Morell says a collapse in Syria could provide a 'safe haven' opportunity for Al Qaeda. Morell: Syrian chaos to be feared

Syria’s future remains vitally important to the security of the United States, former deputy CIA Director Mike Morell told “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday night on CBS.

“I fear the breakup of the state of Syria,” Morell told John Miller, saying that collapse of the Middle Eastern nation could provide “an opportunity for Al Qaeda to have a safe haven” comparable to the one it once enjoyed in Afghanistan.


Because of concern about the potential for the area to become a hotbed of radical Islam, Morell said the best resolution would be a negotiated settlement to the civil war raging there.

“It’s gonna take the institution of the Syrian military and the institutions of the Syrian security services to defeat Al Qaeda when this is done. And every day that goes by, every day that goes by, those institutions are eroded,” he told Miller.

He said the best way to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table would be to provide just enough support to the opposition that they could pose a credible threat to Bashar Assad’s regime.

Morell said President Barack Obama shares his concern about the possible disintegration of the nation of Syria.

“He takes that very seriously. And certainly agrees that that is an outcome that is possible and needs to be avoided,” Morell said.

Morell, 55, retired from the CIA in August. He twice served as acting director of the intelligence agency. The “60 Minutes” broadcast also included Charlie Rose’s recent interview with Assad and Scott Pelley’s interview with Obama.