WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Degrading and dismantling the ISIL terrorist organization will likely take years to accomplish but is achievable, CIA Director John Brennan said during a press conference at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“This will be a long-term struggle. ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] will not be rolled back overnight,” Brennan said on Friday. “If there is one thing we have learned over the years, it is that success against terrorism requires patience and determination.”
“New technologies can help groups like ISIL coordinate operations, attract new recruits, disseminate propaganda, and inspire sympathizers across the globe to act in their name.” Brennan said.
Despite ISIL’s growing foothold in Iraq and Syria and ability to attract extremist followers, Brennan said that the terrorist group was “not invincible” and “can be stopped.”
The US-led coalition of over 60 nations has been launching airstrikes against the ISIL in Iraq since last August, and in Syria since September. In 2014, ISIL seized vast areas across Syria and Iraq and declared an Islamic caliphate on the territories under its control.
