U.S. can handle worsening terror threat - ex White House adviser

By Michael Connor

REUTERS

 

Richard A. Clarke, a former U.S. counterterrorism official at the Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, February 19, 2010. REUTERS/Christian Charisius (GERMANY)

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even as terrorists grow more brazen, now even striking arenas packed with teenage music fans, improvements in counterterrorism technology and government preparedness make Americans safer than at any time since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, veteran U.S. counterterrorism expert Richard A. Clarke said.

 

Speaking in the Reuters Global Markets Forum chatroom, Clarke said rising ocean levels and improvements in computers are likely greater risks to Americans' well-being than terrorism.

 

Clarke and R.P. Eddy, a former diplomat and chief executive of intelligence firm Ergo, recently wrote "Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes," a book on avoiding and mitigating damage from catastrophes.

 

The following are edited excerpts from the conversation:

 

Question: Is America safer from such things as the recent worldwide cyber attacks and suicide bomber in Britain than when you left the government, after serving three presidents?

 

Answer: The U.S. is safer than when I left government in 2003 but in many ways the threats are worse. ISIS is far more capable than al Qaeda was. Cyber threats are vastly more sophisticated than they were just five years ago.

 

Q: What is your assessment of the current national security/counterterrorism operation in the White House? It seems in turmoil from the outside.

 

A: The president does make things look like they are in turmoil, but below him there are national security professionals still doing the job.

 

Q: (Are there) people you have confidence in from personal experience?

 

A: Yes. The national security adviser, the secretary of defence, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center are all career national security managers with excellent track records. The system is disrupted when the president verbally attacks the FBI and CIA, but the professionals soldier on.

 

This interview was conducted in the Reuters Global Markets Forum, a chat room hosted on the Eikon platform. For details, follow this link: https://forms.thomsonreuters.com/communities/ 

 

(Reporting By Michael Connor in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-25

Hmm... Well Britain is no longer sharing security information with the US thanks to their leaking of details of the bomber and pictures of the bomb fragments.  Only a temporary measure I am sure but yet more bad press for the USA.

hatred against the west was nothing back then compared to what it is now. no matter how better prepared the U.S. is  now the situation is now far worse. things have not improved mr clarke.

And now we know why he is an "Ex" advisor.

2 minutes ago, KenKadz said:

And now we know why he is an "Ex" advisor.

Speak for yourself. I have no clue why you would think that his remarks somehow disqualify himself. Unless, of course, it's his entirely reasonable, if unfavorable, comment about Trump.

Yes a little safer from terrorists but a lot more exposed to government snooping. Its hard to stop the lone wolf terrorist today. He is old school working alone much like if you want to hide something from the government write an old fashioned letter don't use the internet.  

On 5/25/2017 at 7:29 AM, webfact said:

 

A: Yes. The national security adviser, the secretary of defence, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center are all career national security managers with excellent track records. The system is disrupted when the president verbally attacks the FBI and CIA, but the professionals soldier on.

Hmm the most telling of all the answers. Yes career driven today is an absolute must. 

He wouldn't be chastising the FBI, CIA, etc. if they knew how to keep their mouths shut. The Manchester thing is just another in a long line of leaked information.

24 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

He wouldn't be chastising the FBI, CIA, etc. if they knew how to keep their mouths shut. The Manchester thing is just another in a long line of leaked information.

Maybe he should learn how to keep his mouth shut first.

17 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Maybe he should learn how to keep his mouth shut first.

Funny, I don't see you slamming Tillerson for saying the same thing.

33 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Funny, I don't see you slamming Tillerson for saying the same thing.

Well, does Tillerson have a problem with disclosing sensitive information?