(October 24, 2012)
A CIA veteran transforms U.S. counterterrorism policy
EXCERPT
Four years ago, Brennan felt compelled to withdraw from consideration as President Obama’s first CIA director because of what he regarded as unfair criticism of his role in counterterrorism practices as an intelligence official during the George W. Bush administration. Instead, he stepped into a job in the Obama administration with greater responsibility and influence.
Brennan is leading efforts to curtail the CIA’s primary responsibility for targeted killings. Over opposition from the agency, he has argued that it should focus on intelligence activities and leave lethal action to its more traditional home in the military, where the law requires greater transparency. Still, during Brennan’s tenure, the CIA has carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan and opened a new base for armed drones in the Arabian Peninsula.
Although he insists that all agencies have the opportunity to weigh in on decisions, making differing perspectives available to the Oval Office, Brennan wields enormous power in shaping decisions on “kill” lists and the allocation of armed drones, the war’s signature weapon.
This turning into a Vince Flynn novel. Sounds just like ‘Kill Shot’. Where the hell is Mitch Rapp when you need him?
Something isn’t right here. They were watching the security cameras from inside the compound in real time...saw the ambassador shake the Turkish ‘visitor’s’ hand as he was leaving. Charlene Lamb testified at the hearing that they were seeing this as it all happened and now they are saying no good intel?
And WHO has the videotape from those security cameras now?