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Britain's 30-year war on terror

thesun 

By JOHN KAY
Chief Reporter

BRITAIN faces a 30-YEAR war to crush terrorists intent on mass slaughter here, Gordon Brown’s security supremo warned yesterday.

Admiral Lord Alan West dramatically DOUBLED his earlier estimate of 15 years to make the UK safe from attack.

He told The Sun: “I now realise that we are talking about a generation — and by that I would say 30 years.” In an exclusive interview, the former head of the Navy went on: “That doesn’t mean necessarily that we are going to stay at a severe level of threat for all those years.

“But to be able to say one has absolutely changed the mind-set and thought of people IS going to take a generation.”

“But to be able to say one has absolutely changed the mind-set and thought of people IS going to take a generation.”

Lord West made his original prediction of 15 years to deal with the al-Qaeda menace when he was appointed by incoming Premier Gordon Brown in June to co-ordinate security.

Yesterday he said of the battle against Osama bin Laden’s thugs: “It will be in phases. After some years it will become much better — and then (the threat) will hopefully go.

“Perhaps I am being optimistic in thinking that we can get rid of it entirely. But I think we can.

“I think 15 years is still a good time for reducing it dramatically.

“But look at the Cold War. That lasted from 1949 to 1989, which was 40 years.”

Lord West said the British people were resilient in the face of dangers.

Several plots had already been foiled, he pointed out.

And while it was essential to stay alert, we should NOT allow the threat of attacks to change our way of life.