When it comes to Iraq and Syria, the US ‘can’t fix it’
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The United States “can’t fix” the deep-rooted problems that led to the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, said the country’s top intelligence official, who expects a tough slog in the war with ISIS.
James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence in the United States, made the comments in an interview with the Washington Post, reviewing his six years as America’s top intelligence man and 53 years working in intelligence.
“They’ve lost a lot of territory,” Clapper said of ISIS. “We’re killing a lot of their fighters. We will retake Mosul, but it will take a long time and be very messy. I don’t see that happening in this administration.”
And once the Islamic State is defeated in Iraq and Syria, the problem of extremism will still exist. “We’ll be in a perpetual state of suppressions for a long time.”
Clapper pointed to deep-rooted problems that have contributed to the rise of extremism in the region.
Iraq’s population is young, underemployed, and poor. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) estimates that 50% of Iraq’s population is under the age of 19 and youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years face high unemployment rates.
In a country where 99% of the government revenue comes from the oil sector, which employs just 1% of Iraqis, three-quarters of the population identify poverty as a serious problem.
Combined with Iraq’s political crisis and endemic corruption, it is a recipe for disaster.
“The fundamental issues they have – the large population bulge of disaffected young males, ungoverned spaces, economic challenges and the availability of weapons – won’t go away for a long time,” warned Clapper.
And these are problems that the United States cannot resolve. “The US can’t fix it,” he said.
Clapper acknowledged that America cannot reduce its presence in the region even though the US is no longer closely tied economically to the Middle East. “I don’t think the US can just leave town. Things happen around the world when US leadership is absent. We have to be present – to facilitate, broker and sometimes provide the force.”
James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence in the United States, made the comments in an interview with the Washington Post, reviewing his six years as America’s top intelligence man and 53 years working in intelligence.
“They’ve lost a lot of territory,” Clapper said of ISIS. “We’re killing a lot of their fighters. We will retake Mosul, but it will take a long time and be very messy. I don’t see that happening in this administration.”
And once the Islamic State is defeated in Iraq and Syria, the problem of extremism will still exist. “We’ll be in a perpetual state of suppressions for a long time.”
Clapper pointed to deep-rooted problems that have contributed to the rise of extremism in the region.
Iraq’s population is young, underemployed, and poor. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) estimates that 50% of Iraq’s population is under the age of 19 and youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years face high unemployment rates.
In a country where 99% of the government revenue comes from the oil sector, which employs just 1% of Iraqis, three-quarters of the population identify poverty as a serious problem.
Combined with Iraq’s political crisis and endemic corruption, it is a recipe for disaster.
“The fundamental issues they have – the large population bulge of disaffected young males, ungoverned spaces, economic challenges and the availability of weapons – won’t go away for a long time,” warned Clapper.
And these are problems that the United States cannot resolve. “The US can’t fix it,” he said.
Clapper acknowledged that America cannot reduce its presence in the region even though the US is no longer closely tied economically to the Middle East. “I don’t think the US can just leave town. Things happen around the world when US leadership is absent. We have to be present – to facilitate, broker and sometimes provide the force.”