Is The Islamic State A Threat To The U.S.?

Photo from Islamic State Media’s twitter profile, 7/2/14

ISIS: Is It Really A Threat To The U.S.? -- Peter Bergen and David Sterman, CNN

(CNN) -- U.S. officials are claiming that the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, is "now a credible alternative to al Qaeda."

But what does that really mean in terms of ISIS' potential threat to the United States? After all, al Qaeda hasn't pulled off a successful attack in the States since 9/11, or indeed anywhere in the West since the London transportation bombings in 2005.

This month, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, criticized the airstrikes in Iraq ordered by President Barack Obama directed at ISIS as too limited, telling CNN's Candy Crowley, "That is simply a very narrow and focused approach to a problem which is metastasizing as we speak. Candy, there was a guy a month ago that was in Syria, went back to the United States, came back and blew himself up. We're tracking 100 Americans who are over there now fighting for ISIS. ISIS is attracting extreme elements from all over the world, much less the Arab world. And what have we done?"

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My Comment: ISIS is not Al Qaeda .... and their focus is on fighting the wars in Syria and Iraq .... not fighting the West. But this can all change in a heart-beat .... and the Islamic State does have the men and resources to bring a lot of grief to the West .... the U.S. included.