The world is currently facing a “much more aggressive form of terrorism,” according to Leon Panetta.
The former Defense secretary and CIA director under President Obama said that the U.S. has beefed up its intelligence capabilities since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But he added that the thousands of foreign nationals in places like Syria and Iraq pose a “real threat” to Americans.
{mosads}“I don’t think we can take anything for granted,” he said on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS.”
The most recent attacks in France and Canada, as well as arrests made in terrorist plots in Belgium and Greece, suggest to Panetta the world is entering “a new and perhaps more dangerous chapter in the war on terrorism.”
He said it is critical for the U.S. to work with European allies to share information and resources, so they can keep track of all individuals they fear could be plotting terror attacks.
At the same time, he argued that the attacks in Paris amounted to an “intelligence failure” for the French, given that the gunmen were on watch lists but authorities did not become aware of the planned attack in advance.
“I know that, in some ways, they were tracking them, but because of priorities or because of resources, obviously, they weren’t aware that these attacks were going to be conducted,” he said.