As so often occurs in the Middle East, many elements appear to be in perfect alignment and ready to cause the real and tangible threat of escalating violence.

To say that 2016 was an unexpectedly eventful year for politics is an understatement worthy of Watson and Crick’s when they first discovered the structure of DNA.

France and Germany are reeling from a spate of violent terrorist attacks that have heralded a new era of insecurity. European Governments now face the daunting challenge of having to search for a multilateral approach in their anti-terrorism strategies.