Does Al Shabab Pose a Threat on American Soil?

Debaters

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  A Threat to U.S. Interests in East Africa

  Seth G. Jones, author, "Hunting in the Shadows"

  Al Shabab has the capability to conduct high-profile attacks in East Africa, and the U.S. should be on high alert there.

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  It’s Mainly a Local Problem in Somalia

  Bronwyn Bruton, Atlantic Coucil

  Shabab’s followers are clan factions fighting Somalia’s Western-backed government, and pose no threat to the United States.

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  Beware of the Jihadist Component

  Ahmed I. Samatar, professor of international studies

  It is the internationalist sector of Al Shabab that is most likely to extend its reach into the U.S. A strong Somali national state can prevent this.

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  An Attack in the U.S. Is Unlikely

  Ken Menkhaus, political scientist

  Al Shabab's reputation has plummeted in the Somali diaspora, shrinking its potential pool of recruits and increasing its risk of detection.

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  Not If, but When and Where

  Omar Jamal, Friends of Somalia U.N.

  With Al Shabab now dispersed and blended into the mainstream, it is very much a threat to the U.S., including on American soil.

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  We Are All Connected

  Murithi Mutiga, Kenyan journalist

  Global peace is impossible when a country like Somalia festers in failure, providing fertile ground for terrorists in training.