[Watch] Al-Qaeda Hearings Expose Obama, McCain and Real Hidden Threat

Posted on 5 February, 2014 by Rick Wells





Far from the election year assessment in Barack Obama’s DNC speech above, those in the know who are not in perpetual campaign mode tell us al-Qaeda is bigger and stronger than ever before.

In announcing hearings into the renewed al-Qaeda threat, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said, “Al-Qaeda controls more territory today than it ever has before, and much of that is in western Iraq where it has recently captured significant cities.”

Two House committees will hold hearings two separate hearings this week, the first of which took place today in the House Armed Services Committee. The second will take place tomorrow, conducted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Earlier this month the House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing which specifically addressed the administration’s “al Qaeda narrative.”

Today, for the second time in a week, America’s intelligence chiefs issued a scathing assessment of the global threats facing the US and warned that Syria is morphing into a base from which extremist, Al Qaeda-linked groups could attack the U.S.

CIA Director John Brennan said, “We are concerned about the use of Syrian territory by the Al Qaeda organization to recruit individuals and develop the capability to be able not just to carry out attacks inside of Syria, but also to use Syria as a launching pad. There are camps inside of both Iraq and Syria that are used by Al Qaeda to develop capabilities that are applicable, both in the theater, as well as beyond.”

The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper had a grim assessment of the situation, stating, “Looking back over my more than half a century in intelligence, I have not experienced a time when we’ve been beset by more crises and threats around the globe.”

In addition to the appearance of Brennan and Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, Defense Intelligence Chief Gen. Mike Flynn and Matt Olson, who heads the National Counterterrorism Center, were in attendance.

Attempting to quantify the threat, Clapper estimated the Syrian insurgency to number between 75,000 and 110,000 fighters from approximately 1,500 different groups. Clapper said, “Complicating this further are the 7500 or so foreign fighters from some 50 countries who have gravitated to Syria. Among them are a small group of Af-Pak Al Qaeda veterans with aspirations of external attack in Europe, if not the homeland.”

Meanwhile, Gen. Joe Dunford, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan was to meet in the White House with Obama and his national security team to brief them on the recommended course in Afghanistan as well as estimated troop levels needed in the years after the withdrawal of U.S. Afghan forces.

Regarding Afghanistan, Clapper testified, “We know our vital national security interest there will not cease. We need to maintain our intelligence efforts there, even after the military withdraws. Core Al Qaeda and the Taliban will continue to represent a threat, but we must not forget that Afghanistan is more than a front in the counter-terrorism war.

Clapper then delivered the nugget that could be a major underlying factor in our involvement, both regionally and in Afghanistan in particular. He said, “Afghanistan has broader strategic implications. It borders both Iran and Pakistan, and is close to both Russia and China.”

It is becoming increasingly apparent with each passing day that the statements of victory over al-Qaeda and the moderate nature of the so-called “freedom fighters” that John McCain worked feverishly for us to supply with aid were greatly overstated.

Rather than Obama having al-Qaeda running down a “path to defeat,” he seems to have them marching on a “path to citizenship.”

Rick Wells is a conservative Constitutionalist author who contributes to conservative media outlets. “Like” him on Facebook and “Follow” him on Twitter.


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