John Bennett, retired Central Intelligence Agency operative, has just been nominated to oversee the most secretive and prestigious intelligence operation inside the United States. He will be the new Director of the National Clandestine Services. Needless to say, while numerous media outlets and members of the Obama administration have praised this nomination, it was indeed a political move that will demonstrate little to no improvement securing this nation.
Afghanistan is now the longest war for the United States to be engaged. Pakistan has been known to serve as a key facilitator for Al Qaeda, Taliban, and other Islamists in the region. It was Bennett who served as the Chief of Station in Pakistan up to the year 2009 failing in his duties throughout the region.
So what makes Bennett so suitable to come out of retirement heading the most secretive organization within the Intelligence Community? Nothing. He has attempted to play “whack a mole” using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) throughout the western regions of Pakistan killing some key high value targets; however, it has been proven that the game of “whack a mole” is not the end-all-be-all cure in defeating the current Islamist threat.
It is evident from the continued Islamist activities throughout the North West Frontier Provinces and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan that Bennett actually failed in his duties as Chief of Station in Pakistan.
His inabilities to understand, identify, and formulate strategic plans of covert and clandestine activities destroying our adversaries networks throughout the region have led to an increase in loss of coalition lives in recent years. He played a devastating political game. It is evident that the current Obama administration selected Bennett to serve as a puppet in this prominent position considering he failed in Pakistan.
If the Obama administration truly wanted to defeat the world crisis of Islamist extremism, they should have selected an individual who does not seek an interest in making friends in the world’s elite, someone who truly understands Islamists and other ideologies from adversaries throughout the rest of the world, and an individual with a proven track record in such capacities.
The Obama administration made a grave mistake in the selection of John Bennett. Instead, they should have looked at others to serve in such a capacity. One person that comes to mind is Gary Bernsten.
Mr. Bernsten could have and most likely would have been an excellent candidate. He is the author of the book Jawbreaker. He ate, slept, lived, and continuously served in multiple capacities throughout the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. He is astute in his fundamental knowledge of Islamic extremism and he has a solid reputation instilling fear amongst our nation’s adversaries.
Of course, Mr. Bernsten would never be thought of because of his political desires; however, politics and this position should never mix. Remember, the Director of Clandestine Services is a secretive position incorporating some of the most secretive activities known throughout the world. It is obvious that the Obama administration could care less about truly securing the United States through the selection of a puppet like John Bennett. Instead, they continuously select persons who are truly conformists to the liberal elite.
This administration relentlessly places puppets into prominent positions that will ultimately jeopardize the economic, individualism, and physical security of this great nation. The current administration has a track record of failing to understand the nation’s greatest concerns. The narcissistic nepotists running this nation continuously select “friends” within their liberal circles who have failed in their duties. And the most recent selection of John Bennett serving as Director of National Clandestine Services will prove no different.
Kerry Patton served in the U.S. Defense and Justice departments, and as a contractor within the Homeland Security and State departments. He has worked in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, focusing on security and intelligence interviewing current and former terrorists, including members of the Taliban. He is the author of “Sociocultural Intelligence: The New Discipline of Intelligence Studies.” Currently, Mr. Patton teaches for Henley Putnam University and is the Northeast Regional Director for Stand Up America www.standupamericaus.com.