Banning 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 LeiterI think we have started accelerating over the past years. It's a modernization of NATO. It's at air, it's at sea, it's undersea, it's in cyber. Estonia in 2007, hit by Russian cyber-attacks. So what you see there with those exercises are critical.
Michael LeiterISIS, in some cases like Paris, may actually try to direct. But what it's really trying to do is inspire. So its directed activities are these inspired attacks.
Michael LeiterWe have a Muslim population which is better off economically, better engaged, and less drawn to the fight in ISIS. But as we've seen in places like California and elsewhere, we still have a threat, even if smaller.
Michael LeiterThey [ French] still have an open border in Europe. And they have a Europe which doesn't have an integrated intelligence system like we do in the United States.
Michael LeiterYou've got a huge American population, you've got a small, small, small subset that is radicalized, and you have an even smaller subset that actually takes action. And you can't cover everyone who has some contact, someone bad. What you need is offense overseas, defense at home with intelligence and law enforcement, and really deep engagement with these communities.
Michael Leiter