HowardCohodas

This dialog seems more to be dueling monologues where I point you that the sky is blue and you reply that water is wet.

So, let me try to make my point more explicitly. I thought my reference to a "fifth column" would help the focus. A "fifth column" is defined to be "a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group, such as a nation, from within, to the aid of an external enemy." Now, if you want an example besides the title of this thread (The Islamic Infiltration: Inside Our Government, Armed With Our Secrets...) I suggest you read "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers.

Of course domestic politics shapes a country's conduct. However, my point was about the relative potential danger of a "few jihadists" vs. country actors. I think a few jihadists within the government holds more potential danger than country actors. An understanding of asymmetric warfare is helpful here. Not understanding their potential danger leads to ideas stated here that country actors are of more concern. I find this a fatal attitude. Furthermore, I posit that rampant political correctness exacerbates the problem.

My position is that fifth column efforts are more danger to us than country actors from their very nature, i.e. clandestine.