Threat alert for U.S. is again ‘blinking red’ in Gaza
OPINION:
The Finns, NATO’s newest members, are known for their bravery, grit, and tenacious spirit of independence.
There’s a saying in Finland: “Vahinko ei tule kello kaulassa” — which means “Accidents don’t come with a bell around their neck.” Finns justifiably pride themselves on being prepared when life unexpectedly breaks bad, such as when the Soviets invaded in 1939 or when the Finnish Meteorological Institute first detected radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
One of my mentors at the CIA used to remind younger officers, especially when we were running top-secret operations, that the only thing we could control was our preparation. We might not be able to spot distant threats with perfect clarity, but being sensitive even to the general contours of hazards on the horizon would ensure safer passage through dangerous battlespace.
As we welcome the new year, the U.S. faces a dizzying array of complex threats from the Kremlin — which always occupies center stage as our most ruthless adversary — and from such actors as China, Iran and North Korea. But it’s the war in Gaza that is burning down the already short fuse on the threat of transnational terrorism.
As Israel pursues its justified counterterrorism offensive in the wake of the barbaric attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, Iran, backed by Russia and China, has sought to curry favor with pro-Palestinian populations in the region and raise the cost of U.S. support for our ally.
Iran’s other proxy terrorists, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis, also represent a real and present danger to the U.S., the region and the global economy.
But it’s Iran’s propaganda narrative, linking Israel and the U.S. for supposedly causing the deaths of innocent Palestinians, that raises the risk of terrorist attacks on U.S. targets and citizens at home and abroad.
The system, to paraphrase former CIA Director George Tenet’s pre-9/11 warnings, is “blinking red” again. Al Qaeda and Islamic State terrorists enjoy ungoverned space in Afghanistan and operate in both Syria and Iraq, while Iran’s proxy terrorists across the Middle East are effectively in a state of war with us.
The only silver lining is that the growing threat from transnational terrorism is clear for all to see. All that remains is to do something about it.
Hardening our defenses starts with better and more intensive intelligence collection, unilaterally and with our allies, to ward off the threats before they can materialize.
Second, we must acknowledge that our porous border is a potential terrorist infiltration point of attack, just as it was in 2001. We desperately need bipartisan action in Washington to craft effective policy and legislation.
At home, citizens should never hesitate to say something if they see something. State and local law enforcement is our last line of defense in this shadowy fight.
Former CIA Director David Petraeus — a retired Army general and my former boss — and Andrew Roberts wrote in their recent book, “Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare From 1945 to Ukraine,” that national security demands first and foremost that we “get the big ideas right.”
No matter how intransigent some might find Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the region and beyond will hold the U.S. responsible for the ultimate future of Gaza.
Recognizing there is no chance for a two-state solution if Hamas lives to fight another day, the big idea in this fight should be to defeat the terrorists and transform Gaza into a hub of commerce, freedom of opportunity and good governance, with Palestinian elected leaders faithfully serving their citizens rather than planning terrorist attacks against innocent civilians.
The more the U.S. demonstrates enlightened and bold leadership on Gaza’s postwar future, the greater likelihood there will be a durable peace in the region, diminished Iranian influence, and fewer prospects for terrorists to incite violence against us.
Source » washingtontimes.com
