Former CIA director: The terror will be even worse 30 Mar 2016 16:58

Once he was in charge of the security in the world: the CIA. James Woolsey (1941) led last two years the organization that was responsible for the fall of regimes, for the unmasking of spies. Who also himself was spying. Now he's in the Netherlands, CIDI symposium on terrorism, Israel and international law. He brings a gloomy message: we are at war with the caliphate.

And, it is conceivably the most tough fight. A struggle that may last for decades and only going to get worse before it stops.

Why the fight still lasts decades?
,, We are dealing with a group that not only territory has managed to win, but that also has established an empire. That makes caliphate IS a huge attraction to get people who are willing to die. And the caliphate we see the gruesome torture and killings. All meant to scare. Those who do not opt for the caliphate, the religion that goes with, is murdered. It is the religious roots of IS make fighting it so hard. ''

The West has nevertheless often been challenges?
,, Yes, but we are actually very spoiled. Because we do not have stood for such a challenge since the Cold War. Even during the Cold War. When we were dealing with an ideology that soon was dying, economic and ideological sphere. And we had Gorbachev, who was not prepared to stifle any protest with tanks. ''

The Russians wanted, in short, life, where the caliph chooses destruction.
,, After the Cold War, we thought we had solved all the problems. And bam. There was the Middle East. And that's a keeper. ''

We stabbing before our heads in the sand?
,, The religious component of IS is not named in America. If Obama speaks of IS, he speaks of 'extremism'. While it is indeed Islam has spewed this problem. That makes the religion as a whole is not bad, but there is a part that we have to fight. We can only make a plan as we go naming it real. Certainly in the United States, still the world have a leading role when it comes to action against the caliphate. ''

Besides naming issues, what can the West?
,, We have to ensure together that can win the caliphate no additional grounds in any case.We must continue in attack, because you can win a game, not just a goalkeeper. Then we must seek cooperation with moderate Islamic regimes. Then we can work towards a reform of Islam. ''

But that will not provide an antidote to attacks from the caliphate.
,,No. And even if we end up with a coalition of Kurds, Jordanians and Sunni Muslims the heart of IS - the caliphate - destroy the chances are that we have to take a long time attacks. Syria is totally destroyed. This can go on for decades. ''

And in a worse way than we have seen in Belgium, he thinks. The attacks have not surprised Woolsey. Perhaps the old-fashioned way they were carried out even the most remarkable: in cafes, airports, subways.

Woolsey looks around at the cafe at the Hague Buitenhof. ,, We do not want attacks obviously more cafes like this, on sunny plazas. But I think we're going to see much more. It will first be even worse, before it becomes less. A dirty bomb with radioactive material, in a crucial spot. Or an attack on the power grid. We are vulnerable. ''

The former CIA boss has seen this happen in Belgium and the Netherlands, which he himself came under President Clinton cut on the secret services in times when things go well. ,, I was almost every day at the Congress to defend my budget. " For Europe holds: the holiday is over, go back into the classroom. "

You sound little hopeful.
,, It can be a grind to discuss the future doomsday scenarios. I think it is good to hold on to a poem by Carl Sandburg: "I saw old and new gods will come ..... Now I worship the hammer."Because that tool can destroy and build. ''

http://www.ad.nl/ By: Cyril Rosman and Carla van der Wal Photo:www.defenddemocracy.org