- +18
James M. Acton, Saskia Brechenmacher, Cecily Brewer, …
{
"authors": [
"Marc Pierini"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Carnegie Europe",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [
"Europe’s Southern Neighborhood"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Europe",
"programAffiliation": "EP",
"programs": [
"Europe"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"Europe",
"Gulf",
"Levant",
"Iraq",
"Syria",
"Western Europe",
"Iran"
],
"topics": [
"Foreign Policy",
"Security"
]
}Source: Getty
Born in Europe to Fight Foreign Wars?
What can the EU do to prevent its citizens from leaving for Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and becoming a domestic threat once they return to European soil?
Source: euronews
Speaking to on the Frontline on euronews, Marc Pierini was asked what he believes Europe should do to stop more of its citizens from joining militant groups, including the Islamic State (IS), in Syria and Iraq, and how unified the EU’s strategy is to deal with foreign fighters if and when they return home.“The majority of the young people going to Syria are from poor neighborhoods, school dropouts, [with] no job and vague, very vague religious indoctrination,” Pierini said when asked if Europe should prevent people from being recruited to IS.
Pierini argues that Europe has not been inactive on this matter and has in fact been working on counterterrorism measures for a year. But, he says, the EU needs to do more, from reinforcing counterterrorism cooperation within the EU and with Turkey to strengthening the Schengen system within Europe.
About the Author
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe
Pierini is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, where his research focuses on developments in the Middle East and Turkey from a European perspective.
- Unpacking Trump’s National Security StrategyOther
- Europe’s American PredicamentCommentary
Marc Pierini
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- Malaysia’s Year as ASEAN Chair: Managing DisorderCommentary
Malaysia’s chairmanship sought to fend off short-term challenges while laying the groundwork for minimizing ASEAN’s longer-term exposure to external stresses.
Elina Noor
- When It Comes to Superpower Geopolitics, Malaysia Is Staunchly NonpartisanCommentary
For Malaysia, the conjunction that works is “and” not “or” when it comes to the United States and China.
Elina Noor
- Neither Comrade nor Ally: Decoding Vietnam’s First Army Drill with ChinaCommentary
In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang
- China’s Mediation Offer in the Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute Sheds Light on Beijing’s Security Role in Southeast AsiaCommentary
The Thai-Cambodian conflict highlights the limits to China's peacemaker ambition and the significance of this role on Southeast Asia’s balance of power.
Pongphisoot (Paul) Busbarat
- China Is Determined to Hold Firm Against Trump’s PressureCommentary
Beijing believes that Washington is overestimating its own leverage and its ability to handle the trade war’s impacts.
Rick Waters, Sheena Chestnut Greitens