What could possibly go wrong? “180 Americans Joined Islamic Militants in Syria, 40 Have Already Come Home,” Reuters, March 2, 2015:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About 180 Americans have traveled to Syria to join Islamist militants and around 40 of them have returned to the United States, the U.S. National Intelligence director, James Clapper, said on Monday.
Clapper said not all those who went to Syria, where Islamic State militants and other factions are fighting each other and the forces of President Bashar al-Assad, had engaged in the Islamist campaign. Some might have been aid workers, he said.
The United States and its allies believe that more than 20,000 foreign fighters from more than 90 countries have gone to Syria. Islamic State forces have taken over large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq.
U.S. officials have expressed concern that some Americans, radicalized and trained to stage attacks in Syria, may wreak havoc when they come home. Clapper said he was not aware of any plots in which returning fighters had been involved.
He told a forum at the Council of Foreign Relations that as long as such travelers did not become engaged in violence, it was their “privilege as American citizens” to return to the United States.
Clapper said donations to extremist groups like Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliates by governments and private parties in Muslim countries had recently declined, and said that was partly because of stepped up oversight by governments in the region.
He reiterated that the priority of the United States and its allies in Syria now was the fight against Islamic State. But he said the United States still believed it was essential that Assad leave office because the “magnet for all of this extremism … is because of him.”
He acknowledged that U.S. efforts to recruit, vet and train “moderate” Syrian rebels would be a prolonged effort….
Far more prolonged than he knows.
David says
Why should we worry about funding DHS if they let these jerks return?
Spot On says
I suppose that DHS thinks they will return and assimilate.
Beagle says
Someone will explain this some day. Some day.
The feds stop them from going. That is a crime. But after they go and commit murder, rape, genocide, and crimes against humanity DHS lets them come home and walk around free as jihadi birds.
This must make sense to someone. Please explain.
Lioness says
Obama can explain. He wants it that way.
Angemon says
Only 180? Oh, wait, those are just the ones they know about…
Sam says
They should be able to leave this country for Syria and should never be allowed to come back. Also most of the Jihadis go through Turkey for Syria freely and Turkey is never question about helping the enemy.
Lia Wissing says
But Mr Erdogan of Turkey is Mr Obama’s good friend, who advises him on how to raise his daughters. One cannot ask such a good friend what role he plays in world terrorism, can one?
Lucretius says
” as long as such travelers did not become engaged in violence, it was their “privilege as American citizens” to return to the United States.”
How would Clapper know if they became engaged in violence? Just take their word for it? What else could he be going by when out on the ground intelligence is so poor? Did the forum at the CFR hear this without a guffaw?
pumbar says
Plus the open borders with Mexico and the recent statement that the government was preparing for the arrival of 5-10 million “new Americans”. I hope you guys speak good Spanish. That way you might be eligible for the housing, welfare and interest free loans.
Screeminmeeme says
This suicidal policy of permitting American traitors to return to the country has got to stop! Anyone who joins the enemy should have his citizenship immediately revoked and never be allowed to re-enter the country for the rest of their lives.
Mulakush says
These returnees should be interrogated and released only after they are cleared. Upon release, they should be placed on probation and ongoing monitoring for at least a decade.
Badbob says
…….treason……..oh yeah proicutorial descresion…..