanley!

See that's another thing I find weird, unless we accept them and cherish them, they lash out. Name another group that has this, if we don't watch our tone they will murder us, type of.baggage. I don't think having a tight immigrarion system is playing into their hands. Laying down and taking it over and over again is playing into their hands.

The solution isn't to ban Muslims from entering your country, but extensive background checks are a potential solution. Reeducation programs is a scary concept, it might help those who have been taught to hate the west though.

If adjusting your political policies is a form of revenge in white countries, and blowing shit up and killing people ia a form of revenge in Muslim countries, do you want to have that sleeping giant in your country? The innocent Muslims is the only thing holding me back from going full isolationist, /pol/ tier on border control/immigration. It's what complicates things for me. I can't find a solution that satisfies everybody..

[Hanley!]

Dear @Hanley!

See that's another thing I find weird, unless we accept them and cherish them, they lash out. Name another group that has this, if we don't watch our tone they will murder us, type of.baggage. I don't think having a tight immigrarion system is playing into their hands. Laying down and taking it over and over again is playing into their hands.

The solution isn't to ban Muslims from entering your country, but extensive background checks are a potential solution. Reeducation programs is a scary concept, it might help those who have been taught to hate the west though.

If adjusting your political policies is a form of revenge in white countries, and blowing shit up and killing people ia a form of revenge in Muslim countries, do you want to have that sleeping giant in your country? The innocent Muslims is the only thing holding me back from going full isolationist, /pol/ tier on border control/immigration. It's what complicates things for me. I can't find a solution that satisfies everybody..

It's a bit naive to say that it's only the Muslim countries that are "blowing shit up and killing people", isn't it? The "white countries" aren't completely innocent of this either. And sure they'll have had their reasons. But then the other side think their reasons are valid too.

You can make an argument for extensive background checks, but they would have to be for all immigrants and not just for Muslims. By singling them out like that, you're telling people that they're not trusted or respected and you make enemies of them.

The reeducation idea you have is interesting, because while many Muslims may have been taught to hate the West, as you said, the opposite is also true. Maybe both sides need to be reeducated.

I'm not saying I have a solution that satisfies everyone either. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I have no idea how to make this stuff away. But demonising all Muslims isn't just a poor solution, but I'd argue it's actually making things worse.

[Chewy]

This could all be resolved if God just told us all which side is correct.

[War Daddy]

This could all be resolved if God just told us all which side is correct.