John O. Brennan

John O. Brennan
John Owen Brennan is an American government official who is the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He has served as chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; his title was Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President. His responsibilities included overseeing plans to protect the country from terrorism and respond to natural disasters, and he met with the President daily. Previously, he advised President Obama on foreign policy and intelligence issues...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPublic Servant
Date of Birth22 September 1955
CountryUnited States of America
I think the rule should be that if we're going to take actions overseas that result in the deaths of people, the United States should take responsibility for that.
Our counterterrorism tools do not exist in a vacuum. They are stronger and more sustainable when the American people understand and support them. They are weaker and less sustainable when the American people do not.
Any American who joins al Qaeda will know full well that they have joined an organization that is at war with the United States. Any American who did that should know well that they in fact are part of an enemy... and that the U.S. will do anything that is possible to destroy that enemy to save American lives.
Where terrorists offer injustice, disorder and destruction, the United States and its allies stand for freedom, fairness, equality, hope, and opportunity.
Yes, war is hell. It is awful. It involves human beings killing other human beings, sometimes innocent civilians. That is why we despise war.
We are in this business, whether it be intelligence or the government, to protect freedom, democracy and liberty, not to violate that.
We are a nation of laws, and we will always act within the bounds of the law.
Throughout my career, I had the great fortune to experience firsthand as well as to witness what it means to be a CIA officer.
The risk of just one terrorist with just one nuclear weapon is a risk we simply cannot afford to take.
The men and women of the CIA are a national treasure.
Terrorists are not 100 feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill.
Al-Qa'ida is the antithesis of the peace, tolerance and humanity that is at the heart of Islam.
We will use all lawful tools at our disposal, and that includes authorities under the renewed PATRIOT Act. We firmly believe that our intelligence gathering tools must enable us to collect the information we need to protect the American people.
While the intelligence profession oftentimes demands secrecy, it is critically important that there be a full and open discourse on intelligence matters with the appropriate elected representatives of the American people.