What are the greatest security threats facing the US?
The United States鈥� director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, before Congress Tuesday on the biggest national security issues the US is currently facing in the new year.
Although Mr. Clapper and threat origins, he highlighted Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and cyber threats as some of the top issues the country will face in the coming year.聽鈥淯npredictable instability,鈥� said Clapper, 鈥渉as become the 鈥榥ew normal鈥� and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.鈥�
Yet, there is a very potent reason not to let fear win, according to some national security experts.
According to Clapper, the refugee crisis and climate change contribute to a sense of instability that can lead to violent extremism.
Clapper confirmed that Islamic State will be one of the greatest domestic security concerns for the United States in 2016, and that the threat will be a 鈥渒ey factor鈥� in American security assessments.
Clapper also warned that the success of 2015 terrorist attacks, both at home and abroad, could stimulate terrorist activity in the United States.
Attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., says Clapper, 鈥渕ight motivate others to replicate opportunistic attacks with little or no warning, diminishing our ability to detect terrorist operational planning and readiness.鈥�
Clapper identified insecurity and instability as two of the biggest factors that lead to security threats against the United States.
Just days after North Korea announced that it would move forward with plans to launch a long range rocket this month, Clapper told the committee that the .
The security chief told committee members that cyber security and the spread of technology聽not only enables terrorist groups to 鈥済o dark鈥� and coordinate effectively underground, but it is also used by several state actors, including Russia and China, to hack and spy on the United States.
Will Clapper鈥檚 testimony impact the already charged primary season?
Several candidates have staked out positions on the nature of terrorism and how to confront it. Chief among them are GOP hopefuls Sen. Ted Cruz and New York businessman Donald Trump.
In early December, Senator Cruz remarked that , 鈥淲e will utterly destroy ISIS. We will carpet-bomb them into oblivion. I don鈥檛 know if sand can glow in the dark, but we鈥檙e going to find out!鈥�
More recently, Mr. Trump and torturing terrorists during a campaign event in New Hampshire. At other times, he has suggested preventing all Muslims from entering the country.
Although Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton exercised more restraint in her rhetoric after terrorist attacks in Paris last November, for surveillance and caution at home.
In a Quinnipiac poll conducted in November last year, 83 percent of respondents feared that a terrorist attack on American soil would .
Yet, there is a very potent reason not to let fear win, according to some national security experts.
Others strike a more reserved tone.
鈥淚f we look like we're applying religious tests to who comes into this country, ,鈥� said Obama鈥檚 deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes, 鈥渆ssentially we're embracing that frame and that is going to make it very difficult to partner with Muslim communities here in the United States and around the world to prevent the scourge of radicalization that we should be focused on."
As the results roll in from New Hampshire鈥檚 Tuesday presidential primary, candidates could be contemplating how to best respond to the threats Clapper identified.
