Larry Johnson v. Michael Scheuer
As readers of this blog and my articles know, I have argued on numerous occasions that our intelligence community is a mess. Perhaps there is no better way to demonstrate just how much of a mess it has been than by pointing to this "debate"/argument between Larry Johnson and Michael Scheuer, both former members of the U.S. intelligence community.
There really is no one to pull for in this online skirmish. For some background on Johnson, go here. As readers of my blog and Weekly Standard articles know, Scheuer is the former CIA man who fronted the bin Laden unit (codenamed "Alec") from its inception in 1996 until 1999. He has said on at least a couple of occasions in the past that he was the guy the CIA had look through their classified files for evidence of a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. He claims he couldn't find any. Oddly enough, he could find plenty of evidence of a relationship when he was writing his first book "Through Our Enemies Eyes."In 2002, therefore, when his book was published, he cited plenty of evidence on Iraq-al Qaeda. In 2004, he claimed that there was no evidence of a relationship. This is the type of "analysis" that the 9-11 Commission relied upon(Scheuer is cited throughout the text).
In any event, Scheuer published an op-ed in the Washington Times earlier this month in which he claimed that Richard Clarke and former FBI man John O'Neill were "two principal authors of September 11" because of their counterterrorism failures. Johnson thought this was outrageous and so he responded in a brief write-up at the Booman Tribune, which is "a progressive community."
Johnson claimed that Scheuer, through his attacks on Clarke and company, may be "trying to get back into the good graces of the Bush crowd or is miffed that Hollywood didn't recognize his genuis." (sic) He wrote that Scheuer "is completely full of shit." Johnson also includes a response from "an FBI buddy, who worked at the Counter Terrorism Center with Scheuer has some great details on Scheuer's tenure at CTC." I let you read that for yourself.
Scheuer responded to Johnson's take down attempt in an email exchange, which included "a group of intel officers" Johnson "correspond(s) with on a regular basis." Scheuer apparently objected to having his private correspondences posted, so Johnson summarizes each of Scheuer's arguments and then responds in another write-up at the Booman Tribune.
I won't reproduce any of the "exchange" here. Just read it for yourself and then ask, "Why does anyone take these guys seriously?"
There really is no one to pull for in this online skirmish. For some background on Johnson, go here. As readers of my blog and Weekly Standard articles know, Scheuer is the former CIA man who fronted the bin Laden unit (codenamed "Alec") from its inception in 1996 until 1999. He has said on at least a couple of occasions in the past that he was the guy the CIA had look through their classified files for evidence of a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. He claims he couldn't find any. Oddly enough, he could find plenty of evidence of a relationship when he was writing his first book "Through Our Enemies Eyes."In 2002, therefore, when his book was published, he cited plenty of evidence on Iraq-al Qaeda. In 2004, he claimed that there was no evidence of a relationship. This is the type of "analysis" that the 9-11 Commission relied upon(Scheuer is cited throughout the text).
In any event, Scheuer published an op-ed in the Washington Times earlier this month in which he claimed that Richard Clarke and former FBI man John O'Neill were "two principal authors of September 11" because of their counterterrorism failures. Johnson thought this was outrageous and so he responded in a brief write-up at the Booman Tribune, which is "a progressive community."
Johnson claimed that Scheuer, through his attacks on Clarke and company, may be "trying to get back into the good graces of the Bush crowd or is miffed that Hollywood didn't recognize his genuis." (sic) He wrote that Scheuer "is completely full of shit." Johnson also includes a response from "an FBI buddy, who worked at the Counter Terrorism Center with Scheuer has some great details on Scheuer's tenure at CTC." I let you read that for yourself.
Scheuer responded to Johnson's take down attempt in an email exchange, which included "a group of intel officers" Johnson "correspond(s) with on a regular basis." Scheuer apparently objected to having his private correspondences posted, so Johnson summarizes each of Scheuer's arguments and then responds in another write-up at the Booman Tribune.
I won't reproduce any of the "exchange" here. Just read it for yourself and then ask, "Why does anyone take these guys seriously?"
posted by Thomas Joscelyn at 10:25 AM
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