Paul Kolbe is a Senior Fellow and the former Director of the Intelligence Project at the Belfer Center. He served for 25 years in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations in a variety of foreign and domestic roles, including as Chief of Station, Chief/Central Eurasia Division, and Balkans Group Chief. Kolbe is also a former director of The Intelligence Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He is a Senior Advisor to the Crumpton Group, Capstone Global, and Spycraft Entertainment.
The Hill
12 former top intel officials blast Trump’s move to revoke Brennan’s security clearance
BY JOHN BOWDEN - 08/16/18
Twelve former top U.S. intelligence officials on Thursday condemned President Trump’s decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, calling it a blatant attempt to stifle Brennan’s criticism.
In a statement of support reported by multiple outlets, a dozen former officials including CIA directors dating back to the 1980s declared that “security clearances should be based on national security concerns and not political views.”
‘Insinuations and allegations of wrongdoing on the part of Brennan while in office are baseless,” the officials said. “We all agree that the president’s action regarding John Brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances.”
“We have never before seen the approval or removal of security clearances used as a political tool, as was done in this case,” they added. “Beyond that, this action is quite clearly a signal to other current and former officials.”