Brennan was a horrible person long before Russiagate. Grok on what CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou has said about Brennan:
1. **Criticism of Brennan’s Role in Torture Programs**: Kiriakou has described Brennan as a strong advocate for the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques, particularly waterboarding, during the post-9/11 era. He stated that Brennan was “torture, torture, torture,” emphasizing a relentless push for harsh interrogation methods, including waterboarding al-Qaida suspect Abu Zubaydah 83 times, which Kiriakou claims yielded no useful intelligence. Kiriakou has called Brennan a “very bad guy” for his role in these programs and for allegedly seeking vengeance against perceived enemies once he became CIA Director.
2. **Opposition to Brennan’s CIA Leadership**: Kiriakou, who worked directly for Brennan twice since 1990, has repeatedly called Brennan a “terrible choice” to lead the CIA. He argued that the agency needed a leader who would move beyond the “ugliness” of the post-9/11 torture regime and respect constitutional principles, implying Brennan was too tied to controversial policies like drone strikes and warrantless surveillance.
3. **Brennan’s Career Ascension**: Kiriakou detailed Brennan’s rise within the CIA, noting that in the 1990s, Brennan was a mid-level officer (GS-14) who faced setbacks, including being fired from a deputy director role in the Arab/Israeli analysis group. Brennan managed to secure a new position during a six-week grace period, leveraging political connections, particularly with the Obama campaign in 2008, to climb the ranks. Kiriakou suggested Brennan’s alignment with Obama, when other senior CIA officials supported McCain or Clinton, helped him secure influential roles, eventually leading to his appointment as CIA Director.
4. **Allegations of Misconduct and Ruthlessness**: Kiriakou has accused Brennan of ruthless tactics, including entrapping sources or pushing them toward extreme measures (e.g., suggesting suicide or using compromising situations) to gain cooperation. He also claimed Brennan favored a clique of “hard-drinking, tough spy wannabes” within the CIA, promoting them to senior positions despite questionable qualifications, which Kiriakou found shocking when reviewing promotion lists.
5. **Russiagate and Other Controversies**: Kiriakou has linked Brennan to the “Russiagate hoax,” alleging he fraudulently targeted President Trump. He also connected Brennan to uninvestigated incidents, such as approving visas for 9/11 hijackers while serving as CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia, suggesting a pattern of questionable decisions.
6. **Personal Vendetta**: Kiriakou believes Brennan harbored personal animosity toward him, stemming from Kiriakou’s 2007 ABC interview exposing the CIA’s waterboarding practices. Kiriakou claims Brennan tried to have him “executed” for embarrassing the CIA, contributing to his prosecution under the Espionage Act, which led to a 30-month prison sentence for disclosing an undercover agent’s identity.