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Safe at Home: Why We Must Keep the Pressure on al Qaeda in Iraq
To keep safe here at home, we must keep routing al Qaeda in Iraq. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell says that al Qaeda in Iraq is still the U.S.’s greatest threat at home or abroad.
In his annual report to Congress, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell told the Senate Intelligence Committee that al-Qaida remains “the preeminent” terror threat facing the United States both at home and abroad.
“Despite our successes over the years, the group has retained or regenerated key elements of its capability, including its top leadership, operational lieutenants, and a defacto safe haven in the Pakistani border area with Afghanistan,” McConnell said.
McConnell said al-Qaida’s affiliates - particularly al-Qaida in Iraq - pose a significant regional threat.
“We are increasingly concerned that even as coalition forces inflict significant damage on al-Qaida inside Iraq, they may deploy resources to mount attacks outside that country,” he said.
McConnell also expressed concerns about weapons of mass destruction.