By Larry JohnsoncloseAuthor: Larry JohnsonName: Larry Johnson Email: larry_johnson@earthlink.net Site:http://NoQuarterUSA.net About: Larry C. Johnson is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, LLC, an international business-consulting firm with expertise combating terrorism and investigating money laundering. Mr. Johnson works with US military commands in scripting terrorism exercises, briefs on terrorist trends, and conducts undercover investigations on counterfeiting, smuggling and money laundering.
Mr. Johnson, who worked previously with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism, is a recognized expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, crisis and risk management.
Mr. Johnson has analyzed terrorist incidents for a variety of media including the Jim Lehrer News Hour, National Public Radio, ABC's Nightline, NBC's Today Show, the New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and the BBC. Mr. Johnson has authored several articles for publications, including Security Management Magazine, the New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. He has lectured on terrorism and aviation security around the world, including the Center for Research and Strategic Studies at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, France. He represented the U.S. Government at the July 1996 OSCE Terrorism Conference in Vienna, Austria.
From 1989 until October 1993, Larry Johnson served as a Deputy Director in the U.S. State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism. He managed crisis response operations for terrorist incidents throughout the world and he helped organize and direct the US Government’s debriefing of US citizens held in Kuwait and Iraq, which provided vital intelligence on Iraqi operations following the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Mr. Johnson also participated in the investigation of the terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103. Under Mr. Johnson’s leadership the U.S. airlines and pilots agreed to match the US Government’s two million-dollar reward.
From 1985 through September 1989 Mr. Johnson worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. During his distinguished career, he received training in paramilitary operations, worked in the Directorate of Operations, served in the CIA’s Operation’s Center, and established himself as a prolific analyst in the Directorate of Intelligence. In his final year with the CIA he received two Exceptional Performance Awards.
Mr. Johnson is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security. He taught at The American University’s School of International Service (1979-1983) while working on a Ph.D. in political science. He has a M.S. degree in Community Development from the University of Missouri (1978), where he also received his B.S. degree in Sociology, graduating Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1976.See Authors Posts (772) on January 24, 2008 at 8:50 PM in Barack Obama, Current Affairs
Democrats and independents enamored of Barack Obama have learned nothing from letting a likable dope take the reins of power in the White House. And just because Barack had a privileged upbringing in Hawaii, attended upscale private schools, and eventually made his way to Harvard, it was not because he is “brilliant.” If going to Harvard and Yale is proof of brilliance then George W. Bush is a frigging genius. Anyone want to go there?
Would a brilliant guy, who is running for President, claim to barely know a guy indicted for corruption, who just happened to be a longstanding member of Obama’s campaign finance committee (and not realize there are pictures of him glad handing the mope)?
Would a brilliant guy, who was planning to run for President, tell a slum lord (who he claims he barely knew) about buying adjacent properties, which they subsequently do on the same day?
Would a brilliant guy, who was planning to run for President, be able to remember which button to press when voting on critical issues in the Illinois state senate? (Good grief!! Imagine if he had his finger on THE BUTTON?)
Would a brilliant guy, who is planning to run for President, decline to take advantage of his status and chairman of the the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Western Europe and Nato by not traveling to Europe or holding a single hearing on those issues?
Would a brilliant guy, who is running for President, fail to be ready to answer the question about drivers licenses for illegal aliens after having watched his chief rival, Hillary, stumble over the same question two weeks earlier?
Would a brilliant guy, running for President, pander to Republicans by calling them the party of ideas while the last Democrat to win two terms as President occupied the White House?
And would a brilliant guy feign hearing problems when confronted with evidence that he called for a single payer health system before he denied he ever had? At least Ronald Reagan used helicopter noise to pretend he couldn’t hear a question (and that man actually was partially deaf).
Obama is a handsome, charming guy who can deliver a snappy prepared speech. But if he is so “brilliant,” why did he leave so many loose ends hanging? So Obamatons (or is it Oborgs?), please recount for us the evidence of Obama’s brilliance. Being born a good looking, well spoken man has nothing to do with brilliance. Please show me that the man touting hope is not a dope.
I understand your feelings of frustration. If we can finally get passed this Obama person, we might be able to soberly address the overwhelming issues that face our dilapidated nation.
That this bumbling ass seems to think he has the intelligence and sufficient experience to see us through such dark times, and that there are millions out there who would pin their hopes on this ass is a sad commentary which makes me wonder if we have the intestinal fortitude to navigate through a maze which we have never traversed before. It takes a hell of a lot more to get through this meandering course besides a big voice and happy, floppy ears. I want to see this guy’s compass, his road map, and his mathematical abilities for solving life’s geometrical difficulties. He’s really laid out no plans that I can really sink my teeth into. So again: Where’s the freaking beef?
LOL! Nobody does the body shots like you do Larry.
This is what the rightwingers are really saying and Camp Brilliant Guy thinks they heart him…
This is disgusting but this is really what they think and what they have in store for him…
hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I just went over to read your link at freedom’s what-have-you. Why the hell am I screaming with laughter! ahhaaaaaaaaaaaaa This is hysterical!
You sound like you can’t believe anyone could dislike this media created phoney. I like Clinton and Edwards because they stand for the Democratic Party principles. Mr. O likes to diss the Dems while extolling the virtues of Ronald Reagan. Why would the richest people give 100 Million to this unknown — could it be they think he will split the AA vote and give another Republican the White House — just askin
I almost was in Obama’s camp. I really was leaning that way. But no more. More leaning towards Edwards.
But I think you are being purposefully disingenuous on the Yale-Harvard thing. First, Bush had a legacy app’t to Yale as an undergrad and his daddy was a Skull and Bones man. One could be dumber than a box of rocks and still get a legacy app’t and a diploma/degree in that situation. And remember Stoopid couldn’t even get into the U of Texas law school. This doofus is, at best, just average.
Obama, without any special consideration (legacy) of which I am aware got into the most difficult to get into law school in the country. I’ve been to told that some that get a perfect score of 180 on the LSAT, get rejected at Harvard. And law school exams are graded anonymously.
As far as I’m concerned, Bush getting a Master’s from Harvard could have been accomplished by the Carlyle Group donating a wing to the business school.
having said all this, my vote in the general next Nov will go to the Dem nominee. My vote in the primary in Ohio will go to the person (if any) who advocates for a single payer health care system and a way to create meaningful, good paying jobs in the U.S.
I disagree that Obama is not smart. It is common for bright people to be dumb in some ways. Many bright, talented people who have Obama’s charm have been able to get by without ever being strongly challenged. The result is hubris - which seems to be Obama’s big flaw. He is overly impressed with himself and his abilities and has not put in the effort needed to prepare himself for the awesome responsibilities of the presidency. (Blowing off his responsibilities as chair of the Subcommittee on European Affairs is the most glaring example.)
If he loses this time he may use this as a wake up call and become more substantive. If he wins, he better shape up in a hurry or the Republicans will eat him alive.
Now that we see that Hillary and Bill in photo with Rezko can we drop this non issue now?
It broke on the Today Show this morning when Matt Lauer confronted Hillary with this picture (of Rezko) when Hillary was again pushing the Barack Obama has “innercity slumlord” connections.
Did the Clintons have a 17 year relationship with Rezko? Obama pretends not to know a guy who gave him $200,000. Just like his Present votes–Obama says he pushed the wrong button on 5 of the most important votes. The media darling is a dud.
Cee,
A photo op is not a relationship. Bill Clinton, as President, having happy snaps glad handing Dems is not news. Stick to the substance. But more importantly, give me the evidence of your boy’s brilliance. I don’t understand the criteria.
Are you looking for brilliance as in Karl Rove who managed to reelect Bush, or Cheney who managed to manipulate us into an unjustifiable war?
Obama was called brilliant by his Harvard professors, and was the first black student elected as president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review
He is brilliant enough to get people like Ted Sorensen, Prof. Lawrence Tribe, and Zbig Brzezinski support him in his campaign!
I realize W has substantially lowered the standards for being President, but does Obama really think a couple of well written speaches qualifies him for President? What qualities does he think he possesses that trumps experience and hard work? Brilliant? He referred to himself recently as “boneheaded”. I guess he knows better than anyone.
When Mary Matalin, Karl Rove, Bay Buchanan take the side of Hillary Clinton, I tend to believe Ari Fleisher who said that Republicans want to run against Hillary.
And Bill Clinton acting like a pushy pimp is turning away lifelong registered Dems. Too bad…
Does anyone ever call the spouse of a man running for president a name comparable to “pushy pimp”? And who says longtime Dems are turning away from Hillary because of Bill’s statements as of late regarding Obama? This sounds like some line spewing out of the mouth of that bag of shit Chris Matthews.
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Would a brilliant guy, who is running for President, claim to barely know a guy indicted for corruption, who just happened to be a longstanding member of Obama’s campaign finance committee (and not realize there are pictures of him glad handing the mope)?
I understand your feelings of frustration. If we can finally get passed this Obama person, we might be able to soberly address the overwhelming issues that face our dilapidated nation.
That this bumbling ass seems to think he has the intelligence and sufficient experience to see us through such dark times, and that there are millions out there who would pin their hopes on this ass is a sad commentary which makes me wonder if we have the intestinal fortitude to navigate through a maze which we have never traversed before. It takes a hell of a lot more to get through this meandering course besides a big voice and happy, floppy ears. I want to see this guy’s compass, his road map, and his mathematical abilities for solving life’s geometrical difficulties. He’s really laid out no plans that I can really sink my teeth into. So again: Where’s the freaking beef?
LOL! Nobody does the body shots like you do Larry.
This is what the rightwingers are really saying and Camp Brilliant Guy thinks they heart him…
This is disgusting but this is really what they think and what they have in store for him…
http://www.freedomsenemies.com/_more/obama.htm
About what he might expect from the republicans in a general election.
SIDE NOTE: I thought that I originated the term, “Harry Belafonte Effect,” but it looks like someone beat me to it.
Sic transit and all that…
Larry, one typo: Brilliance.
Billiance, heh.
Barack channeling Clinton?
The freed dumb’s enemies link crashed two windoze on me, Taters.
hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I just went over to read your link at freedom’s what-have-you. Why the hell am I screaming with laughter! ahhaaaaaaaaaaaaa This is hysterical!
this is my first visit, and to cut to the chase, if you all hate obama so much, who do you like?
You sound like you can’t believe anyone could dislike this media created phoney. I like Clinton and Edwards because they stand for the Democratic Party principles. Mr. O likes to diss the Dems while extolling the virtues of Ronald Reagan. Why would the richest people give 100 Million to this unknown — could it be they think he will split the AA vote and give another Republican the White House — just askin
I almost was in Obama’s camp. I really was leaning that way. But no more. More leaning towards Edwards.
But I think you are being purposefully disingenuous on the Yale-Harvard thing. First, Bush had a legacy app’t to Yale as an undergrad and his daddy was a Skull and Bones man. One could be dumber than a box of rocks and still get a legacy app’t and a diploma/degree in that situation. And remember Stoopid couldn’t even get into the U of Texas law school. This doofus is, at best, just average.
Obama, without any special consideration (legacy) of which I am aware got into the most difficult to get into law school in the country. I’ve been to told that some that get a perfect score of 180 on the LSAT, get rejected at Harvard. And law school exams are graded anonymously.
As far as I’m concerned, Bush getting a Master’s from Harvard could have been accomplished by the Carlyle Group donating a wing to the business school.
having said all this, my vote in the general next Nov will go to the Dem nominee. My vote in the primary in Ohio will go to the person (if any) who advocates for a single payer health care system and a way to create meaningful, good paying jobs in the U.S.
I disagree that Obama is not smart. It is common for bright people to be dumb in some ways. Many bright, talented people who have Obama’s charm have been able to get by without ever being strongly challenged. The result is hubris - which seems to be Obama’s big flaw. He is overly impressed with himself and his abilities and has not put in the effort needed to prepare himself for the awesome responsibilities of the presidency. (Blowing off his responsibilities as chair of the Subcommittee on European Affairs is the most glaring example.)
If he loses this time he may use this as a wake up call and become more substantive. If he wins, he better shape up in a hurry or the Republicans will eat him alive.
“(and not realize there are pictures of him glad handing the mope!)”
HA! Check out Drudge front page right now. You bring up bullshit, you get bullshit thrown right back at you! You’ve been OWNED, Larry Johnson.
Now that we see that Hillary and Bill in photo with Rezko can we drop this non issue now?
It broke on the Today Show this morning when Matt Lauer confronted Hillary with this picture (of Rezko) when Hillary was again pushing the Barack Obama has “innercity slumlord” connections.
The Today Show video is here…
http://thepage.time.com/…
Here is the picture that is worth a thousand words.
Ok, can we all look at Edwards now?
A lot of people have their pictures taken with the President.
A little weak in terms of diversionary tactics, be careful not to let it backfire on you.
This whole thing with Rezko is desperate and silly.
Did the Clintons have a 17 year relationship with Rezko? Obama pretends not to know a guy who gave him $200,000. Just like his Present votes–Obama says he pushed the wrong button on 5 of the most important votes. The media darling is a dud.
Cee,
A photo op is not a relationship. Bill Clinton, as President, having happy snaps glad handing Dems is not news. Stick to the substance. But more importantly, give me the evidence of your boy’s brilliance. I don’t understand the criteria.
Are you looking for brilliance as in Karl Rove who managed to reelect Bush, or Cheney who managed to manipulate us into an unjustifiable war?
Obama was called brilliant by his Harvard professors, and was the first black student elected as president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review
He is brilliant enough to get people like Ted Sorensen, Prof. Lawrence Tribe, and Zbig Brzezinski support him in his campaign!
Ted Turner said it all: “If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect!”
I realize W has substantially lowered the standards for being President, but does Obama really think a couple of well written speaches qualifies him for President? What qualities does he think he possesses that trumps experience and hard work? Brilliant? He referred to himself recently as “boneheaded”. I guess he knows better than anyone.
It was only ‘boneheaded’ ’cause it was “found out”, otherwise life rolls on.
When Mary Matalin, Karl Rove, Bay Buchanan take the side of Hillary Clinton, I tend to believe Ari Fleisher who said that Republicans want to run against Hillary.
And Bill Clinton acting like a pushy pimp is turning away lifelong registered Dems. Too bad…
When has Ari Fleisher ever told the truth?
When he wasn’t being paid to lie?
Sajo:
Does anyone ever call the spouse of a man running for president a name comparable to “pushy pimp”? And who says longtime Dems are turning away from Hillary because of Bill’s statements as of late regarding Obama? This sounds like some line spewing out of the mouth of that bag of shit Chris Matthews.
And who says longtime Dems are turning away from Hillary because of Bill’s statements as of late regarding Obama???
Long time Dems are saying that…Listen to Air America and read other Dem blogs…
They feel the Clintons’ (plural) are splitting the party
Oh okay. I’ll go and listen to Air America. That way I’ll know all about what is going on. Why didn’t I think of that sooner?