DIA Chief Warns of Expanding Jihadist Threat in Ever Dangerous World

On Tuesday, DIA Director Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart testified to the Senate about the current global threats currently facing the United States.  Stewart described a world where foes such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and ISIS were expanding their capabilities at a time when the US and its allies were cutting back their armed forces. In particularly, Stewart pointed out the Islamic State’s operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as the chief present security challenge citing ISIS’s success in Iraq and Syria, as well as their expansion into Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. Stewart warned that ISIS is dangerous because of its success in attracting further recruits and acquiring funding from other Islamist radical groups in North Africa and the Middle East. ISIS’s continued existence hinges on approval, or at least concession, from the greater Sunni community in Iraq and Syria. That said, Stewart indicated his belief that the coalition air strikes on ISIS have been effective in blunting the militant group’s combat capability along with killing numerous Islamic State officials.

Stewart’s assessment indicated that ISIS is expected to expand its contacts with other like minded Sunni Islamist groups throughout the world, and that ISIS will continue to carry out traditional terrorist attacks to attain their goals in addition to their normal modus operandi of offensive operations in Iraq, Libya, and Syria. In Libya in particular, ISIS has steadily increased its presence in the country, even establishing Islamic institutions in the city of Derna which it presently holds. Compared to the present anarchy in Libya, Islamic State’s violent imposition of sharia law may prove tolerable if ISIS can provide sufficient aid and stability. Stewart also noted with particular concern in the report are concerns from Pakistan about ISIS operations in the country:

Despite ongoing military operations, Pakistan will continue to face internal security threats from militant, sectarian, and separatist groups. Additionally, Pakistan remains concerned about ISIL outreach and propaganda in South Asia.

As the Free Fire Blog has previously noted, ISIS has worked to expand its presence in Libya, Egypt, and central Asia. 

Also discussed in the report is the  dire  state of the Iraqi Security Forces and Afghan National Security Forces. Lt. Gen. Stewart recommends aiding the Iraqi Security Forces and Afghan National Security Forces with training and support in order to make them effective combatants against their respective domestic threats. In addition,Stewart predicted that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda will again attempt to increase their influence in Afghanistan this year:

The Taliban will probably sustain the capability to propagate a rural-based insurgency that can project intermittent attacks in urban areas through at least 2018.

The report also notes that despite the recent fracturing of the radical Sunni Islamist movement, al-Qaeda remains a potent force, along with keeping much of its transnational attack apparatus intact. Furthermore, Boko Haram could metastasize into an organization capable of launching attacks outside of West Africa.

Islamic State and Al-Qaeda are not the only potential threats mentioned in the report however. Considerable space was given for discussion about Russian and Chinese armament programs, including anti-satellite weapons projects, and the cyber-warfare capabilities of numerous hostile states.