Interview Carol Flynn: Romania is a key strategic partner for the United States

Carol Rollie Flynn talked, in a complex interview for MEDIAFAX and the Defence and Security Monitor (DSM) about Romania’s importance for the United States and NATO and the possible terrorism threat.

“I think Russia, particularly Vladimir Putin is concerned with having democracies along its border. Democracies, by their very nature, are opened; transparency is very important in democracy and transparency is not something Russia wants, because it would expose the corruption, the oligarchs and the kleptocracy” says Carol Rollie Flynn.

As for cyber threats, she states that: “you must be sure that your folks, who are using those networks are educated. I believe the largest number of cyber-attacks come from clicking on bad links and introducing malware into networks. That’s just educating and synthetizing the user

We are presenting you the entire interview:

MEDIAFAX: Given the current security evolutions in the Black Sea, what’s Romania’s relevance for NATO and the United States, today, 15 years since Romania joined the Alliance?

Carol Flynn: Romania is a key strategic partner for the United States of America. I you know, Romania has a very strategic location on the Black Sea region and it is the eastern edge of NATO. Therefore, the strategic position of Romania, the geography as well as the fact that it has been a very good partner in NATO makes it very important for the United States.

MEDIAFAX: Do you think Eastern Europe is a vulnerable area within NATO?

Carol Flynn: I think it is a vulnerable area. I think Russia, particularly Vladimir Putin is concerned with having democracies along its border. Democracies, by their very nature, are opened, transparency is very important in democracy and transparency is not something Russia wants, because it would expose the corruption, the oligarchs and the kleptocracy and I suspect Vladimir Putin views that as a potential threat.

MEDIAFAX: What could be done to avoid cyber-attacks over critical infrastructure and to prevent the political interferences?

Carol Flynn: It’s all about education. It’s about having cyber defence, a good cyber hygiene, making sure your systems have been updated, you’re doing appropriate patching, that you are doing monitoring of your network. That is all very important for a god cyber hygiene. But even more than that, is making sure that your folks, who are using those networks are educated. I believe the largest number of cyber-attacks come from clicking on bad links and introducing malware into networks. That’s just educating and synthetizing the user. The wide-spread use of informational warfare and the armies of trolls and bots that can spread disinformation so quickly, the greatest defence for that is, again, education and developing critical thinking skills among the population so that they can realize that they are being manipulated, that they will look with a critical eye at the information they are receiving.

MEDIAFAX: Can Romania be considered a target for terrorists?

Carol Flynn: That is an interesting question. I think potentially it could be, but I would not considered it a prime location for terrorists. Every country could potentially be, but I think probably Romania is someone less in terms of being at risk, compared to some other countries.

Carol Rollie Flynn, a Senior Fellow in the Program on National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, is the founder and managing principal of Singa Consulting, a professional services firm. A 30-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Ms. Flynn held senior executive positions including Director of CIA’s Leadership Academy, Director of the Office of Foreign Intelligence Relationships, Associate Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Executive Director of the CIA Counterterrorism Center, and Chief of Station in major posts in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

She has extensive experience in overseas intelligence operations, security, and counterintelligence. Ms. Flynn is also an adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service/Security Studies Program where she has co-directed the National Security Critical Issue Task Force (NSCITF), which has conducted research on Lone Wolf Terrorism, Countering Violent Extremism, and Insider Threat.