The rise of the radical group calling itself The Islamic State is sparking calls for a clearer strategy to keep the violence in Iraq from reaching U.S. shores.
Former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton, who co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, says with so many extremist groups in the Middle East, it‘s understandable intelligence agencies didn‘t see ISIS coming.
"There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of groups, all of whom have their own axes to grind," Hamilton says. "ISIS was able to put together the money, the skills, the manpower fairly quickly. But we have caught it now and the the important thing now is: what should our policy be?"
Speaking on CNN with Sen. Dan Coats (R-Indiana), Hamilton says the U.S. now needs to make up its mind what to do about the group. He says American policy so far has been unfocused, and warns the death of an American who was fighting for ISIS in Syria points up the risk of ISIS-trained jihadists returning home to the U.S. to plot acts of terrorism.
Coats suggested the U.S. should look closely at following other countries‘ lead in limiting the visa waivers that typically allow U.S. citizens to reenter the U.S. from overseas travel without extra screening. He echoes Hamilton in saying the White House needs to come to Congress with a clear plan.