John O Brennan

:00:00. > :00:12.Global insecurity, international terrorism, cyber warfare -

:00:13. > :00:19.Former CIA director John Brennan sets out how

:00:20. > :00:21.we can stay safe in an ever-more turbulent world.

:00:22. > :00:27.Welcome to the 2017 Richard Dimbleby Lecture.

:00:28. > :00:34.No terrorist campaign has ever succeeded. Almost everything you

:00:35. > :00:39.touch uses the internet. We have always been fascinated by the secret

:00:40. > :00:43.services. This contraption has saved millions of lives. If we fail the

:00:44. > :00:49.earth, we fail humanity. Welcome to the annual

:00:50. > :01:02.Richard Dimbleby Lecture, Named after my father,

:01:03. > :01:11.the BBC's first war reporter, who went on to become the most

:01:12. > :01:14.eminent broadcaster of his era. A chance for outstanding individuals

:01:15. > :01:23.in the social, cultural, scientific and political story

:01:24. > :01:25.of our times to reflect on the great issues of the day from his or her

:01:26. > :01:29.personal perspective. This evening's lecturer

:01:30. > :01:34.illustrates that point. Until January this year,

:01:35. > :01:36.he led the West's most powerful intelligence agency -

:01:37. > :01:38.the CIA - the eyes and ears An institution with huge

:01:39. > :01:44.responsibilities and, inevitably, For more than 30 years,

:01:45. > :01:52.in a variety of roles, John Brennan has been at the heart

:01:53. > :02:06.of the US Intelligence Community serving six presidents:

:02:07. > :02:08.latterly Bill Clinton - a former Richard Dimbleby

:02:09. > :02:12.lecturer incidentally, just before stepping down

:02:13. > :02:17.as Director of the CIA, he hit the headlines by castigating

:02:18. > :02:19.the then President-elect, Donald Trump, for tweeting

:02:20. > :02:22.about grave national security issues without understanding them

:02:23. > :02:24.adequately and for likening the US intelligence services

:02:25. > :02:30.to those of Nazi Germany. That is not, however,

:02:31. > :02:34.at least directly, the focus of this evening's lecture,

:02:35. > :02:37.which embraces globalism, leadership, America's

:02:38. > :02:38.role in the world, cyber The CIA's motto is, "And you shall

:02:39. > :02:47.know the truth and the truth What a launch pad, as he explores

:02:48. > :02:53.the challenges of staying safe I would like to start

:02:54. > :03:17.by thanking Jonathan for that I also want to thank the BBC

:03:18. > :03:24.for extending to me the great honour of delivering the 2017

:03:25. > :03:27.Richard Dimbleby Lecture. After I received the invitation,

:03:28. > :03:34.I did a fair amount of research on Richard Dimbleby and his life's

:03:35. > :03:37.story as well as on the 40 lectures delivered by a wide variety

:03:38. > :03:39.of luminaries in years past, which has only served

:03:40. > :03:43.to further humble - if not unnerve - me,

:03:44. > :03:46.as I stand here before you tonight. At a time when the importance

:03:47. > :03:49.and role of the free press is under attack in many quarters,

:03:50. > :03:52.and when there is a desperate need for informed and thoughtful

:03:53. > :03:54.commentary on national and world events from broadcasters

:03:55. > :03:59.and reporters alike, Richard Dimbleby's outstanding

:04:00. > :04:02.professional record and pioneering broadcasts should stand

:04:03. > :04:05.as a sterling example to all who are in - or aspire to -

:04:06. > :04:10.the field of journalism. Before I go any further,

:04:11. > :04:13.I must stress that I appear before you this evening simply as a private

:04:14. > :04:17.American citizen. I left government on 20 January

:04:18. > :04:20.after nearly four years as CIA Director and,

:04:21. > :04:23.immediately before that, four years as Deputy National Security Advisor

:04:24. > :04:26.and Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism

:04:27. > :04:28.and Homeland Security. I have never been a Democrat,

:04:29. > :04:31.a Republican, or a member And so, the views I express tonight

:04:32. > :04:37.are my own and should not be interpreted as reflecting those

:04:38. > :04:40.of the CIA, the US Intelligence Community,

:04:41. > :04:42.or the current - or any past But I know that I speak

:04:43. > :04:49.for all Americans when I extend deep and heartfelt condolences

:04:50. > :04:52.to our British brothers and sisters for the senseless act of wanton

:04:53. > :04:56.violence that took place less than two weeks ago,

:04:57. > :04:59.in the heart of London. Our thoughts and prayers

:05:00. > :05:01.go out to the families and friends of those,

:05:02. > :05:03.Britons and non-Britons, who perished and were

:05:04. > :05:09.injured in that attack. As well as to the victims

:05:10. > :05:11.of the heinous attack I also want to note how

:05:12. > :05:24.grateful I am that so many old friends and colleagues

:05:25. > :05:26.from the United Kingdom Hmm, maybe it's best for me

:05:27. > :05:30.to say "longstanding" friends and colleagues,

:05:31. > :05:32.lest I dispel any lingering notions Along these lines, I can say

:05:33. > :05:36.without reservation that in my 33 years of public service

:05:37. > :05:38.in the United States, as an intelligence professional,

:05:39. > :05:39.diplomat, and policymaker, it was my British colleagues

:05:40. > :05:42.with whom I worked closest, from whom I learned the most,

:05:43. > :05:45.and for whom I had the deepest and It certainly was my experience

:05:46. > :05:50.that the strong bonds of partnership, friendship,

:05:51. > :05:53.and shared values that exist between our two great nations

:05:54. > :05:57.are manifest daily in the personal interactions and collaborative

:05:58. > :05:58.work between British That was not an easy

:05:59. > :06:07.acknowledgement for a very proud Yes, I am the son of

:06:08. > :06:14.an Irish immigrant. I grew up in a blue collar,

:06:15. > :06:19.lower-middle class neighborhood in New Jersey, which is why

:06:20. > :06:22.I still find it somewhat surreal to be introduced as someone who had

:06:23. > :06:25.the high privilege for four years to be Director of the Central

:06:26. > :06:27.Intelligence Agency But whatever the reason

:06:28. > :06:30.for my ascendance to that most important position,

:06:31. > :06:33.I think the journey that led me to become Director

:06:34. > :06:37.of the CIA began in June 1974, when I set off on a trip

:06:38. > :06:40.that would fundamentally I had just finished my first year

:06:41. > :06:45.at college, a mind-expanding experience under Jesuit tutelage

:06:46. > :06:49.at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York,

:06:50. > :06:51.when a cousin of mine invited me At the time, my cousin

:06:52. > :06:57.was a diplomat at the US Embassy in Jakarta, serving as the Food

:06:58. > :07:00.for Peace Officer for the US Agency I had always been fascinated

:07:01. > :07:17.by my cousin's experiences abroad, So, at the tender age of 18,

:07:18. > :07:20.I set off for Indonesia after I pillaged my modest bank

:07:21. > :07:23.account and bought a round-trip but multiple-stop plane

:07:24. > :07:24.ticket to Jakarta. To help defray the cost of my trip,

:07:25. > :07:28.I convinced one of my political science professors at Fordham

:07:29. > :07:30.to grant me credit toward my degree if I wrote a paper on oil

:07:31. > :07:35.and politics in Indonesia I had a brief but oh-so enlightening

:07:36. > :07:38.initial glimpse into the wonders, the contours, and the dynamics

:07:39. > :07:40.of this beautiful world. Indonesia was just emerging

:07:41. > :07:42.from the economic devastation wrought by nearly 20 years

:07:43. > :07:45.of the authoritarian and bloody rule Squalor was widespread

:07:46. > :07:47.and beyond anything and there was almost

:07:48. > :07:52.nothing in between. And population

:07:53. > :07:55.pressures were overwhelming. But I was also struck

:07:56. > :07:59.by the tolerance evident in the nation with the world's

:08:00. > :08:07.largest Muslim population. I rode motorcycles across the island

:08:08. > :08:09.of Java, marvelled at the world's largest Buddhist temple,

:08:10. > :08:12.the Boroboudor, and surfed on the And it was in these latter

:08:13. > :08:18.excursions that I interacted with, and talked to,

:08:19. > :08:21.people from entirely different life experiences, different cultural

:08:22. > :08:23.norms, different religious beliefs, It was an intense two-month seminar

:08:24. > :08:30.on just how special, how thrilling, and how diverse life

:08:31. > :08:37.is on our planet. It was in that summer of 1974

:08:38. > :08:40.that my wanderlust, and my deep fascination with the diversity,

:08:41. > :08:43.the scope, and the dynamism of the world's riches, challenges

:08:44. > :08:47.and opportunities were born. They were further nurtured

:08:48. > :08:51.by extended study the following year at the American University in Cairo,

:08:52. > :08:54.where I experienced the history and the beauty of the Arab

:08:55. > :08:58.world for the first time. And it was in August of 1980,

:08:59. > :09:01.when I joined what I believe was then and still remains

:09:02. > :09:03.the world's premier I joined the CIA for

:09:04. > :09:08.two principal reasons. The most proximate and compelling

:09:09. > :09:11.reason was that my wife told me in the spring of 1980 that

:09:12. > :09:14.I was getting a bit too comfortable as a doctoral

:09:15. > :09:16.student in university life, and she said I needed to get a real

:09:17. > :09:21.job to help pay the bills. So I knew I needed to get a job

:09:22. > :09:25.but I chose to be an intelligence officer because I believed it had

:09:26. > :09:28.the potential to give me unique insight into,

:09:29. > :09:31.and a deeper understanding of, this fascinating world

:09:32. > :09:34.and the people who inhabit it. And so, during 33 years

:09:35. > :09:37.of government service, I was most fortunate to visit over

:09:38. > :09:43.60 countries, meet and discuss world events with foreign dignitaries,

:09:44. > :09:47.and wander along some of the most historic, the most troubled,

:09:48. > :09:51.the most depressed, and the most vibrant places on this earth,

:09:52. > :09:53.talking to as many people I provide this brief,

:09:54. > :09:58.autobiographical backdrop to let you know that my assessment

:09:59. > :10:01.of the current world and its trajectory is based

:10:02. > :10:04.on a very personal point of view that has been formed by my life's

:10:05. > :10:09.journey as a son of an immigrant as well as a traveller,

:10:10. > :10:11.student, intelligence officer, diplomat, adviser

:10:12. > :10:17.to Presidents, and CIA Director. I confess that the idealism

:10:18. > :10:21.of my youth, while tempered only somewhat by age and geopolitical

:10:22. > :10:23.realities, still burns And that is because,

:10:24. > :10:30.throughout the course of my career and world travels,

:10:31. > :10:33.I found that despite the many differences in language,

:10:34. > :10:35.religion, race, ethnicity, and background that exist

:10:36. > :10:36.throughout the world, the overwhelming majority of people

:10:37. > :10:39.on this earth share the same basic aspirations -

:10:40. > :10:44.life, liberty, and happiness, which is consistent with a life free

:10:45. > :10:48.of violence, economic hardship, political repression,

:10:49. > :10:51.and ill health. They want to live peaceably among

:10:52. > :10:55.family, friends, and neighbours. They want a better life,

:10:56. > :10:58.and more opportunity, for themselves And as I look through my prism

:10:59. > :11:10.and into the future, there are five powerful trends

:11:11. > :11:13.and developments I worry about that I would like to share with you -

:11:14. > :11:16.the quality of our political leaders, the complexity of cyber

:11:17. > :11:18.security, the corrosive nature But first, let me discuss the other

:11:19. > :11:22.two - the power of globalism On globalism, I am the first

:11:23. > :11:28.to acknowledge that I consider myself a globalist because of my

:11:29. > :11:32.life's experiences and worldview. And I am quite mindful of the fact

:11:33. > :11:35.that I am now treading into dangerous political waters,

:11:36. > :11:38.as the value and inevitability of "globalism" are in dispute -

:11:39. > :11:41.if not disrepute - in many parts of the world,

:11:42. > :11:44.including, sadly, in the United States,

:11:45. > :11:47.on the European continent, and right During my short lifetime,

:11:48. > :12:03.the world undisputedly has become much more interconnected

:12:04. > :12:04.and interdependent, owing to the tremendous advancement

:12:05. > :12:07.in the processes and mechanisms for communication, transportation,

:12:08. > :12:08.commerce, tourism, This phenomenon of globalisation has

:12:09. > :12:11.greatly facilitated and accelerated the movement of people,

:12:12. > :12:16.goods, technology, health care, innovations, and services

:12:17. > :12:20.across sovereign borders. And most profoundly,

:12:21. > :12:23.the explosion in the breadth, capacity, and ubiquity

:12:24. > :12:27.of the digital domain - and especially social media -

:12:28. > :12:30.over the past two decades has made the world much more intimate,

:12:31. > :12:34.conjoined, and interoperable. There should be no doubt in anyone's

:12:35. > :12:37.mind that globalisation has directly facilitated civilisation's great

:12:38. > :12:42.progress and has immeasurably advanced the human condition

:12:43. > :12:45.throughout the world over But despite all the positive

:12:46. > :12:51.dimensions of globalism, the phenomenon also brings with it

:12:52. > :12:57.downsides - including risks, challenges, and dangers -

:12:58. > :12:59.many of which we are all aware and others with which we

:13:00. > :13:01.are still grappling. In some quarters, the movement

:13:02. > :13:04.of people and the mixing of cultures is viewed with anxiety,

:13:05. > :13:06.suspicion, and fear, especially among those who view

:13:07. > :13:11.the arrival of external influences as threatening to their livelihood,

:13:12. > :13:14.their identity, and their security. Inequality in wealth

:13:15. > :13:18.and opportunity, moreover, is attributed by many to the more

:13:19. > :13:21.intertwined global economy and accompanying

:13:22. > :13:24.technological advancements. Indeed, there are too many places

:13:25. > :13:27.across our developed countries where workers and families feel

:13:28. > :13:30.they are bearing the costs but realising few of the benefits,

:13:31. > :13:33.of our increasingly These are real concerns,

:13:34. > :13:40.and they must be addressed. Unfortunately, however,

:13:41. > :13:42.these fears are too often fuelled by politicians who overstate

:13:43. > :13:46.the degree to which domestic political, economic,

:13:47. > :13:50.and social challenges are attributable to

:13:51. > :13:55.foreign influences. In reviewing previous Dimbleby

:13:56. > :13:59.lectures, I noticed that many speakers, especially over the last

:14:00. > :14:04.two decades, highlighted the growing importance

:14:05. > :14:10.of the phenomenon of globalism. President Bill Clinton,

:14:11. > :14:12.in December 2001, pointed to the need for all of us

:14:13. > :14:15."to develop a truly global consciousness about what our

:14:16. > :14:17.responsibilities to each other are and what our

:14:18. > :14:24.relationships are to be." He did this three short months

:14:25. > :14:28.after the tragedy of 9/11 that resulted in the death of 3,000

:14:29. > :14:30.innocent men, women, And for all the death

:14:31. > :14:34.and destruction that took place on 9/11, the world seemed to become,

:14:35. > :14:37.from my point of view, a bit more united in its aftermath,

:14:38. > :14:39.as governments and people from around the world committed

:14:40. > :14:42.to join together to destroy the forces of evil that sought

:14:43. > :14:45.to divide us. At the CIA, we were deluged with

:14:46. > :14:49.offers of support from intelligence services around the world to join

:14:50. > :14:52.the fight against Al-Qaeda. And to dispel any notion

:14:53. > :14:54.that the United States Government held Islam responsible for

:14:55. > :15:00.Osama Bin Laden's murderous agenda. I vividly recall the words

:15:01. > :15:04.of President George W Bush nine days after the 9/11

:15:05. > :15:07.attacks when he spoke publicly to Muslims and said

:15:08. > :15:11."We respect your faith. It is practised freely by many

:15:12. > :15:13.millions of Americans and by millions more in countries

:15:14. > :15:18.that America counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful,

:15:19. > :15:25.and those who commit evil the terrorists are traitors

:15:26. > :15:31.to their own faith, trying, From my vantage point,

:15:32. > :15:35.it is even more important today that we do not blame a religious

:15:36. > :15:38.faith for the violent acts of those who distort

:15:39. > :15:40.its teachings for evil purposes. I realise that much has changed

:15:41. > :15:43.in the past 15-plus years and that political upheaval,

:15:44. > :15:47.sectarian conflict, and economic despair in far off lands

:15:48. > :15:49.and demographic differences among nations have resulted in mass

:15:50. > :15:53.migrations, stressing the absorptive capacity and economic resources

:15:54. > :16:00.of many destination countries. Resulting frustration

:16:01. > :16:01.has found expression in the growth of authoritarian,

:16:02. > :16:04.nativist, and unilateralist impulses, which have long been

:16:05. > :16:08.the domain of xenophobic fringe movements that have preyed

:16:09. > :16:12.upon fears that national identity is being diluted

:16:13. > :16:14.because of the influx Now, however, this reactionary

:16:15. > :16:21.ideological fervour has pushed its way into the political

:16:22. > :16:24.mainstream in many countries, bolstering nationalist

:16:25. > :16:27.and protectionist sentiment at the expense of political,

:16:28. > :16:29.economic, and even I have had the good fortune to visit

:16:30. > :16:39.21 of the 28 current member states of the European Union,

:16:40. > :16:41.and I have always been impressed at how Europe,

:16:42. > :16:43.especially in the aftermath of the devastation of

:16:44. > :16:46.the Second World War, has derived strength

:16:47. > :16:49.from its diversity and shared experience as well as influence

:16:50. > :16:54.from its global consciousness. My wish for my European friends

:16:55. > :16:58.is that recent challenges that are part of the evolutionary arc

:16:59. > :17:01.of history do not prompt you to retreat into a false sense

:17:02. > :17:06.of security through ultranationalism and isolationist

:17:07. > :17:10.practices and policies. My appreciation of history

:17:11. > :17:14.and civilisation's forward march tell me that the populist surge

:17:15. > :17:19.of recent years will not usher in an era of "localism,"

:17:20. > :17:26.as xenophobic forces will ultimately lead to the natural and more

:17:27. > :17:30.powerful drivers of globalism. Thankfully, it was this appreciation

:17:31. > :17:33.of the inevitability and impact of globalism that led

:17:34. > :17:36.the United States to abandon its isolationist policies

:17:37. > :17:39.and ultimately join the allied forces in the world wars

:17:40. > :17:44.of the last century. A second and related issue

:17:45. > :17:48.is whether the United States is going to shrink from its global

:17:49. > :17:51.responsibilities and the role that America has played on the world

:17:52. > :17:56.stage over the last 75 years. I strongly believe in the importance

:17:57. > :17:59.and necessity of that US role. And I do so because I

:18:00. > :18:01.believe in the concept But, the concept of American

:18:02. > :18:11.exceptionalism has too often been misrepresented and misinterpreted,

:18:12. > :18:13.both in the United States and around the globe,

:18:14. > :18:15.as Americans somehow believing they are qualitatively better

:18:16. > :18:19.than other people around the world. That is certainly not what I mean

:18:20. > :18:23.by American exceptionalism. I recognise that, as a lifelong

:18:24. > :18:27.American citizen and a former senior US Government official,

:18:28. > :18:29.I am not an unbiased observer But I do believe that

:18:30. > :18:34.the United States has had the tremendous good fortune

:18:35. > :18:37.of having a large land mass, rich with arable land,

:18:38. > :18:40.natural resources, navigable rivers, long ocean borders,

:18:41. > :18:45.and generous climate. The United States also has had

:18:46. > :18:48.the benefit of assimilating the formidable skills,

:18:49. > :18:50.hard work, and life dreams of people from every corner of our world

:18:51. > :18:53.as well as the luxury of developing its democratic

:18:54. > :18:56.institutions over the Geography, history, and time have

:18:57. > :19:05.combined to make the United States a truly unique nation

:19:06. > :19:07.of tremendous political, economic This good fortune has given

:19:08. > :19:14.the United States exceptional opportunity and responsibility

:19:15. > :19:22.to help shape the course and this is what I think

:19:23. > :19:26.of as being at the core From helping turn the tide

:19:27. > :19:30.of the last world war and then spearheading the rebuilding

:19:31. > :19:31.of war-ravaged lands, to countering Soviet expansionism

:19:32. > :19:33.and being responsible for the ultimate dissolution

:19:34. > :19:35.of the Soviet state, to frequently leading international

:19:36. > :19:38.efforts against terrorism, nuclear proliferation,

:19:39. > :19:41.and global poverty, the United States has had

:19:42. > :19:44.significant influence on a wide This is not to say that

:19:45. > :19:50.the United States has had a perfect As reasonable people have

:19:51. > :19:59.legitimately criticised America's record in Vietnam and similarly

:20:00. > :20:02.in Iraq, on the detention and interrogation of terrorist

:20:03. > :20:05.suspects, and other policies. Still, it is undeniable that America

:20:06. > :20:09.has had a very positive net impact on the world in the past 100 years

:20:10. > :20:13.through the exercise of its hard and soft power, and,

:20:14. > :20:16.together with close allies and partners like the

:20:17. > :20:18.United Kingdom, has beaten back the forces of Fascism,

:20:19. > :20:22.Nazism, and Communism. In addition, American citizens

:20:23. > :20:26.are frequently at the forefront of this positive global engagement,

:20:27. > :20:30.as exemplified by former Dimbleby lecturer Bill Gates,

:20:31. > :20:33.who spoke so eloquently in 2013 about the potential to eradicate

:20:34. > :20:38.polio and other infectious diseases when he said,

:20:39. > :20:41."It will reveal what human beings are capable of and suggest

:20:42. > :20:44.how ambitious we can be For those who believe

:20:45. > :20:51.the United States needs to continue to play a pro-active role in global

:20:52. > :20:55.affairs, the early signals coming from the new US

:20:56. > :20:58.Administration are worrisome. Recent proposals to make major cuts

:20:59. > :21:04.in the Department of State budget, foreign aid, and US

:21:05. > :21:06.financial support to UN programmes and peacekeeping efforts

:21:07. > :21:08.bode ill for global engagement by the United States commensurate

:21:09. > :21:10.with its exceptional resources, These institutions and diplomatic

:21:11. > :21:19.relationships and engagements have served as the foundation

:21:20. > :21:21.of America's stabilising While it is imperative

:21:22. > :21:47.for the United States to maintain and strengthen its world-leading

:21:48. > :21:49.military force, it is also essential that the United States exercise

:21:50. > :21:55.leadership on those issues that already or potentially impact most

:21:56. > :21:57.of the world: countering the proliferation of weapons of mass

:21:58. > :22:00.destruction - nuclear, chemical, and biological - exposing corrupt

:22:01. > :22:03.and dictatorial governments, condemning human rights abuses,

:22:04. > :22:07.tackling water scarcity, environmental degradation,

:22:08. > :22:10.and climate change, and addressing youth bulges,

:22:11. > :22:12.high rates of urbanisation, In general, populations most

:22:13. > :22:18.impacted by these issues live in nations strewn across the Sahara

:22:19. > :22:21.and down the spine of Africa, in the land-locked

:22:22. > :22:24.countries of Asia, in Yemen, They are among the people

:22:25. > :22:32.the British economist, Paul Collier, The sad plights of Mali, Sudan,

:22:33. > :22:39.Somalia, Yemen, Rwanda and others - each suffering from almost every one

:22:40. > :22:42.of these global issues - speaks strongly for our need

:22:43. > :22:45.to address these issues not only for the sake of that bottom billion

:22:46. > :22:51.but for our own sake as well. It is not mere coincidence

:22:52. > :22:55.that the nations containing the bottom billion are also leading

:22:56. > :22:59.sources of the waves of spontaneous migrants

:23:00. > :23:01.fleeing their hellish conditions, as well as the clear

:23:02. > :23:04.majority of the membership of the self-proclaimed Islamic State

:23:05. > :23:08.of Iraq and Syria - Isis, Al-Qaeda, If the United States

:23:09. > :23:18.is to maintain its global leadership position beyond mere military might,

:23:19. > :23:21.it must maintain its longstanding commitments to economic development,

:23:22. > :23:23.to improving water resources, reducing environmental degradation,

:23:24. > :23:25.supporting family planning, fighting the spread of infectious

:23:26. > :23:29.disease, and promoting democracy. Indeed, a coordinated and sustained

:23:30. > :23:33.effort by the international community to address the plight

:23:34. > :23:35.of the poorest billion of the world's population,

:23:36. > :23:39.with the United States playing a prominent if not leading role,

:23:40. > :23:42.will be the most effective way to deal with the underlying sources

:23:43. > :23:47.of terrorism over the long term. And while I am treading

:23:48. > :23:51.in politically dangerous waters, allow me to stay here a bit longer

:23:52. > :23:54.by talking about the third issue that keeps me awake,

:23:55. > :23:57.and that is the importance of capable and competent government

:23:58. > :24:03.leadership in today's world. It certainly has been my experience

:24:04. > :24:05.that governance in the highly technological, fast-paced,

:24:06. > :24:11.and interconnected world of the 21st century is more complex,

:24:12. > :24:13.more challenging, and more fraught During my time as Director

:24:14. > :24:18.of CIA and as a senior White House official,

:24:19. > :24:21.I found the pace, intensity, and complexity of domestic

:24:22. > :24:22.and international events The availability of copious amounts

:24:23. > :24:28.of frequently ambiguous, complex, and sometimes contradictory

:24:29. > :24:31.information frustrating, and the time available

:24:32. > :24:33.for thoughtful discussion and deliberation

:24:34. > :24:42.constantly shrinking. Given the inherent complexities

:24:43. > :24:44.of modern-day governance, I would argue that public servants

:24:45. > :24:47.with executive or legislative branch responsibilities need to have

:24:48. > :24:49.certain relevant knowledge, experience, and preparation to be

:24:50. > :24:53.effective and successful. Such a standard generally applies

:24:54. > :25:01.to the judicial branches of government worldwide,

:25:02. > :25:04.as judges are expected to have established credentials

:25:05. > :25:07.in jurisprudence and the law before they take up their duties or preside

:25:08. > :25:10.over cases in court. Similar requirements apply

:25:11. > :25:12.to the upper echelons of business, and it certainly is also true

:25:13. > :25:15.that we wouldn't trust the fate of our hearts or even our teeth

:25:16. > :25:17.to individuals unschooled, respectively, in cardiac

:25:18. > :25:24.and dental health. Increasingly, though,

:25:25. > :25:26.individuals who ascend to positions of government authority in some

:25:27. > :25:28.powerful nations - either by election or appointment -

:25:29. > :25:31.have skills that might have allowed them to excel in party politics,

:25:32. > :25:36.campaigning, business, or even in an unrelated

:25:37. > :25:40.celebrity-inducing field but that sadly do not prepare them

:25:41. > :25:44.for carrying out their solemn governmental responsibilities with

:25:45. > :25:54.competence, integrity, and efficacy. I would argue that the challenge

:25:55. > :25:57.is especially true for democracies where the foundational stones

:25:58. > :26:00.of government include the protection and advancement of, simultaneously,

:26:01. > :26:04.freedom of expression, privacy, security, an open society,

:26:05. > :26:07.the rights of minorities, and, As we all know, many of these

:26:08. > :26:14.principles and goals of government can, at times,

:26:15. > :26:20.be in tension with one another, which requires skillful

:26:21. > :26:22.leadership that is smart, agile, knowledgeable,

:26:23. > :26:23.and dynamic to strike The consequences of inept leadership

:26:24. > :26:28.around the world have been profound Not only has the failure to meet

:26:29. > :26:37.expectations led to dissatisfaction with politicians and government

:26:38. > :26:40.officials, but, more worrisome, it has fomented cynicism

:26:41. > :26:43.about the institutions Thus, people are shirking

:26:44. > :26:50.traditional definitions of national identity or regional allegiance

:26:51. > :26:54.and turning elsewhere for answers. In less developed countries,

:26:55. > :26:56.and especially those wracked by internal strife and violence,

:26:57. > :26:59.incompetent and corrupt leadership is undermining the very concept

:27:00. > :27:05.of the nation state, which has served as the governing

:27:06. > :27:08.global framework since the Treaty of Westphalia created the basis

:27:09. > :27:10.for sovereign self-determination There is an increasing trend

:27:11. > :27:17.in these countries for people to identify less with a national

:27:18. > :27:22.identity and more with tribal affiliations, ethnic groups,

:27:23. > :27:25.religious movements, militias, and, for some,

:27:26. > :27:32.extremist and terrorist organisations that oftentimes better

:27:33. > :27:35.meet an individual's sense of identity, as well as her or his

:27:36. > :27:38.daily need for protection, food and water,

:27:39. > :27:40.and even health care. Allow me to put forth

:27:41. > :27:44.a radical notion. I sometimes wonder whether,

:27:45. > :27:47.somewhat like an immigrant taking a test to become a new citizen,

:27:48. > :27:50.aspirants to certain levels of government officialdom should be

:27:51. > :27:53.required to pass a qualifying test for competence in governance

:27:54. > :27:57.as well as basic knowledge of their country's constitutional

:27:58. > :28:02.foundations, world history, and global realities before

:28:03. > :28:04.they are eligible to seek Or, at the very least,

:28:05. > :28:09.there should be some way for the average citizen and voter

:28:10. > :28:12.to have an objective assessment of the qualifications

:28:13. > :28:15.of the individuals who are running for public office or who

:28:16. > :28:17.are appointed to senior Maybe "a Richard Dimbleby gold

:28:18. > :28:24.standard examination" that needs to be taken and passed

:28:25. > :28:28.by all our future politicians. And while we're at it, a similar

:28:29. > :28:32.qualification for truth-telling and for responsible and courteous

:28:33. > :28:37.political discourse, with an objective appraisal of one's

:28:38. > :28:39.track record in these areas also Recognising the risk of an American

:28:40. > :28:49.quoting a famous Briton to a group of Britons in Britain,

:28:50. > :28:53.let me remind you of the words spoken by Winston Churchill

:28:54. > :28:56.in the House of Commons "It has been said that democracy

:28:57. > :29:01.is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms

:29:02. > :29:03.that have been tried I know those words are often

:29:04. > :29:07.repeated, but they remain the best description of democracy

:29:08. > :29:11.I have found. Indeed, democracy is a journey,

:29:12. > :29:14.not an end state, and I would advise its practitioners

:29:15. > :29:21.that it is their duty to continue the journey and to realise

:29:22. > :29:23.the potential of democracy by demonstrating the ability

:29:24. > :29:25.to govern successfully The anti-incumbent and populist

:29:26. > :29:33.movements that have gained force in the West have done so not

:29:34. > :29:36.because they have articulated a more coherent and compelling strategy

:29:37. > :29:38.to deal with the very real challenges of today and tomorrow,

:29:39. > :29:43.because they have not. Rather, it is because of

:29:44. > :29:46.the shortcomings and failings of traditional political parties

:29:47. > :29:49.and politicians who have given priority to electoral success

:29:50. > :29:54.and to fanning the flames of partisan politics instead

:29:55. > :29:59.of focusing on good governance, which involves anticipating,

:30:00. > :30:02.managing, and mitigating the difficult challenges that

:30:03. > :30:04.affect the daily lives While rhetorical flourishes,

:30:05. > :30:11.ideological fervor, and bombastic hyperbole frequently stir up

:30:12. > :30:14.populist emotions and generate extensive news coverage,

:30:15. > :30:18.it is the ability of government leaders to produce results

:30:19. > :30:22.and deliver on promises that will be the ultimate measure

:30:23. > :30:26.of their success. Hobbled and dysfunctional political

:30:27. > :30:29.systems and incompetent leadership also easily fall prey

:30:30. > :30:32.to nondemocratic forces Despite its military adventures

:30:33. > :30:42.in Ukraine and Syria, Moscow's preferred course of action

:30:43. > :30:45.on the foreign front is to engage in stealthy and insidious

:30:46. > :30:47.exploitation of politics and corrupt and weak politicians

:30:48. > :30:49.rather than to project All signs indicate that Mr Putin

:30:50. > :30:55.will make even greater use and their active measures to shape

:30:56. > :31:00.popular perceptions, the agendas and platforms

:31:01. > :31:02.of political parties, and the outcome of elections

:31:03. > :31:06.outside Russian borders. Inside Russia, Mr Putin -

:31:07. > :31:09.as we have seen once will continue to preemptively

:31:10. > :31:13.undermine the development of any political opposition that

:31:14. > :31:16.has even a slim chance Moreover, leaders who have a virtual

:31:17. > :31:25.monopoly on political power, such as Putin,

:31:26. > :31:29.Turkey's President Erdogan, China's President Xi,

:31:30. > :31:36.and Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei pose a particular challenge

:31:37. > :31:39.to the growth of, or emergence of, democratic forces inside their own

:31:40. > :31:41.countries and to stability Determined to recapture the grandeur

:31:42. > :31:48.of ancient or lost empires, their innate ambitions for personal

:31:49. > :31:51.and national power are the antithesis of competent and

:31:52. > :31:56.enlightened 21st century leadership. I think I have swum in these

:31:57. > :32:00.dangerous waters long enough, so I would now like to address

:32:01. > :32:09.a fourth issue, something that should be a concern to all of us

:32:10. > :32:12.and that epitomises the paradox of progress of globalisation

:32:13. > :32:14.probably better than anything else and that is the power,

:32:15. > :32:16.capability, security, reliability, integrity, and resilience

:32:17. > :32:19.of the digital domain. Nothing has so fundamentally

:32:20. > :32:23.affected our world as well as our individual lives as has the advent

:32:24. > :32:29.of this new cyber world and the versatility and mobility

:32:30. > :32:33.of devices that connect to it. This digital domain

:32:34. > :32:35.is the environment where more and more human activity

:32:36. > :32:37.and interaction take place - be it social, commercial,

:32:38. > :32:38.educational, governmental, financial, informational,

:32:39. > :32:43.and cultural. Instantaneous connectivity

:32:44. > :32:46.in all these realms has become But like the physical

:32:47. > :32:52.manifestations of globalisation, the cyber world that constantly

:32:53. > :32:58.enhances our daily lives also puts at risk those very elements

:32:59. > :33:01.it is designed to advance - our well-being, our privacy,

:33:02. > :33:04.our security, and our prosperity. Every day the cyber realm

:33:05. > :33:07.is the venue for countless transgressions of law and order -

:33:08. > :33:10.massive theft of personal identifying information,

:33:11. > :33:12.intellectual property rights activities

:33:13. > :33:17.by sexual predators, human traffickers, drug syndicates,

:33:18. > :33:20.terrorists, and international organised crime, and the hateful

:33:21. > :33:22.venom of ethnic, racial, And, as we enter the age

:33:23. > :33:30.of the Internet of Things, when virtually every item that can

:33:31. > :33:33.be connected to the digital domain will be, our individual

:33:34. > :33:38.and collective vulnerability to cyber attacks and blackmail will

:33:39. > :33:42.be certain to grow exponentially. Nation states are particularly

:33:43. > :33:48.active in this arena. Russia's cyber interference in last

:33:49. > :33:52.year's US presidential election, North Korea's actions against Sony

:33:53. > :33:55.and the Bank of Bangladesh, and China's plunder of millions

:33:56. > :33:57.of personnel records from the United States Government

:33:58. > :34:00.revealed the ability and willingness of nation states

:34:01. > :34:02.and their intelligence services And the indictment by the US

:34:03. > :34:08.Department of Justice last month of two officials

:34:09. > :34:13.from Russia's Federal Security Bureau along with two known criminal

:34:14. > :34:16.cyber hackers is a good example of how some intelligence

:34:17. > :34:18.agencies are joining forces with the cyber underworld

:34:19. > :34:23.for common purpose. And I am not going to discuss

:34:24. > :34:28.Wikileaks, lest my head Indeed, the increasing propagation

:34:29. > :34:32.of cyber capabilities - among nation states and non-state

:34:33. > :34:39.actors - as well as their potential disabling, disruptive,

:34:40. > :34:42.and destructive impact raise the prospect that the next

:34:43. > :34:48.spark that leads to war will occur not on the ground,

:34:49. > :34:51.on the seas, or in the air, Unlike in the physical world,

:34:52. > :34:54.where the protective role of government and its security

:34:55. > :34:56.services and law enforcement authorities are widely

:34:57. > :34:59.understood and accepted, the role of government

:35:00. > :35:01.in safeguarding the digital world still lacks sharp definition

:35:02. > :35:03.as well as national Indeed, the sophistication

:35:04. > :35:10.of the technology associated with the digital world,

:35:11. > :35:13.such as unbreakable encryption, has frequently frustrated

:35:14. > :35:16.the ability of governments to protect its citizenry and carry

:35:17. > :35:21.out the rule of law. This is especially germane today

:35:22. > :35:25.as innocent people are being mowed down on our city streets

:35:26. > :35:27.by individuals who exploit the secretive safe harbour

:35:28. > :35:33.of the cyber world. This lack of clarity

:35:34. > :35:41.regarding a government's appropriate role in the cyber domain is somewhat

:35:42. > :35:43.understandable given the recency of the digital

:35:44. > :35:45.domain's explosive growth, the dearth of relevant case law

:35:46. > :35:48.and government experience, and the fact that more than 85%

:35:49. > :35:52.of the world's critical digital infrastructure is owned and operated

:35:53. > :35:57.by the private sector. When I served at the White House

:35:58. > :36:08.as President Obama's principal one of my principal responsibilities

:36:09. > :36:11.was to help develop a comprehensive cyber strategy to protect

:36:12. > :36:13.America's digital networks It was, without a doubt,

:36:14. > :36:16.the most challenging task By the time I left that job,

:36:17. > :36:20.I felt that we had only scratched the surface of what needed to be

:36:21. > :36:24.done, as the rate of innovation in the cyber world was outpacing

:36:25. > :36:26.the government's ability to keep up. But while there will always be some

:36:27. > :36:31.level of uncertainty about how the digital domain and its various

:36:32. > :36:34.virtual and physical components will evolve over time,

:36:35. > :36:38.ambiguity about the government's appropriate role in the cyber sphere

:36:39. > :36:40.is something that we allow Over the centuries, we developed

:36:41. > :36:48.legal and regulatory frameworks to sort out how governments

:36:49. > :36:50.and private entities should operate and interact on terra firma

:36:51. > :36:53.and in the maritime While developing such frameworks

:36:54. > :37:00.are much more challenging for the cyber domain,

:37:01. > :37:03.it is a task that must be undertaken sooner rather than later,

:37:04. > :37:05.as the time for admiring To tackle this issue effectively,

:37:06. > :37:14.there needs to be more informed and less hyperbolic discussion among

:37:15. > :37:16.government officials and the private I have long argued in

:37:17. > :37:21.the United States that the unique nature of the digital domain

:37:22. > :37:23.requires an unprecedented partnership between the public

:37:24. > :37:27.and private sector with the aim of optimising security,

:37:28. > :37:34.privacy, and civil liberties while at the same time ensuring that

:37:35. > :37:38.business, commerce, and all other activities in the cyber realm

:37:39. > :37:42.can thrive and prosper. A ground-breaking

:37:43. > :37:43.international cybersecurity comprising government experts,

:37:44. > :37:51.information technology specialists, internet service providers,

:37:52. > :37:54.leading scientists and engineers, representatives from

:37:55. > :37:56.the business and nonprofit And Washington, London,

:37:57. > :38:02.and allied capitals should waste no The last issue I would

:38:03. > :38:09.like to address is one that has changed the course of 21st century

:38:10. > :38:12.history and is likely to continue to do so in the decade ahead -

:38:13. > :38:15.international terrorism. The senseless attack outside

:38:16. > :38:21.Westminster on 22nd March is a striking example of how

:38:22. > :38:28.challenging it is in free and open societies to stop what might be

:38:29. > :38:31.called the atomisation A single disturbed individual

:38:32. > :38:35.or small group carrying out a murderous act,

:38:36. > :38:37.be it with a vehicle, a knife, a gun, or virtually

:38:38. > :38:42.any other physical object. But while tens if not hundreds

:38:43. > :38:45.of thousands of such criminal acts take place daily around the globe,

:38:46. > :38:49.it is when such violence is designed to make some real or perceived

:38:50. > :38:51.political or ideological statement that the act and the perpetrator

:38:52. > :38:53.gain international prominence and generate a reaction far

:38:54. > :38:56.beyond the location Much attention has been paid to this

:38:57. > :39:04.lone actor phenomenon, and the potential for lone actor

:39:05. > :39:07.attacks has struck fear in the hearts of average citizens

:39:08. > :39:10.and has sown the seeds of suspicion and distrust within

:39:11. > :39:14.heterogeneous communities. I do not want to diminish

:39:15. > :39:17.in any way the seriousness At the same time, we need to keep

:39:18. > :39:22.in mind that such incidents, thanks in no small part

:39:23. > :39:25.to the outstanding work of law-enforcement, security,

:39:26. > :39:28.and intelligence officers, are exceedingly rare

:39:29. > :39:30.and are condemned by all except a very small and ultimately

:39:31. > :39:37.doomed extremist element. The atomisation of the terrorism

:39:38. > :39:39.threat is accompanied more broadly by several

:39:40. > :39:43.noteworthy trends. of terrorist attacks carried out

:39:44. > :39:49.today are by individuals and groups purporting to have a religious

:39:50. > :39:53.foundation and purpose, a model that has proved to be

:39:54. > :39:56.a powerful magnet to attract individuals, frequently

:39:57. > :39:59.on society's fringe, who seek notoriety or pursue false

:40:00. > :40:02.promises of reward in a life This ideological dimension contrasts

:40:03. > :40:13.with the many secular terrorist organisations that were

:40:14. > :40:15.seeking specific political As part of this faux religious,

:40:16. > :40:20.ideological trend, an increasing number of terrorists are fully

:40:21. > :40:23.committed to dying in the act, raising the seriousness

:40:24. > :40:25.of the terrorist threat by obviating the perpetrator's need

:40:26. > :40:27.for an oftentimes Second, more so-called

:40:28. > :40:34.terrorist groups are diversifying their portfolios,

:40:35. > :40:37.as they have acquired administrative, military, criminal,

:40:38. > :40:39.and economic capabilities and resources far beyond

:40:40. > :40:44.their terrorist needs. Indeed, an increasing number

:40:45. > :40:46.of opportunistic insurgent groups based in the Middle East,

:40:47. > :40:51.South Asia, and Africa adopt an external terrorist agenda to gain

:40:52. > :40:55.financial and material support and to enhance global recognition

:40:56. > :40:59.of their rebellious brand. Third, the ubiquity and power

:41:00. > :41:03.of the digital domain have greatly enabled terrorist organizations

:41:04. > :41:11.to communicate, incite, recruit, surveil, and even trigger

:41:12. > :41:15.terrorist attacks from afar. Sophisticated software applications

:41:16. > :41:19.and encryption technologies have provided a virtual safe harbour

:41:20. > :41:22.for terrorists to ply their trade And fourth, the tremendous strides

:41:23. > :41:33.made in the miniaturisation, concealment, undetectability,

:41:34. > :41:35.and remote detonation of improvised explosive devices have made

:41:36. > :41:38.the design and implementation of counterterrorism programmes much

:41:39. > :41:44.more challenging and expensive. Notwithstanding these

:41:45. > :41:49.worrisome trends, I am confident that the military,

:41:50. > :41:51.economic, and territorial fortunes of Isis are certain to decline

:41:52. > :41:53.steadily in the coming months and years, as the promises

:41:54. > :41:56.of what essentially is a depraved, criminal, and psychopathic

:41:57. > :41:58.leadership continue to collapse on The group will pose a terrorist

:41:59. > :42:05.threat in the region and beyond over the next several years,

:42:06. > :42:07.however, as vast areas of ungoverned and unsecured

:42:08. > :42:11.lands in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa

:42:12. > :42:13.and the proven ability of Isis to exploit the digital domain make

:42:14. > :42:16.it much more difficult The longer-term prospects of Isis,

:42:17. > :42:29.Al-Qaeda, and groups of their ilk will hinge not only

:42:30. > :42:32.on the capability of governments to take strong and decisive action

:42:33. > :42:35.against them but the ability and willingness of leaders to invest

:42:36. > :42:37.in the institutions of governance and in education and training

:42:38. > :42:40.opportunities for their youth. I was responsible for many

:42:41. > :42:43.counterterrorism programmes of the US Government over the last

:42:44. > :42:47.several decades and always thought that we resourced very well

:42:48. > :42:49.the downstream military, security, and intelligence

:42:50. > :42:51.requirements associated However, we did not make

:42:52. > :42:58.sufficient upstream investment in economic development,

:42:59. > :43:06.secondary and higher education, technical training programmes,

:43:07. > :43:08.and professionalising public sector This will be the key to addressing

:43:09. > :43:15.the factors and conditions that Now, you might think

:43:16. > :43:27.from the foregoing litany of worries, concerns,

:43:28. > :43:28.and complaints that I am not optimistic

:43:29. > :43:32.about our collective future. I believe it is a well-established

:43:33. > :43:35.fact that intelligence officers by nature and training look

:43:36. > :43:38.for potential problems, dangers, and risks, as it is our job to sniff

:43:39. > :43:42.out and then help prevent bad Along these lines, former US

:43:43. > :43:50.Secretary of defence and Director of CIA Bob Gates has often stated

:43:51. > :43:52.that if intelligence officers smell flowers,

:43:53. > :43:54.they immediately look around Notwithstanding my concerns

:43:55. > :44:02.about the challenges that lay ahead of us,

:44:03. > :44:04.I am strongly upbeat about what the future

:44:05. > :44:08.holds for all of us. Every day, there are

:44:09. > :44:11.new medical breakthroughs, technological innovations,

:44:12. > :44:14.scientific discoveries, engineering wonders,

:44:15. > :44:17.and breathtaking acts of human More and more, we are seeing

:44:18. > :44:28.and employing new capabilities that foster good and counter evil,

:44:29. > :44:33.many of which were once considered the preposterous musings of science

:44:34. > :44:38.fiction novelists and screenwriters. I cannot even imagine what daily

:44:39. > :44:41.life will be like for my During my government service,

:44:42. > :44:47.I had the opportunity to work with some truly outstanding

:44:48. > :44:49.and talented people from all walks of life -

:44:50. > :44:52.Americans and non-Americans, public servants and private citizens

:44:53. > :44:57.- who tried their best to make this world a better and safer place not

:44:58. > :45:02.just for them, but for everyone. Their work continues,

:45:03. > :45:05.and successive generations of global citizens will do the same,

:45:06. > :45:08.which is why I am optimistic I guess that is one of the reasons

:45:09. > :45:15.why I enjoyed working closely with President Barack Obama

:45:16. > :45:18.for eight years. President Obama epitomised

:45:19. > :45:24.the strength, compassion, and aspirations of the American

:45:25. > :45:29.people and the American experience. I admired his leadership when I saw

:45:30. > :45:33.the steely determination in his eyes when he gave the orders to conduct

:45:34. > :45:36.military strikes against terrorists And I witnessed a leader's pain

:45:37. > :45:44.and anguish when I saw the tears in his eyes as I told him that 20

:45:45. > :45:48.innocent and beautiful young children along with six

:45:49. > :45:50.of their teachers were brutally murdered in a shooting

:45:51. > :45:54.in Sandy Hook School in Connecticut. But what I appreciated most

:45:55. > :45:59.about President Obama and the presidents I worked

:46:00. > :46:02.for before him was that they saw the basic goodness in people,

:46:03. > :46:05.and not just people who looked like them, believed like them,

:46:06. > :46:08.and acted like them. They recognised that the world

:46:09. > :46:12.is a wonderful and diverse environment and that,

:46:13. > :46:16.sometimes, goodness in people needs to be cultivated,

:46:17. > :46:20.encouraged, and nurtured. And they realised that

:46:21. > :46:24.the United States has a unique ability to help in that effort

:46:25. > :46:28.around the globe. Many of us gathered here this

:46:29. > :46:31.evening have had exceptional good our family status, the schools

:46:32. > :46:41.we went to, the jobs we have held, or the opportunities

:46:42. > :46:43.we were given simply Whatever our current calling in life

:46:44. > :46:52.and whatever our talents might be, I would like to think that each one

:46:53. > :46:56.of us will use the remaining time we have on this good earth

:46:57. > :46:59.to leverage our exceptional good fortune to cultivate,

:47:00. > :47:01.to encourage, and to nurture Every two minutes, someone in

:47:02. > :47:43.Britain is reported missing. You feel helpless. Like,

:47:44. > :47:46."Where do I go? Where do I start?" Follow missing person investigations

:47:47. > :47:52.as they unfold.