Dr. William Olson of the National Defense University gave a lecture Monday as part of the Middle East Studies Program's Fall Lecture Series.
The talk, entitled \Transnational Threats to the U.S. National Interest,"" focused largely on international organized crime, a growing problem in the world, according to Olson.
""A parallel nation of actors is emerging bent on destroying the world as we know it,"" Olson said. ""We are simply not accustomed to thinking of non-state actors as able to affect nations ... but organized crime attacks the very basic condition of society: trust.""
Olson stressed that prevention is key in dealing with both terrorism and organized crime.
""Terrorism is, in my view, a tactic and technique ... probably about 5,000 years old,"" Olson said. ""In my opinion, to declare a war on terrorism is to declare a war on war-it doesn't make much sense. To detect it and prevent it before it happens has to take priority over cleaning up the mess after it happens ... it's going to be a long process before we're through with it.""
Olson is the former chief of the Information Management Unit for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. Now-disbanded, the CPA was formed to collect and analyze information about reconstruction in Iraq, which would be delivered to the American government.
The audience included a crowd of protestors asking Olson detailed questions about the controversial CPA and America's presence in Iraq. Olson responded early to protestor's signs carrying such slogans as ""Stop the War"" and ""Troops Out Now.""
""I think that's a sentiment most of the troops in Iraq would agree with right now,"" Olson said.
Sam Swenson, a UW-Madison sophomore and member of Stop the War, said he was satisfied with Olson's reaction to the protestors.
""I think he managed the information very creatively,"" Swenson said. ""He clearly has a strong understanding of international relations history and his refusal to answer questions [that] he clearly had expertise in was expected.""
Tim Jackman, a Madison resident, said he was pleased with both the lecture and the presence of the protestors.
""I'm glad that [the protestors] are there,"" Jackman said. ""That's why we went to war-to protect our freedoms. It was not appropriate the way they responded and interrupted during the questions. I think they should have shown him more respect.""
