The camps and the squalor are still there, no longer breeding grounds of communism as they were in the 1950s, but of the threat called terrorism. Most of us accept the premise that terrorism is a phenomenon that can be defeated only by better ideas, by persuasion and, most importantly, by amelioration of the conditions that inspire it. Terrorism's best asset, in the final analysis, is the fire in the bellies of its young men, and that fire cannot be extinguished by Tomahawk missiles. Let's get down to practical realities. The new threat we face is often stateless, without sovereign terrority or official sponsorship.
Terrorism is a weapon that threatens all civil authority.
This set of circumstances provides an unprecedented incentive for intergovernmental cooperation, even among states that may differ on other basic issues. But the fight against a silent and hidden common enemy requires infinite patience and tact on the part of law enforcement agencies and intelligence services. It demands absolute secrecy, mutual trust and professional respect. If the United States loses its cool without warning, if it is seen by others as a loose cannon that resorts to sudden violent action on a massive scale, the critically needed cooperation will not be there. My ex-colleagues at the Agency, and the experienced professionals at the Bureau, must be worried about this.