When it comes to the biggest national security and intelligence risks of the present and future, where should America be focusing most of its attention and resources? CNN's national security correspondent Jim Sciutto argues that "leadership from the top" is key in establishing how America will prepare itself from growing Russian and Chinese influence.

"Typically if you talk to folks in the intel and national security world, they'll say Russia is more dangerous aggressive short-term threat, China is the greater existential threat over time just because it's a more powerful country," Sciutto told SalonTV's Dean Obeidallah on "Salon Talks."

Sciutto offered his take on the measures America can take to defend itself. "Defend election systems, better defend our national security systems, defend your satellites. Satellites are now being launched that have maneuverable capabilities so they can get out of the way of the bad guys. You need leadership from the top, you don't have that."

Sciutto's new book, "The Shadow War: Inside Russia's and China's Secret Operations to Defeat America," explores the threats that Russia and China pose, as well as offers unprecedented reporting from former national security officials and intelligence officials.

But Sciutto knows one thing, subduing these threats means leadership from the president. He pointed out, "We had numerous treaties with the Soviet Union even in the midst of the Cold War to kind of put some boundaries and reduce the risk of global conflagration. You need the same thing for space and cyberspace, we don't have that yet. Imagine doing that if you didn't have the president negotiating, you couldn't do it."

Check out the full episode to hear more on "The Shadow War."


SalonTV host Dean Obeidallah is also the host of the daily national SiriusXM radio program, "The Dean Obeidallah Show" on the network's progressive political channel. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.