Violent Extremism in the United States

Sadly, the threat of violent extremism in America is nothing new. Throughout our history, misguided groups, including international and domestic terrorist organizations, neo-Nazis and anti-Semite hate groups, have engaged in horrific violence to kill our citizens and threaten our way of life. Most recently, al-Qa'ida and its affiliates have attempted to recruit and radicalise people to terrorism here in the United States, as we have seen in several plot and attacks, including the deadly attack on our service members at Fort Hood. In August 2011, the Obama Administration announced its counter-radicalisation strategy. It is devised to address the forces that influence some people living in the United States to acquire and hold radical or extremist beliefs that may eventually compel them to commit terrorism. This is the first such strategy for the federal government, which calls this effort "combating violent extremism" (CVE). This book examines the CVE strategies currently being employed, with a focus on their risks and challenges.