Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., says fewer Islamic State fighters than expected have returned from Syria and Iraq to their home countries.
Johnson made the comments Tuesday in a wide ranging interview with writers from the Washington Examiner.
It’s good news. As the chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee, Johnson is well placed to know how many so-called “returners” are back in the United States. But he is also clear about why the numbers are lower: the success of the U.S. and its allies in killing ISIS fighters. Johnson’s understanding matches with the U.S. military’s public claim earlier this summer that it had killed more than 60,000 ISIS fighters on the battlefield.
Unfortunately, Johnson’s positive assessment does not apply to every nation. Speaking last week, for example, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence service explained that the terrorist threat facing his nation is unprecedented in “scale and pace.” Similar assessments apply to the threat situation in France and Belgium.
Why the divergence in threat between the U.S. and Europe?
Ultimately, it’s because fewer U.S. citizens than Europeans actually traveled to join ISIS and other jihadist groups in the first place. That has made it easier for intelligence services to monitor and detain individuals of concern. In contrast, in much of Europe, intelligence and security services face so many suspects that they lack the resources to effectively monitor them.
Regardless, while Johnson’s comments are certainly welcome, the U.S. cannot afford to let its guard down. The threat posed by inspired terrorists remains considerable and will not dissapear even as ISIS loses territory.
