ABSTRACT
The age of modern terrorism began in the 1960s with aircraft hijackings. Many of the terror groups from that period of time are still with us today, illustrating the staying power of ideology and terror groups with structures like multinational corporations. Al-Qaeda is growing and is once again the greatest international terrorism threat to our country. Affiliates are strong, and ISIS, an al-Qaeda splinter with a different brand of terror, is now spreading beyond its weakened position in the Middle East. Hezbollah is the most tactically proficient terror group in the world. HAMAS remains a formidable force in the Middle East. Both have a presence in the Western hemisphere, in our county and in those countries that border ours. The actors have the propensity, reach, assets, and abilities to attack a soft target in our country based on their past attempts and successful hits.
