You have the intelligence front and the engagement front. On the intelligence front, the French are better than many of their European counterparts. But they are really challenged in two specific ways.
Michael LeiterWe can't be French and Muslim at the same time. And that's exactly what ISIS wants that population to think.
Michael LeiterWe need additional funding for more U.S. combat brigades in Europe. NATO needs to continue to modernize. It is starting to show with the Russians but these exercises are central to show that the alliance is firm, especially as the E.U. starts to have some weakness on the economic front.
Michael LeiterWe're not going to have a perfect batting average and it's important that Americans understand that.
Michael LeiterBanning the burkini doesn't produce terrorists. But it does make the people who are already alienated, who are already disenfranchised, I many cases, economically disenfranchised in a place like France in many of those neighborhoods, and make them say, ah, ISIS's message is true and real.
Michael Leiter