News:

On Friday, 11/4/2015 it was announced that the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, are now expanding the military cooperation, as a response to the many Russian military airplanes over the Baltic Sea. Former Danish Prime Minister and former General Secretary of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, warns against taking too lightly on the threat from the east.

The four Defense Ministers and one Foreign Minister of the five Nordic countries explained in a common statement to the Norwegian paper Aftonsposten, "The Russian way of acting is the largest challenge towards the European security situation."

Comment:

There is no doubt, that the Russian intervention in Ukraine, and especially the annexation of Crimea, has caused some concern in the Nordic region. Not only within the Nordic countries who have borders close to Russia, but especially for their close strategic partners and neighbors in the Baltic countries. In the days of the Cold War, when the Soviet Union still had power, the Nordic countries were on a constant alert, but knew that in case of an actual invasion, they were no match for the superior Soviet State. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, this has not been a cause for major concern, but Russia's recent maneuvers have functioned as a reminder of the past.

Russia being the largest challenge towards the European security situation might be a fact, but that raises some very important questions.
If this is the case, then why are Muslims being treated as a far larger security threat? Why are Muslims being surveilled and hounded for fear of radicalization, which is just a cover for carrying Islamic thoughts?

It is very unlikely that Russians living in Europe will face the same treatment as Muslims face today and the reason is quite simple. Russia, however considered a security threat, no longer poses an ideological threat, since they left communism and adopted capitalism. Muslims on the other hand, though not posing a material threat, do pose an ideological threat, which is considered as far more dangerous. Nations adhering to the capitalist ideology may have different political objectives, which may at times result in conflicts, but at the end, their foundation is the same and that ensures a solid basis for compromises and solutions. Islam on the other hand is a unique ideology that challenges on entire different terms and levels and compromise is not one of the alternatives.

All nations have vital interests, which they are willing to fight for, but it is quite a paradox, that Anders Fogh Rasmussen, as former General Secretary for NATO, should talk about security. He, and several of the Nordic countries, directly or indirectly, are responsible for terrorizing and killing Muslims in millions and leaving their countries in security vacuum with ongoing atrocities.

The rulers of the Muslim countries also have interests, but unlike in the west, they are not aligned with the interests of the populations and definitely not with Islam and the Muslims. It is about time that Muslims start taking charge of their own political affairs, on the basis of Islam, and thereby reject foreign intervention and establish security for the Muslims.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Junes Kock
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Scandinavia