Sen. Burr: Terror Threat a ‘War on Western Civilization’

Sen. Burr: Terror Threat a ‘War on Western Civilization’ (RealClearPolitics)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You've also criticized the president, saying his language does not adequately convey how severe the threat is from terrorism.

What is he failing to say or do?

SEN. RICHARD BURR, SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR: Well, listen, George, I give the attorney general credit. He used the word "war" this morning. I'm not sure he meant to.

But when you look around the world, whether it's in Yemen, whether it's in Syria, whether it's in Iraq, whether it's in Afghanistan or in North Africa with Boko Haram, we've got terrorist elements that are carrying out terrorist acts and if you put that collection together, what you've got is a war on Western civilization. It really doesn't matter which terrorist group we insert into the blank. The commitment is that they're out to kill innocent people. And whether it happens in Paris or London or New York, we've got to collectively do our best to make sure that we thwart those attacks.