Charles Widmore wakes Locke, warns of impending war

At night, Charles Widmore is sitting by Locke's bed in the field hospital. He wakes Locke and tells him that he had a compound fracture and that the doctors there did their best, but he had a specialist flown in to properly reset his leg. Widmore says "It's nice to see you again John" but Locke doesn't recognize him. Widmore says "I met you when I was 17" and continues by saying that after all these years, Locke looks exactly the same. When Widmore says "My name is Charles Widmore," Locke looks shocked and even a bit scared. Locke tells Widmore that is has only been four days since they first met at the campsite on the island in 1954.

Widmore then confirms that the camera in the desert was his and Locke asks "How did you know I'd be there?" Widmore replies "Because that's the exit." Widmore says he was worried that Ben would trick Locke into leaving the island like he did to him. He continues by saying he was once the leader of the others who he calls "his people." He claims that they protected the island peacefully for more than three decades. He says but then he was exiled "by him." Locke then tells Widmore that Ben was already gone when he left and that he wasn't exiled, he chose to leave. Widmore asks why he would choose to leave and then pauses and somehow knows that Locke is there to bring his people back. Locke lies to him initially and says that's not why he is there, but Widmore knows that he's lying. Widmore then tells Locke that his friends have been back for three years and have been lying about what happened. He shows him a London Daily Tribune newspaper from January 14, 2005 that confirms his claim. Locke then admits that he's there to bring them back and Widmore says "I'm going to to everything in my power to help you do that." Locke asks him why he's going to help him, Widmore says "Because there's a war coming John, and if you're not back on the island when that happens, the wrong side is going to win." With that ominious line, the scene ends.

So, how much truth is Widmore telling about his life on the island and his leadership of the others? He claims they protected the island peacefully, but Widmore killed Cunningham without hesitation and the military presence on the island was wiped out too. If Widmore was exiled in the 80s though, that would mean he was gone before the purge of the Dharma Initiative in 1992. It's hard to believe Widmore just as it is hard to believe Ben, though there are probably at least pieces of truth in his story. I guess the big question that lingers is, what is this war that is coming?