Report: Syria's al-Nusra 'much more dangerous to the U.S.' than ISIS- Day media

Story highlights

• New report says al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, al Nusra Front, is "more dangerous to the U.S. than ISIS" in the long term
• Al Nusra is an "existential" threat, according to the report's authors

Al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, is a greater threat to the United States in the long term than is ISIS, making the United States' current single-minded focus on the latter group misguided, a new report is charging.

Al-Nusra is "much more dangerous to the U.S. than the ISIS model in the long run," according to the authors of a report labeling both groups "existential" threats. The report was released last week by the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for the Study of War.

The report criticizes the administration's ISIS-centric strategy, saying, "Any strategy that leaves Jabhat al-Nusra in place will fail to secure the American homeland."

The report's authors include Fred Kagan, considered an architect of the 2007 "surge" strategy in Iraq, which increased American troops and engagement with local tribes to stabilize that country, and Kim Kagan, a former adviser to Gen. David Petraeus on Afghanistan strategy.

Though for now al-Nusra hasn't undertaken attacks in the West like ISIS has, Kagan said it's just as potent.