then mcraven will have his remarks. [ applause ] let me also thank director jim clapper and director john brennan, two very close friends who have worked with me side by side for many years now. we are really blessed to have these two gentlemen in the positions they are in. i can't think of any two guys that have done more to protect this nation over the years than jim clapper and john brennan. gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us today. [ applause ] and i also want to recognize again former director porter goss. great to have you here. you've added a lot to the last two days. i would be remiss if i didn't call out my very good friend and ment mentor, admiral. he has graciously worked with me as i have established my tenure here at the university of texas. thank you again very much. i'm going to approach this a little bit differently here. you've been looking at the first customer. now we're going to take intelligence and move it down to a tactical level. then frankly i hope to be able to walk you from the tactical back up to the first customer. i've been asked to talk about

committee hearing on cybersecurity, senator donnelly asked the director of national intelligence, jim clapper, what the number one cyber challenge was that he was most concerned about. director clapper testified that obviously, it was a large-scale cyber attack against the united states' infrastructure. in light of this number one threat, how protected is our country? well, i proposed that very question to the director of the n.s.a., admiral mike rogers. his answer on a scale of one to ten was that we are at about a five or six. that is a failing grade when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure no matter what curve we are grading on. although i am very disappointed that the senate will not consider the original amendment i filed, i do want to acknowledge that chairman burr and vice chairman feinstein have worked closely with me on a compromise to begin to address the issue of cybersecurity risks that present such significant security threats to our critical infrastructure, and i am grateful for their acknowledging that this is a problem that deserves our attention. this new amendment

and i think his intervention into syria is another manifestation of that. >> clapper also told jim theintelligence community was not surprised when russia started to launch air strikes in syria a month ago. >>> and in the uk, the head of the british intelligence agency says that his country is facing an unprecedented security problem. a three dimensional terror threat from syria. >> during a rare public speech in london, mi-5 chief andrew parker said that isis and isis-inspired terrorists are planning attacks to result in mass casualties at home, oversea, and online. his speech comes ahead of an important parliamentary debate. cnn's diana magnay explains from london. >> reporter: there were two takeaways from andrew parker's comments, what he said and the fact that he is actually saying it. this is the head of mi-5, britain's domestic spy agency. this is somebody who doesn't normally talk. the reason he is saying it is because he wants the public behind him for a debate that is due to take place in parliament next week on greater powers for the intelligence and security agencies in cyb

in an exclusive interview with cnn east chief national security score respondent jim sciutto, james clapper putin as opportunistic and impulsive. >> i think he's very impulsive, opportunistic. it is a debate but i personally question whether has a long-term strategy. and his think his manifestation into se-- going into the syria a manifestation. i think he's kind of winging this day to day. >> interesting. in the meantime the crisis worsens and the death toll rises in syria. secretary of state kerry holds peace talks in vienna. and for the first time iran will be at the table along with a dozen other arab and european countries. joining me now to talk about all of this, cnn military analyst. welcome. >> good morning. >> vladimir putin is just winging it in syria, so one day he decided wow, what could make the united states mad, i think i'll start fighting in syria? is that what clapper is talking snbt. >> i'm not sure it is. if it is i would disagree. i think putin has a very valid strategy which is taking russia from interest strategic defensive into the strategic offensive. we've seen him

our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto spoke exclusively to james clapper. else did he tell you, jim? >> very interesting interview. we spoke a lot about russia and russia's new military active in syria. he said one of the most difficult things in the intelligence committee to do is judge the plans and intentions of a foreign leader. he said that's particularly difficult with vladimir putin because he's in the words of the director of national intelligence inside a decision bubble, a small circle not very many people challenging him. he's impulsive and when i asked if he has a plan, vladimir putin has plan in syria, he said in his words he is winging it. here is how he described that. >> we're expected to know that a decision has been made by a foreign head of state before he makes it. putin is case in point. i think he's very impulsive, very opportunistic. it's a debate but i personally question whether he has song long-term strategy or whether he is, you know, being very opportunistic on a day to day basis and i think his intervention into syria is another

the director of national intelligence james clapper spoke exclusively to cnn's jim schuto. >> we're expectedo know that a decision has been made by a foreign head of state before he makes it. putin's case in point. i think he's very impulsive, very opportunistic. it's a debate, but i personally question whether he has some long-term strategy or whether he is, you know, being very opportunistic on a day to day basis. and i think his intervention into syria is another manifestation of that. >> clacher also says the u.s. intelligence community was not surprised when russia started to launch air strikes in syria a month ago. the pentagon says u.s. forces are involved in isis fighters in iraq. ashton carter says the commander killed just days ago in an operation to rescue hostages died in combat. carter added the american public can expect to see more raids on the ground against isis. at american army veteran is back on the battlefield. he's joined kurdish forces to fight isis. and he spoke about why he's willing to risk his life on the frontlines. >> randy roberts has spent much of the last seve

our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto had an important interview with james clapper.more and your analysis of what is going on right after this. if youthen you'll know howouth, uncomfortable it can be. but did you know that the lack of saliva can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath? well, there is biotene, specially formulated with moisturizers and lubricants. biotene can provide soothing relief and it helps keep your mouth healthy too. biotene, for people who suffer from a dry mouth. why should over two hundred years of citi history matter to you? well, because it tells us something powerful about progress: that whether times are good or bad, people and their ideas will continue to move the world forward. as long as they have someone to believe in them. citi financed the transatlantic cable that connected continents. and the panama canal, that made our world a smaller place. we backed the marshall plan that helped europe regain its strength. and pioneered the atm, for cash, anytime. for over two centuries we've supported dreams like these, and the people and comp

jim, i understand you delve into the spiraling situation with director clapper.hat did he have to say? >> it's interesting. this guy has been in intelligence for 50 years. the toughest job is seeing into the minds of foreign leaders trying to guess their plans and intentions. he says that's particularly difficult with vladimir putin because he has such a tiny circle. he says he's in a decision bubble. what he does know and this guy is good at reading people, he is very impulsive and opportunity and that has relates to syria, he doesn't believe he has a long-term plan. this is how he laid it out to me. >> we're expected to know that a decision has been made by a foreign head of state before he makes it. putin is case in point. i think he's very impulsive, very opportunistic. it's a debate but i personally question whether he has some long-term strategy and i think his intervention into syria is another manifestation of that. those things are hard to predict when there's a very -- in his case, a very small number of people around him unlike our president, he is not

james clapper telling cnn, in an exclusive interview, that they are, in a word, misinformed. our jimt down with the director of national intelligence. he johns from us washington. a bit fed up, is he? >> hard to get an intelligence official to talk politics. but a lot of these national security issues have been front and center as you know in the candidates' debate. you would have a number of republican candidates saying they would tear up the iranian nuclear deal on their first day in office. standing up to china, putting troops in iraq on the ground. as an intelligence guy, do these statements from public officials in the u.s., do they cause problems? are they dangerous in any way? >> here's what he had to say. >> you hear so much national security rhetoric on the campaign trail. it's bombastic, like all the rhetoric is. you've seen a lot of elections, a lot of the stuff disappears and is never heard from again. folks listen. is that rhetoric dangerous in any way when our adversaries hear it or our friends? >> some of it, to be honest, is misinformed or uninformed. i have to believ