Paris attacks should not trigger knee-jerk responses

Following the dreadful Paris attacks, panic has naturally ensued. Yet, in some cases, this sense of panic is counterproductive and even detrimental to the goals the world is trying to achieve.

Efforts are being made in several countries to tighten their borders. For example, the United States’ House of Representatives has passed a Bill that imposes stricter checks on refugees.

On the surface, it seems that restricting the number of immigrants reduces the chances of a terrorist sneaking in, but the Paris attacks can serve as an excuse for politicians to forward their anti-immigrant agenda.

For example, the US Bill requires the directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and of Homeland Security to personally certify that each person being admitted has been fully vetted and that they are confident he or she is not going to be a terrorist.

The problem here is that the Bill will not improve the current system.

The US authorities probably know the identity of those in senior positions in terrorist organisations. At the same time, it would be a crime to underestimate the powers of concealment and deception possessed by a well-trained terrorist who is not in the US database and is determined to wreak havoc.

Such a terrorist would probably still slip in. And, of course, other needy refugees would be denied entry.

It is not a stretch to assume that the Bill advances the personal agenda of various Republicans, given their anti-immigration standpoint. Americans, shocked by the Paris attacks, would probably offer little resistance to this potentially damaging Bill.

Also, it seems the vigilance of security forces has increased in response to the panic, rather than to an actual increase in bomb threats, quite a few of which were, in the end, false and would have been deemed previously as insignificant or lacking sufficient factual backing.

Heightened responses are good, but some measures lead to a lockdown of transport networks or cities, causing economic losses and needless worry.

Feeling fear because of the Paris attacks is perfectly reasonable, but if it gets in the way of reason, the risk is decisions will be made that may cause more harm than good.