Author Description

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. presented the 2016 annual U.S. intelligence community worldwide threat assessment in Congressional testimony on February 9, 2016. In the published report, Clapper provides a thorough review of the status of possible threats from a wide variety of nations and terror groups. In addition to the 2016 assessment, this compilation includes the 2015 assessment for comparison and historical reference, plus important additional material, including the 2016 Defense Intelligence Agency worldwide threat assessment, and the Obama White House National Security Strategy issued in early February 2015. Obviously, the Islamic State (ISIS, or ISIL) is a major focus of these assessments, along with cyber threats from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Other topics covered: GLOBAL THREATS * Cyber and Technology Terrorism * Weapons of Mass Destruction and Proliferation * Space and Counterspace * Counterintelligence * Transnational Organized Crime * Economics and Natural Resources * Human Security * REGIONAL THREATS * East Asia * China * Southeast Asia * North Korea * Russia and Eurasia * Russia * Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova * The Caucasus and Central Asia * Europe * Key Partners * The Balkans * Turkey * Middle East and North Africa * Iraq * Syria * Libya * Yemen * Iran * Lebanon * Egypt * Tunisia * South Asia * Afghanistan * Bangladesh * Pakistan and India * Sub-Saharan Africa * Central Africa * Somalia * South Sudan * Sudan * Nigeria * Latin America and Caribbean * Central America * Cuba * Venezuela * Brazil. The United States and its allies are facing a challenging threat environment in 2016. Sunni violent extremism has been on an upward trajectory since the late 1970s and has more groups, members, and safe havens than at any other point in history. At the same time, Shia violent extremists will probably deepen sectarian tensions in response to real and perceived threats from Sunni violent extremists and to advance Iranian inf