Skip to main content
Tags: james woolsey | angela merkel | generosity | backfired | berlin | attack

Woolsey: Merkel Acted From 'Generosity,' But It Backfired

Fox News' "America's Newsroom"

By    |   Wednesday, 21 December 2016 03:09 PM EST

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow more than a million refugees from the Middle East to enter her country came from "generosity," but matters have gone too far, former CIA Director James Woolsey said Wednesday.

"I think her spirit was one of generosity and so forth, but the Germans have let in 1.2 million refugees into their country," Woolsey told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" host Bill Hemmer. "Five hundred thousand have been turned down for asylum, and they got 30,000 jobs for those [who are left], so they massively overextended their spirit of generosity. One can admire their spirit but in terms of practicality, they are in very bad shape."

The influx has left Germany in a situation "where young women can't even wear bathing suits in a public swimming pool without having men from the Middle East who are not used to seeing young women in bathing suits become very offended. This is affecting all aspects of German life. It was a serious practical mistake."

Woolsey, who is serving as an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, said his comments on the truck attack in Berlin this week being an attack of terrorism will turn out to be right.

"He may move faster than would have been dictated by a thorough study," said Woolsey, "but it is looking like this is what happened, and it is now something ISIS has claimed credit for." At the same time, Europe has done a "chaotic job" managing law enforcement, and failed to "get inside the terrorist organization and basically spy on it" rather than waiting for something to happen.

Sandy Fitzgerald

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics. 

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.

Politics
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow more than a million refugees from the Middle East to enter her country came from generosity, but matters have gone too far, former CIA Director James Woolsey said Wednesday.
james woolsey, angela merkel, generosity, backfired, berlin, attack
267
2016-09-21
Wednesday, 21 December 2016 03:09 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved