The United States and Europe both face particularly unique challenges when attempting to deal with, or actually dealing with, radicalization.  One of the biggest challenges that both European states and the United States have in common is combating radicalization via the internet.  It’s virtually impossible to monitor the whole of the internet, so preventing the dissemination of specific content or material is not only burdensome, but almost unfeasible  While they can block particular content or accounts and work to identify certain websites or known supporters, there is no sure-fire way to ensure that propaganda isn’t spread.  A particular problem faced by the U.S., however, comes into play when considering the Constitution.
This may not be the first thing that comes to mind with the particular subject at hand, however some propaganda or expressions could fall under that particular amendment’s protection.
European states do not suffer from this issue to the extent that the U.S. does, as their conspiracy laws are hardly able to be considered vague.  The terrorist threat in Europe, however, is greater in both intensity and frequency than that in the U.S.  This may be a result of the numbers of European fighters in Iraq and Syria (as opposed to the lower number of American fighters), the lack of integration and alienations of Muslim communities, security service raids on the community, the ease of moving across the borders, etc.  With the increased perception of separation between Muslims and the rest of the community, disillusionment, and discrimination (Muslims community raids), European states have a much more difficult time in addressing and facing radicalization than the United States does.
Marc Sageman, author of Misunderstanding Terrorism, has taken a very unique approach to terrorism.  He asserts that political violence isn’t a result of a personal grievance or mental illness, but instead is the result of a political process.  Sageman is quick to point out the the government misunderstands terrorism and the threat in the West.
It is highly important for policy makers in these countries to understand that perspective is extremely essential in regards to radicalization.  It is paramount to Sageman that liberal democracies refrain from adopting the poor terminology from the brutal tyrants that label any nonviolent political dissenter as a terrorist. Policy makers need to shift their focus from the individual or the group to the context, the circumstances that create the terrorists.  Under his guidance, these countries would no longer utilize mass attacks such as airstrikes; they only provide more negative publicity and take the lives of the innocent.
