Why the Brussels attack was all but inevitable

There are no quick fixes for this alarming development, and no amount of law enforcement will halt the flow of West European Muslim volunteers to join the ranks of violent extremists other than inclusion, which must encompass the following:

1 - No country directly or indirectly affected by violent extremism can afford to be long on talking and short on funding. There is probably nothing more important than the need to appropriate a substantial amount of money and human resources to meet this unprecedented challenge, regardless of how costly and how long it might take;

2 - Adopt a new public narrative by using a strategic way to communicate utilizing every conceivable social media outlet to counter extremists with facts. Government officials must avoid moral preaching but employ moral arguments, and address the perception of Western nations assailing Muslims, which leads the young to seek justice through violence;

3 - Develop community service programs to introduce young Muslims to the larger community of their Western peers and begin a process of integration in which they develop personal interests to fill the social, economic, and political emptiness they feel;

4 - Invite credible and respected voices from the Muslim world (which have thus far done little to discredit the messages of the extremists) to teach that there is no path to glory in death, that joining such violent groups only reinforces the vicious cycle of death and destruction, and that there is no martyrdom in their senseless self-sacrifices;

5 - Encourage young Muslims to join sports activities and provide opportunities to show off their talent and ability to excel, while supporting those who seek to establish their social identity and be recognized;

6 - Prevent prisons from becoming incubators for new terrorists by rehabilitating prisoners through community programs, schooling, professional enhancements, and assigning of responsibility within the prison setting; nearly 80 percent of prisoners who went through such rigorous programs in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen ended up rehabilitated and became role models for other prisoners to emulate;

7 - Foster the desire of young Muslims to participate in local political discussion groups, to become part of any positive changes to advance the interests of their communities, enhance their self-esteem, and prevent the intellectual stagnation Bertrand Russell spoke to: "Most people would die sooner than think-in fact they do so";

8 - Develop international exchange programs to expose young Muslims to what is happening in other communities, areas of social and economic progress, and new innovations and ideas that can be duplicated to benefit their own families and communities.

Integration is a long-term process, and there may be no instant gratification, but no country can afford to wait, as integration can prevent the prohibitive costs in blood and treasure now and at a later date that are the result of yet another terrorist attack.

Failure is not an option as the consequences will be extraordinarily dire. A state of constant alarm, emergencies, and terrorism will become a way of life, haunting Western democracies and violently destabilizing the Middle East for decades to come.