Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.), House Intelligence Committee Chairman, warned against the threat from foreign fighters joining terror group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), particularly in the wake of reports that the terrorist who executed American journalist James Foley may have been a British citizen.
Rogers said that ISIL has been allowed to grow freely and recruit members from across the world for too long: "One of the problems is it's gone unabated for nearly two years. That draws people from Britain to across Europe, even the United States, to go and join the fight."
"That's what makes it so dangerous," said Rogers. "They are one plane ticket away from U.S. shores."
Rogers also disputed the Pentagon's claim that ISIL is not currently in a position to attack the United States.
He urged President Obama to take more action against ISIL: "This is an opportunity for the president to take a step back, change his presidential guidance on how we disrupt terrorism around the world, including Al Qaeda, that has been slowing down. We have missed dozens and dozens of opportunities to take really bad people off the battlefield in the last two years."