President Obama nominated White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan to be the next CIA director on Monday, for his second term in office.
The son of Irish immigrants, Brennan (57) served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center during the George W. Bush administration. He has 25-years experience in the CIA.
Read More: John Brennan, son of Irish immigrants, now Obama's top gun
During the announcement on Monday, Obama said the CIA “will have the leadership of one of our nation’s most skilled and respected intelligence professionals” in Brennan.
Brennan, who describes himself as “neither a Republican nor a Democrat,” said he would “make it my mission to ensure that the CIA has the tools it needs to keep our nation safe.”
His parents are both from Roscommon. He was raised in North Bergen, New Jersey. He attended. St. Joseph’s High School in West New York and Fordham University before he responded to a job posting by the CIA in the New York Times.
During the Clinton administration, one of his daily roles was to brief President Clinton on updates.
He also served as the director of the Terrorist Threat Integration Centre from 2003 – 2004. He served as a station chief in Saudi Arabia and speaks Arabic fluently .
The Irish American played an integral role in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Read More: Obama terrorism chief John Brennan woos the Irish vote while in Dublin
His tenure during the Bush years drew criticism from liberals, which claimed he had beeen involved in the Bush administration’s enhanced interrogation techniques. Brennan strongly denied the claims. Obama considered naming him CIA director during his first term, but Brennan was forced to withdraw his name from consideration.
Speaking about his Irish roots during a lecture in Ireland last October, he spoke about the pride he has in his Irish heritage.
Brennan stated, “It is wonderful to be in Ireland, on a very personal level. I am one of the tens of millions of Americans who proudly trace our heritage to this island and its people.
“My 92-year-old father, Owen, was born and raised in County Roscommon—in Kilteevan and Lecarrow. He worked as a blacksmith on the McCalmont estate in Kilkenny now known as the Mount Juliet Golf Club. And although he left for America and settled in New Jersey, where I was raised, we still have family in County Roscommon, and I look forward to visiting them again tomorrow.”
In his new post he will succeed David Petraeus, who resigned in November after details of an ex-marital affair with his biographer were exposed.
Who is John Brennan?
6 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Smyrnian | Jan 08, 2013, 08:15 PM EST
Sounds like the right man for the job to me based on the comments so far!
Paul Hogan | Jan 08, 2013, 01:26 PM EST
Brennan would probably target Father Dan Berrigan and Phillip Berrigan with his drones if he could find them today.
Paul Hogan | Jan 08, 2013, 12:58 PM EST
Ireland can be proud of Mr. Brennan educated by the Jesuites whose claim to fame is torture and murder by drones. The Fifth Commandment says that shall not kill. I guess that does not elude to Jesuite educated scholars. There is an old Irish saying from the 10th century that says: "It is sad to see the sons of learning in eternal hell fire burning while those who never read a line in eternal glory shine. Amen"
maryosullivan | Jan 08, 2013, 11:46 AM EST
John Brennan supported every one of Bush's murderous forays around the world, therefore, why would we expect he would behave differently now? I expect our civil rights will be further invaded upon, more innocent civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere will be murdered under claim of " keeping our nation safe",
cillowen | Jan 08, 2013, 10:50 AM EST
Hopefully, an Irish-American rather than those Scotia-UKer types like McCain, Feherty, McIlroy, and the founding signers the Planted Scotia-UKers. The use of Irish employed to cling to a sliver of Erin for their Union Jack and Queenie's Standards (the Irish harp on blue background) and for willie's tunic with shamrock emblazoned thereon.
CavanAncestor | Jan 08, 2013, 09:43 AM EST
I guess I'm the opener. My fellow Fordham alumn has impressive credentials but his demeanor is one of palpable arrogance. Maybe that's why his Boss likes him, birds of a pedagogic feather.