Seemingly overnight, the general population have become experts in the field of domestic counter-terrorism.  Facebook, blogs, and comments sections of news articles are rife with people who think they know how to solve the problem.  These plans range from full-scale gun control, with the thought that if people don't have guns, terrorism won't happen, to an "every man for himself" anarchist approach.

In unstable times, where it seems danger lurks no longer in the dark corner, but in the light of day, it is important to listen to the people who have expertise in the field successfully combating violent extremists and terrorists.  No longer should an overtly biased media with an agenda be considered trustworthy, nor should many of the politicians, who have never served our country in a military fashion.  When it comes to terrorism, the general public should listen to those who have served our country with distinction and have expertise in military conflict and intelligence.  Anthony Mele is one of those men.

Mele is founder and president of AMI Global Security and is an international security consultant.  He holds an MA in diplomacy and international conflict management and is a U.S. Army veteran, which includes outstanding assignments with the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), Defense Intelligence Agency, Intelligence Security Command, United States military training mission to Saudi Arabia-Tabuk Detachment, Pentagon Tele-Communications Command, and Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Army intelligence at the Pentagon.  He is highly decorated, including the Army Commendation Medal, 1st OLC for heroism, Meritorious Service Medal, Good Conduct Medals, and recognition pins from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshall's Service, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Congress.

Mele has committed his life to the defense of the United States, and it's because of this he is speaking out about the terrorist threat America is facing and how it is being confronted.  In response to the recent attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., where terrorist Syed Farook and his new wife, Pakistan-born Tashfeen Malik, murdered innocent coworkers of Farook at a Christmas Party, Mele said, "The State Department did not properly vet this individual, and we are seeing the outcome of that.  The politicians are saying we need more gun control.  More gun control?  What we need is jihadi control.  The government is showing the American people their inability to successfully track and screen the thousands of refugees, immigrants, illegal aliens, and visa-approved foreigners."

When asked what the next two years will look like with the terrorism network attempting to infiltrate America, Mele replied, "This is just the beginning; it's the tip of the iceberg.  While Farook engaged his target, the rest of the terrorist community sat back with popcorn and watched it play out.  They wanted to analyze law enforcement response times, the media attention surrounding the attack, and the country's reaction to it."

He continued, "Right now, they are looking at soft targets, because there are an abundance of them.  While we are putting increased security around what would be considered high-risk targets, they are going to go for the places that are easiest right now because it's still going to have an impact, especially if it occurs in small-town USA.  The more success they have, more money will pour in, and recruitment will go up.  Then we could start to see larger-scale attacks in America."

In light of the successful attacks and the government's inability to contain ISIS, Mele has great concern for civilians.  "The terrorists in our country have been stockpiling weapons, including semiautomatic guns and explosives, as we have already seen from the San Bernardino terrorists.  In their residential home was found a cache of weapons that were not purchased by them.  If they found this large amount of weaponry in a rented apartment, imagine what else is being hidden from the public eye elsewhere."

He continued, "We know they already have a stockpile of arms, and they are being used in gun-free zones with strict gun control laws.  So why would our government be calling on the targets of these terrorists to turn in their weapons?  That is insane.  It's like telling people not to inoculate themselves from a deadly virus going around when the people already have the vaccine in their hands.  It is the only way people will be able to protect themselves from terrorists who are already armed."

His advice for citizens is twofold: "If any politician in office or running for it says we need more gun control, kick them out immediately.  They are undermining the Second Amendment, a constitutional right to defend ourselves from all enemies foreign and domestic.  Also, arm yourselves. Law enforcement can take twenty minutes to get to a crime scene.  By that time, the damage is done.  People need to carry.  They need to learn how to properly use a gun and how to practice gun safety.  The government is not going to be there to protect soft targets.  They cannot possibly be everywhere."

It's time for America to stop listening to biased airwaves and political pandering and start listening to those in the military intelligence community.  The reporter will only be there to report the crime and improve viewership, and the politician will use it for his bid in an election.  Listen to the people who have risked their lives to protect American civilians – veterans like Anthony Mele.