U.S. frustration simmers over Belgium's struggle with militant threatWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shortly after last November’s attacks on Paris by a Brussels-based Islamic State cell, a top U.S. counter-terrorism official traveling in Europe wanted to visit Brussels to learn more about the investigation. When the official tried to arrange meetings, however, his Belgian counterparts were not welcoming, according to U.S. officials familiar with the events. The Belgians indicated it was a bad time to speak to foreign officials as they were too busy with the investigation, said the officials, who asked not to be identified. Belgian officials declined to comment on the incident. The brush-off was one small sign of mounting U.S. frustration over Brussels’ handling of its worsening Islamic militant threat.  Concern that the small European nation’s security and intelligence officials are overwhelmed — and that its coordination with allies falls short — have again come to the fore following the Islamic State-claimed attacks on Tuesday that killed at least 31 people. Several U.S. officials say that security cooperation has been hampered by patchy intelligence–sharing by Brussels and wide differences in the willingness of different agencies to work with foreign countries, even close allies. One U.S. government source said that when American investigators try to contact Belgian agencies for information, they often struggle to find which agency or part of an agency might have relevant information. Belgium has ordered a sharp increase in security budgets following the Paris attacks, despite being under steady pressure to limit its debt levels under euro zone rules. The government has promised to recruit around 2,500 more federal police, who pursue major crimes, to make up for a shortfall of close to a fifth of the full-strength force of 12,500. It also says it thwarted a major attack in January 2015, and is eager to cooperate with European and U.S. counterparts. “These attacks show that more coordination with the United States is clearly desirable,” Guy Rapaille, the president of the committee that provides oversight of Belgium’s security and intelligence services, told Belgium’s state broadcaster RTBF. “But you have to remember that big powers guard their intelligence very closely.”  U.S. officials acknowledge the recent Belgian efforts to step up funding and recruitment. Yet they say Belgian security services are outmatched by the threat in a country that, per capita, has supplied the highest number of foreign fighters to Syria of any European nation. “They’re way behind the ball and they’re paying a terrible price,” Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters. Asked on Wednesday whether Belgium was too complacent over the threat posed by Islamic militancy, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said:  “I want to stay clear of saying that Belgium was somehow caught by surprise or not aware. You know, we collaborate, we work with Belgium closely.”   Some U.S. counter-terrorism officials say much of the gap between Washington and Belgium — and some other European countries — is cultural. Europeans’ deeper commitment to personal privacy sometimes prevents or delays sharing of information such as travel data — that is taken for granted in the United States. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. government radically reshaped its counter-terrorism agencies. It broke down walls between law enforcement and intelligence authorities, and created new coordinating institutions such as the Director of National Intelligence and National Counterterrorism Center. Belgium, by contrast, is a patchwork country divided between French and Dutch speakers and with multiple levels of government. Belgian security chiefs have repeatedly complained that they cannot handle up to 900 home-grown Islamist militants, among the highest per-capita rates in Europe. Belgium does not divulge the exact number of personnel in its security services and military intelligence, but security experts say they appear under-resourced compared to European counterparts. “Add to that the problem of two languages (French and Flemish), lack of Arabic speakers, and weak coordination between national and local government, you have a huge discrepancy between threat and response,” said former CIA official and White House advisor Bruce Riedel, now at the Brookings Institution. politicsNews
frustration swimmers belgium struggle militant threatwashington reuters shortly last november attacks paris islamic state cell top official traveling europe wanted visit brussels learn investigation when official tried arrange meetings however belgian counterparts welcoming according officials familiar events the belgian indicated bad time speak foreign officials busy investigation said officials asked identified belgian officials declined comment incident the one small sign mounting frustration brussels handling worsening islamic militant threat concern small european nation security intelligence officials overwhelmed coordination allies falls short come fore following islamic attacks tuesday killed least people several officials say security cooperation hampered patch brussels wide differences willingness different agencies work foreign countries even close allies one government source said american investigators try contact belgian agencies information often struggle find agency part agency might relevant information belgium ordered sharp increase security budgets following paris attacks despite steady pressure limit debt levels euro zone rules the government promised recruit around federal police pursue major crimes make shortfall close fifth force it also says thwarted major attack january eager cooperate european counterparts these attacks show coordination united states clearly desirable guy rapaille president committee provides oversight belgium security intelligence services told belgium state broadcaster rtf but remember big powers guard intelligence officials acknowledge recent belgian efforts step funding recruitment yet say belgian security services unmatched threat country per capita supplied highest number foreign fighters syria european nation they way behind ball paying terrible price adam chief ranking democrat house intelligence committee told reuters asked wednesday whether belgium complaint threat posed islamic militancy state department spokesman mark tower said i want stay clear saying belgium somehow caught surprise aware you know collaborate work belgium some officials say much gap washington belgium european countries cultural european deeper commitment personal privacy sometimes prevents delays sharing information travel data taken granted united states after september attacks government radically shaped agencies it broke walls law enforcement intelligence authorities created new coordinating institutions director national intelligence national counterterrorism center belgium contrast patchwork country divided french dutch speakers multiple levels government belgian security chiefs repeatedly complained handle islamic militants among highest rates europe belgium diverge exact number personnel security services military intelligence security experts say appear compared european counterparts add problem two languages french flesh lack arabic speakers weak coordination national local government huge discrepancy threat response said former cia official white house advisor bruce rider bookings institution politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. frustration simmers over Belgium's struggle with militant threatWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shortly after last November’s attacks on Paris by a Brussels-based Islamic State cell, a top U.S. counter-terrorism official traveling in Europe wanted to visit Brussels to learn more about the investigation. When the official tried to arrange meetings, however, his Belgian counterparts were not welcoming, according to U.S. officials familiar with the events. The Belgians indicated it was a bad time to speak to foreign officials as they were too busy with the investigation, said the officials, who asked not to be identified. Belgian officials declined to comment on the incident. The brush-off was one small sign of mounting U.S. frustration over Brussels’ handling of its worsening Islamic militant threat.  Concern that the small European nation’s security and intelligence officials are overwhelmed — and that its coordination with allies falls short — have again come to the fore following the Islamic State-claimed attacks on Tuesday that killed at least 31 people. Several U.S. officials say that security cooperation has been hampered by patchy intelligence–sharing by Brussels and wide differences in the willingness of different agencies to work with foreign countries, even close allies. One U.S. government source said that when American investigators try to contact Belgian agencies for information, they often struggle to find which agency or part of an agency might have relevant information. Belgium has ordered a sharp increase in security budgets following the Paris attacks, despite being under steady pressure to limit its debt levels under euro zone rules. The government has promised to recruit around 2,500 more federal police, who pursue major crimes, to make up for a shortfall of close to a fifth of the full-strength force of 12,500. It also says it thwarted a major attack in January 2015, and is eager to cooperate with European and U.S. counterparts. “These attacks show that more coordination with the United States is clearly desirable,” Guy Rapaille, the president of the committee that provides oversight of Belgium’s security and intelligence services, told Belgium’s state broadcaster RTBF. “But you have to remember that big powers guard their intelligence very closely.”  U.S. officials acknowledge the recent Belgian efforts to step up funding and recruitment. Yet they say Belgian security services are outmatched by the threat in a country that, per capita, has supplied the highest number of foreign fighters to Syria of any European nation. “They’re way behind the ball and they’re paying a terrible price,” Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters. Asked on Wednesday whether Belgium was too complacent over the threat posed by Islamic militancy, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said:  “I want to stay clear of saying that Belgium was somehow caught by surprise or not aware. You know, we collaborate, we work with Belgium closely.”   Some U.S. counter-terrorism officials say much of the gap between Washington and Belgium — and some other European countries — is cultural. Europeans’ deeper commitment to personal privacy sometimes prevents or delays sharing of information such as travel data — that is taken for granted in the United States. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. government radically reshaped its counter-terrorism agencies. It broke down walls between law enforcement and intelligence authorities, and created new coordinating institutions such as the Director of National Intelligence and National Counterterrorism Center. Belgium, by contrast, is a patchwork country divided between French and Dutch speakers and with multiple levels of government. Belgian security chiefs have repeatedly complained that they cannot handle up to 900 home-grown Islamist militants, among the highest per-capita rates in Europe. Belgium does not divulge the exact number of personnel in its security services and military intelligence, but security experts say they appear under-resourced compared to European counterparts. “Add to that the problem of two languages (French and Flemish), lack of Arabic speakers, and weak coordination between national and local government, you have a huge discrepancy between threat and response,” said former CIA official and White House advisor Bruce Riedel, now at the Brookings Institution. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: frustration swimmers belgium struggle militant threatwashington reuters shortly last november attacks paris islamic state cell top official traveling europe wanted visit brussels learn investigation when official tried arrange meetings however belgian counterparts welcoming according officials familiar events the belgian indicated bad time speak foreign officials busy investigation said officials asked identified belgian officials declined comment incident the one small sign mounting frustration brussels handling worsening islamic militant threat concern small european nation security intelligence officials overwhelmed coordination allies falls short come fore following islamic attacks tuesday killed least people several officials say security cooperation hampered patch brussels wide differences willingness different agencies work foreign countries even close allies one government source said american investigators try contact belgian agencies information often struggle find agency part agency might relevant information belgium ordered sharp increase security budgets following paris attacks despite steady pressure limit debt levels euro zone rules the government promised recruit around federal police pursue major crimes make shortfall close fifth force it also says thwarted major attack january eager cooperate european counterparts these attacks show coordination united states clearly desirable guy rapaille president committee provides oversight belgium security intelligence services told belgium state broadcaster rtf but remember big powers guard intelligence officials acknowledge recent belgian efforts step funding recruitment yet say belgian security services unmatched threat country per capita supplied highest number foreign fighters syria european nation they way behind ball paying terrible price adam chief ranking democrat house intelligence committee told reuters asked wednesday whether belgium complaint threat posed islamic militancy state department spokesman mark tower said i want stay clear saying belgium somehow caught surprise aware you know collaborate work belgium some officials say much gap washington belgium european countries cultural european deeper commitment personal privacy sometimes prevents delays sharing information travel data taken granted united states after september attacks government radically shaped agencies it broke walls law enforcement intelligence authorities created new coordinating institutions director national intelligence national counterterrorism center belgium contrast patchwork country divided french dutch speakers multiple levels government belgian security chiefs repeatedly complained handle islamic militants among highest rates europe belgium diverge exact number personnel security services military intelligence security experts say appear compared european counterparts add problem two languages french flesh lack arabic speakers weak coordination national local government huge discrepancy threat response said former cia official white house advisor bruce rider bookings institution politicsnews