Why ISIS 'Is' A Credible Threat

We keep hearing from the Obama Administration (specifically the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security) that ISIS poses no direct credible threat to the United States.  My only problem with that is that it was the FBI who interviewed both the Fort Hood shooter and the Boston Marathon bomber before they committed their acts of violence and, who seemed not to think these people posed a threat either.

In my opinion, ISIS should literally scare the whatever out of every American.

First of all, they are growing in size and strength.  In June, they were 10,000 strong. Now, the CIA has estimated their number to be at about 31,500.  That's a growth rate of almost 7,000 fighters per month.  If this continues, it could mean that, in just 10 more months, ISIS could reach 100,000.   That is a force that could easily takeover much of the territory in the Middle East besides major chunks of both Syria and Iraq.

What should be more worrisome to the U.S. and the world is the fact that passport carrying Europeans and American citizens are also joining. The problem with ISIS-friendly passport holders is that they can freely enter many European countries and the U.S. without having to apply for a visa.  They can simply buy an airplane ticket, say they are tourists, and land anywhere in the U.S. on a 24/7 basis with no one really questioning their purpose or intent.  As a result, there is now an unprecedented access to our homeland that hasn't been seen before with any other terrorist group; including Al Qaeda.

But, the biggest threat to our safety is the huge amounts of cash that ISIS is amassing.  It is now estimated that they have acquired $2 billion dollars from contributions and from looting, ransoming, and theft activities.  When they took Mosul, for example, their looting of that city's bank gave them half a billion dollars in gold and cash.  Beyond that, their newly found access to oil wells in Syria and Iraq is netting them an estimated $3 million a day from oil sold on the black market.

With all that cash ISIS doesn't need to hijack an aircraft in a 9/11-style terrorist attack.  They could simply buy some used commercial cargo jets at a cost of less than $2 million dollars each.  That cash also gives them the ability to buy shoulder-mounted rocket launchers and grenade launchers on the black market.  Both weapons can be used to bring down planes in takeoff or landing or to do serious damage to land-based targets like shopping malls or railroad trains. It also means that they could buy radioactive material to build a dirty bomb or acquire highly explosive C-4 to take out bridges and other infrastructure. Smuggling these weapons into the U.S. might be as simple as paying "coyotes" to cross them over our currently porous southern border.

To say that ISIS is not a credible threat is simply irresponsible.  They are a threat and they have the money, manpower, weapons, and potential access to carry out horrendous attacks on our own soil. The two video beheadings of Americans proved we are a target, with Obama's name clearly spoken in both. Further, they have already said that their goal is to fly their flag over the White House.  In the late 1990's the then-President ignored Bin Laden, and the result was 9/11.  Now, we seem to have another President ignoring the ISIS threat.  Will we, once again, wait for the next attack before we seriously take this enemy out?

References:

FBI: No credible threats to US from Islamic State: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/22/fbi-no-credible-threats-to-us-from-islamic-state/

FBI & DHS: Islamic State Poses No Credible Threat to US: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/25/FBI-DHS-Islamic-State-Poses-No-Credible-Threat-to-US-Sec-Hagel-Says-Opposite

 FBI interviewed dead Boston bombing suspect years ago: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-interviewed-dead-boston-bombing-suspect-years-ago/

 Fort Hood Shooting: FBI Ignored Evidence Against Nidal Hasan For Political Correctness, Report Says: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/fort-hood-shooting-fbi-nidal-hasan-political-correctness_n_1685653.html

Number of ISIS fighters has swelled to as many as 31,500, CIA says: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/12/number-isis-fighters-has-swelled-to-as-many-as-31500-cia-says/

ISIS' half-a-billion-dollar bank heist makes it world's richest terror group: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10899995/ISIS-half-a-billion-dollar-bank-heist-makes-it-worlds-richest-terror-group.html

How ISIS managed to acquire $2B in assets: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101761986

Boeing 727-200 for Sale: http://www.globalplanesearch.com/jets/airliners/boeing/727_200.htm

Corruption, greed fuel black market for arms: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-08-14/news/0308140153_1_surface-to-air-missile-weapons-of-war-black-market

New ISIS Video: ‘We Will Raise Black Flag Over White House’: http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/08/08/new-isis-video-%E2%80%98we-will-raise-black-flag-over-white-house%E2%80%99