national security

With the advance of ISIS, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah and other militant Islamic groups, the issue of national security has never been greater. And while America cannot and should not get involved in every conflict overseas, the attacks on September 11, 2001 showed us that we cannot, as well, divorce ourselves from what is happening outside our shores.

This is especially the case, considering that Iran, the largest sponsor of terrorism worldwide, is seeking to create nuclear weapons which will be a direct threat to the US and all of western civilization. Without a change in government in Iran, a future military conflict with the terrorist state is all but guaranteed.

Additionally, with regard to national security, the threat of terrorism is not just an external one; it is also very much a local issue. It is no surprise to intelligence authorities that a number of terrorist cells exist within the homeland, while homegrown terrorists, affected by what they see taking place across the globe, grow in numbers. When ISIS and the like announce that individual Muslims living in the west should rise up violently, America needs to take notice.

Overseas, our intelligence capabilities must be expanded and enhanced, and here at home, our Defense Department must be built up, not shut down. At some point, we will need our military, and it must be 100% ready when called upon. At home, we must look to shut down Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups like CAIR, ISNA, ICNA, MAS, Islamic Relief and the Muslim Students Association,  which also pose a threat.

And most importantly, the US government and Americans in general must remain vigilant at all times. If we do not remain vigilant, we will wind up like our friends in Europe or worse. Islamic extremism is a disease that must be constantly dealt with in order to protect our homeland and our democratic way of life.