Graves: Rise of Islamic terrorism is cause for alarm

(From Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves)

Every day that the threat posed by Islamic militants goes unchecked, the world becomes a more dangerous place. It is imperative that we use every tool at our disposal to protect our people, defend the homeland, and preserve our interests abroad.

The rise of Islamic terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa is cause for great alarm. The acquisition of land, resources, and manpower by various terrorist organizations presents a serious threat to our allies and our national interests. Most recently, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has acquired vast amounts of land in the Middle East and are recruiting jihadi militants from all over the world to join their cause. They are quickly marching towards establishing an Islamic caliphate.

ISIS poses a clear and present danger to international stability, as it aims to establish an Islamic state that would serve as a breeding ground for training terrorists to carry out attacks. This cannot be allowed to happen. ISIS is slaughtering innocent Christians, Jews, and Muslims who do not ascribe to their radical views of the world, and they will continue to do so until they are stopped.

We must be vigilant in our efforts to degrade their ability to recruit followers, execute attacks, and ultimately destroy this threat. We have seen first-hand the repercussions of not directly confronting terrorism abroad. I take this issue very seriously and will continue to do everything within my power to protect our country and its citizens.