Of caffeine. Were going to get going. Well, welcome everyone, i am jason with Bipartisan Policy Center and its a real pleasure to welcome a group of friends and experts to a conversation about reports that we are releasing today. Defeating terrorists, not terrorism. Assessing counterterrorism policies from 9 11 to isis. Our goal here today is to take an unsparing look at the United States efforts to confront and engage terrorism over the last decade and a half. Were also seeking to engage in a difficult question, which is to try to understand the role that extremist ideology plays in the violence that continues to wrack the globe. This is a question that many have wrestled with for a long time and this is a focus of the study that well talk about. Its important, of course, to begin this morning by remembering that 16 years ago, nearly 3,000 innocent lives were taken in new york, washington and pennsylvania through a vicious and senseless terrorist attack. Its an attack that, i think, forever changed the arc of american policy. Theres no question that we have invested profound resources over the last six 16 years to protect the homeland. While no amount of bloodshed is acceptable, the total of violence in the u. S. 105 casualties over the past 16 years. While, painful, this is an accomplishment. Its made possible by a bipartisan approach inspired by the 9 11 commission. The bipartisan concensus achieved in the 9 11 commission was not inevitable. We have come to take it as a given, but it was a product of unfie unyielding, animated debate and a steadfast commitment to the National Interest is ultimately above expediency and ego. Congress, to its credit, has maintained much of the spirit when it comes to security, director of National Intelligence and National Center for counterterrorism, all three of which have been largely sustained and strengthened despite the remarkably careening politics of the last 16 years. The Bipartisan Policy Center has been working with governor cain and congressman hamilton for the last eight years and weve been delighted because of the example that theyve set for achieving public policy. But for the all of the success that weve had preventing major terrorist attacks in the United States, the picture around the world remains grim. Last year, about 25,000 people died in roughly 11,000 terrorist attacks in 104 countries around the world. Thats three times as many deaths and five times as many attacks as occurred in 2001. Our military, the finest in the world has been very effective in disrupting terrorist networks, denying safe havens. However, terrorist groups seem to be as capable at recruit fighters as the military in taking them off the field of battle. These are, of course, estimates, but its believed that United States forces have killed isis fighters, however, u. S. Government current force of roughly 15,000 fighters is slightly less than isis maintained in 2014. Its the persistence of this threat thats motivated governor cain and congressman hamilton to undertake this new initiative, the task force on terrorism and ideology. Weve brought together a Diverse Group of experts, several in the room to assess the threat and again, the role of ideology in fueling terrorism. To begin answering the question, the report were releasing today, again, defeating terrorists, not terrorism, is the first step in this process. The task force on the initial state of the terrorist threat and counterterrorism of efforts. And the group is moving to harder work of trying of provide recommendations for transforming those strategies into longterm policy. Were eager to get your views on this today and going forward, to lead off the discussion its a really honor to be named by general michael mccall. I think you know that chairman mccall is a leader in our nations security, including efforts to reform congresss fractured oversight of the department of Homeland Security ap and recently achieved remarkable success in passing the first reauthorization bill for the department of Homeland Security since its creation, the legislation has moved out of the full committee and on to the house. Congressman mccall if you could join us. Appreciate it. [applause] its an honor to be ear today at the Bipartisan Policy Center. I want to thank jason for that introduction and governor cain for being here today. Lee hamilton for your great work on the 9 11 commission, which still stands as perhaps the best product produced to the congress and unfortunately, there are a few recommendations that we havent followed that were working on that. I also look forward to reading this report, and its always of great value to policy makers, the type of thoughtful analysis that you provide. I was asked to speak ten minutes, thats hard for any elected official to talk about all the threats we face in ten minutes, but i will tell you, its changed. Im going to new york on sunday, ill be at the ceremony as i always am. Its a very moving experience, but the hijackers pulled off that fateful day, i think it would be very difficult to pull off today. The intelligence apparatus, Homeland Security apparatus has stopped, to your point. While there have been terrorism still on the rise, i think we have he been able to stop and prevent a lot of plots from happening in the United States and thats the good news. Its evolving, its different. Al qaeda, bin laden, were looking at largescale plots, very complex operations didnt use cell phones. Now we have a new generation of terrorist under the banner of isis. A new generation that knows how to exploit the internet, to recruit, to train, and to radicalize. And weve seen this profoundly and its one of the great he is channels we have. In 2014, 15, and 16, about the time i wrote my book, sailors of imagination and walk out of my classified Briefing Room at the capitol, it was terrifying, about the tempo that the numbers of arrests, the numbers of plots. As the caliphate was growing in iraq and syria, in mosul and raqqa. We were seeing people like hussein and it went from the kinetic threat and going into europe, a major threat to europe, i would say that europe is still in the pre9 11 posture and theyre starting to stand up to protect themselves. The idea of the foreign fighters coming into the United States was at that time of paramount importance. If you can do this over the internet you dont have to travel. So the new phenomena of the internet sending multiple messages, constantly, globally, all over the world and into the United States to radicalize. As we have crushed the faly fate, and i want you to grab for four years out of which they can conduct and did try to conduct external operations. We have a current threat to the aviation sector out of the caliphate to bring out airlines. This threat to aviation has not ended or ceased. Thats the goal on 9 11, and the goal today to turn anything larger than the iphone i have into a bomb and taking on the airplane, and blow it up. We had a recent arrest in australia, isis central, command and control, to bring a charge ied device onto a airline out of australia into the arab nations, to blow it up. They have tested these devices. We are trying to get a handle on our detection capability to stop these devices from getting onto airplanes. We have last point departure airports, ramped up security to make it safer. We dont want a plane flying into the United States and blowing up over the skies of the United States, but to that so many years later, that is still one of the number one priorities. It used to be aqat, and now isis has gotten a good handle on this. We saw sheik in the airplane brought down, you know, out of that region. So whether its that threat, but gep, i think the internet is theyre power people. They ask me often, whats the difference between bin laden, al qaeda and al baghdadi and isis . I think its simple, its the reach and bandwidth that they have globally over the internet to recruit training and rod radicalize. As were collapsing the caliphate were having military success with delta forces and raqqa, syria to bring them down and stop the threat to the homeland we know is coming out of there. And as we squeeze that, the messages that were hearing from the sheik, the guy who influenced and inspired the new york bomber, with the two bombs he tried to detonate. The message no longer is coming from syria. The message is now stay where you are and kill by any means necessary, by vehicle, by knife, by any means necessary and were seeing this playing out in the streets of europe almost on a weekly basis i did the reports, barcelona just had one of these major events as well. Ive been so proud and, yet, surprised how we have been able to stop this from happening in the United States, different the fact how difficult it is to dete detect, deter and disrupt the plot and were seeing the messages every day on the internet. How do we stop them . How do we better protect americans . Ive sat down with the mainly technology companies, google, facebook, twitter, its something thats not being talked with about a lot, and work with technology companies, but its a little secret. The fact is whether childhood pornography is illegal on the internet, and with this, can they shut down the material. I ive been trying with the companies, in general, to have the twitter when theyre saying 150 twitle handles and its spreading radic radical sermon and all over the world. And so when i met with the companies, and they are patriotic, but they also have a business and its delicate balance, who makes the decision as to what is jihadist material and what is not. So, we have been working in a partnership with them to try to remove this material from the internet. Nine times out of ten when we have one of those lone wolf attacks in the United States or elsewhere, whether its fort hood or what we saw in orlando, awlakis sermons pop up, he is the prophet. Hes the prophet for al qaeda and isis. Hes the inspiration. And shake adnany. I think we can make a tremendous effort. Not only removing the jihadists. And its their power, its also winning ideology at the end of the day. And what ideology is going to prevail. Isis was a winning team, they had the brand name. Everybody wanted to be a part of isis, a Younger Generation that didnt have a future. Al qaeda has some sophisticated educated people, doctors, scientists, isis is not the case, its more of a populous movement in that jihad role. The counter narrative, at the end of the day, when ideology prevails over this destructive hate. Hateful ideology. We have, but well have to stay on some of this. I love jane harmons quote, they doesnt check our politicians. Its basically about protecting the american people, democrats and republicans and so i applaud what this organization has done. And touch on the matter of this governor cain advocates so strongly for and that was we pretty much have the recommendations, the entry exit is one of the last ones that bill and i just filed, well mark it up in september to know its coming in. The hijackers came in legally and overstayed their visas. We still to that day dont have the capability to know, we can know whats doming in, but we didnt. Its across the northwest border, we dont know who is leaving. Weve got to better of handle on that. And that was very important to do, reauthorize. Imagine a department that doesnt exist in law. I mean, the Homeland Security act was passed. Many of these entities within dhs do not exist in law so i urge my Senate Partners and companions to pass for the sake of a nation. That would be a great testament, they would do it around this time. I know we have a question and answer. Theres so much more that i could talk about. Im an eternal operatimist, we prevail. I dont think its going to happen in my lifetime, i think it will happen in my childrens lifetime. I remember being there and a house, a soldier pointed to it, he said thats the house of abraham and i look forward to when the three religions can live peacefully under the same house. But this extremist, this islamist radical ideology, while we are we have figure gains and victories, its spreading like wildfire across the globe and it will continue to be a threat that we have to be ever vigilant to prevent and that thats stop the threats from coming into the United States and killing americans, and with that, we say thank you to the center for the great work youre doing. I want to thank governor cain for his report that i hook forward to reading and implementing into policy and at the end of the day well hopefully live under that house of peace. Thank you. [applaus [applause]. Mr. Chairman, were pleased that legislatures will pass and were not going to keep you here too long. I have time for a couple of questions from the audience. What one of the challenges of talking about this, weve not had any kind of large scale terror attack in 16 years, which i think for folks are watching this closely, its a remarkable achievement. What do you attribute that to, to what integration of intelligence seriouses and do you have an inside pocket . I think the integration and National Security apparatus, i think the creation of department of Homeland Security. I think that the Intelligence Committee has done did i understand its all about, i was a federal prosecutor, it was to deter in advance. Weve arrested i think were reaching 150 in the United States. We do a terrorism snap chat every month and we have the trend lines and we have investigations in all 50 states. I just got briefed in my skiff, we brought down a potential terrorism before they can look at violence. And i thank them for the act to stop this from happening. In the time frame, 2016. It was frightening time. Id walk out of the classified room wondering if that next plot was going to happen or not, the good news, we were able to stop it. So, the trim line went up, ap to straighten to go down. I think that the military success and caliphate had something to do with it. If you look at europe on the other hand, their friend line is starting to go up. Why is that . Because the importa fighters, t not as integrated as we are from their situation, and in the United States were better integrating our muslim population. Theyre not good at this in belgium, france and former, they have segregation and out of the pockets came the terrorist attacks, brussels i was there a month before it happened and you can see it happening. Europe is in the pre9 11 posture is starting to realize they have to deal with integration of their population and deal with information sharing. They werent even using our watch lists and they havent using our intelligence. Coming from istanbul, and didnt check the manifest. And i think that turkey has realized, its a debt to them as well. Youre seeing a better cooperation. The integration we talked abo about, one thing about this country, weve done almost a better job in terms of embracing and integrated communities. It seems that europe is doing a better job. I think were losing some ground. Do you think thats a fair assess. And can congress do anything so that yes, the al qaeda is very compartmentalized, larger scale, more people involved in the cell. Theyre looking for spectacular events line 9 11. Youre seeing a change in this with isis, just kill out whatever so that makes you from a big cell were able to protect easily today. I would argue that just that, the gorp, they were not connected. Cia had this afternoon and so did the fbi. I dont think it would happen new days. Its a lot moore difficult to defect in a one, two, three operation. And one lone wolf radicalizing on the incident becoming jihadists and to the message. And to signing they call it congressional john miller, losers to lions. They want to be something greater than themselves, a part of something bigger. Military age males who want to be something bigger than they are, and targeted certain population in the United States and then the question, jason, how do you stop that from happening . Thats why i go back to the internet. So let me ask you another agos inspect of integration, the integration of our own intelligence community, i think when the terrible attack happened, you focus on the imagination and also a discussion about the tyranny of bureaucracy. And we had a couple dozen int intelligence agencies and 50 different cultures. Dhs thought those in fact could be overcome. How bell . Or do we now have an integrated function and intelligence community. It was better than before nev 9 11. We always have progress. There are 22 different agencies under one department. Fema, dealing with the Homeland Security. Its the counter terrorists, cyber element to the secret service and coast guard and intergreated that, i think over time its become better integrated and work together. Also its got to be coordinated as they do with the National Security counsel, ice, and dhs is more of an agency thats at state and local. State law environment depends. Nine times out of ten, the fbi working with someone. Its probably going to be a local citizen or trooper or state police officer, nypd guys, theyll see something on the street that doesnt look right and thats how weve been able to spot that. And answering the question in my mind is how is the temple of this. Is it going to continue to trend down or some that will be scaled back up. I can tell you that the ideology is still strong globally. Youre seeing it pop up in asia. Were seeing it pop up not just pakistan. We know libya and tunisia. We know thats a safe haven. They are going to look at the hot spots. Places like philippines where you dont think even in the caribbean were seeing al qaeda and isis elements, you wouldnt have thought of before. A few questions and then from the room. I want to talk about resources. Its hard to get ones arms around the magnitude of the investments and weve had expert folks saying too much, cant be sustained and how do you think about the resource commitment and where its directed . To what extent do you think there will be a shift away from kinetics, i eight to use soft power. How do you think its enough in this congress. Congress has been good, and really not so great at prevention on the front end that, or the we respond to crises and thats how the Homeland Security department is put together was in response to a crisis. I dont want to be in a reactive mode in the congress, i want throwback in terms of protection, to protect american lives and so on. I forgot the second half. A bill of this question where resources if are. The soft power an i am important. I was one of those secretary mattis did well. Theyll make more bullets, you know, there is an element to killing the jihad and cant kill us. Theres also an element of drone strikes along cant win a war of ideology and drone strikes have a negative impact, you know, on the local community. Thats a critical element with south power. Thats the power to drive this ideology off the face of the earth. The soft power is counter narrative that extremism is not the way to go. A lot of these injuries growing up in a more poverty environment and they dont have a lot of chases, war age males. And under the banner of isis, they think its gruel so im a Firm Believer we need to maintain our woft pow soft power. And i think leading generals in this fight would completely agree with that. If you take the soft power out youll telling with the bullets and strikes. We have time for a couple of questions, way more than we can address, but lets i think we have one question and one person with their hand up so you win the prize, sweet runner. I see two. Police let us know who you are before asking your question. Hi, im kamir daniels. In one or two sentences, could you state what do you think is the cause of terrorism or is it machine ono causal on mult or multicausal. We can go back and study that, but i think by the work historically, what was a pivotal year i would say 1979. At that point you have the ayatollah, shia in iran, and if you go to israel theyre more concerned about the Crescent Moon effect than this alarm. 1979 transform the world, the eye toll yeah ayatollah coming in, and it permeates into saudi or you have the attack at a mosque in saudi arabia. Saud rib, which is tilting more pro western, liberating women, the role of women, going back in time to the full burqa. Women cant drive. 1979 what happened that year, the soviets invaded afghanistan. And there was a war. The mujaheddin, and you see more in the ports of syria and also to maintain their dominance. I think so many of this, if i study it. And the well educated egyptian that came back and the prisons in egypt, is that where the hearing was . I saw about them imprisoned and when you let them out you had the core al qaeda elements out of there, coupled with the hu huge mujaheddin and bin laden. And this was back sixth century ad. And the president of egypt, alsisi. They were worried about the Muslim Brotherhood and releasing the prisons, no, you have another wave of people out there. That has fueled the fire and you cannot take this back in time now. We have to move forward, theres a new ground front, and i think were making a talking to president netanyahu, the Crescent Moon being being iran, iraq, lib lebanon. Theyre talking about the soony extremists, which is isis and extreme element. We have a lot of bin laden forces headed to iraq. And so, this, i think, is going to be our growing challenge moving forward and this ideology is, again, with us in our lifetime. But i hope that we can move forward and get back to a place we were before 1979. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your steadfastness and optimism, its a combination that will ultimately prevail for the nation. We have a chance to hear from the leaders of the project, governor tom cain and lee hamilton, people who truly do not need introduction. I believe through the wonders of the internet, we hope to have congressman hamilton joining us remotely. Chairman, thank you for joinings us. [applause] also, one of the lo longstanding members join us, and you all know who the former Deputy Director of 9 11 commission, currently International Affairs in elliott schools and george washington. And great friend of the bbc. I cant hear. All right. Thank you all and great thanks, of course, to the