By Zeyno Baran*

Today at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (R-NC), along with Representatives Bud Cramer (D-AL), Kay Granger (R-TX), and Ben Chandler (D-KY) formally announced they have formed a new bipartisan Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus. Myrick, Cramer, Granger, and Chandler are the co-chairs of the new caucus.

The Caucus mission statement states that it “serves to educate Members of Congress, their staff and the general public about the threats to our country that are fueled by extremist ideologies. The Caucus recognizes that terrorism is not a Democrat or Republican problem; it is a critical issue for all Americans. To this end, the Caucus will facilitate an educational process and healthy exchange of ideas in a bipartisan setting.”

Focus on the threat from “extremist ideologies” is much-needed and long-overdue. The new Caucus will meet in the coming months to hear from leading experts on issues such as terrorist financing and their use of the internet.

In her press release, Representative Sue Myrick states, “Terrorists don’t target Democrats or Republicans. They target Americans, and this is why we must face this issue as Americans… Members of Congress and the American public must know the threats we face from radical jihadist terrorists. This caucus will give Congress the tools and resources it needs to communicate those threats to the public, as well as help them make more informed decisions when it comes to terrorist issues…. This caucus is long overdue, and I’m glad we are doing this. Americans have desired to know what is really going on and what it means to them. My hope is that this caucus will be able to spur on an educated national dialogue on this issue so that we can unite as Americans did during World War II.”

In his press release, Congressman Bud Cramer said, “We formed this Caucus to help increase awareness about the different facets of the war on terrorism…It’s clear that many Members who do not serve on military, homeland security, or intelligence committees want to be more engaged on this important issue, and we’re giving them that opportunity. With a better understanding of the factors surrounding Islamic terrorism, Congress will be able to provide better oversight on the broader War on Terror, and make more informed decisions on how our nation should proceed.”

*Counterterrorism Blog
January 30, 2007
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/01/
new_antiterrorism_caucus_forme.php
Cross-posted with permission