Thursday, January 22, 2009

Gary Berntsen and Erik Prince at the AFIO

Gary Berntsen and Erik Prince will be speaking at the February meeting of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers
Gary Berntsen, decorated former CIA career officer, spent 23 years with the Agency. He was the CIA field commander for the Jawbreaker team at Tora Bora, the subject of his 2005 book: Jawbreaker. At this event he will discuss Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and National Leadership, his recently published manual for incoming President Obama and White House staff. It includes highly specific recommendations and policy prescriptions for human intelligence and counterterrorism operations.

Erik Prince, Chairman/CEO of Blackwater Worldwide and the Prince Group. Using experience and tight controls outlined in numerous contracts with the U.S. Department of State, Blackwater’s security professionals successfully protected American diplomats in an environment where suicide bombers use cars as weapons, roadside debris conceals improvised explosive devices, and insurgents disguise themselves in law enforcement uniforms. Prince's Blackwater has trained more than 100,000 local police officers, SWAT team members, homeland security professionals, military personnel and others to prepare them to protect U.S. citizens at home and abroad. The firm was immediately called upon by scores of private merchant shipping and import firms to deal with rapidly increasing threats to vital shipping, oil tanker transports, and pleasure cruise lines from piracy in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere. Controversial, daring, self-assured, well-trained, fearless....Prince and Blackwater evoke a wide range of opinions from the public and intelligence professionals. Prince is working on a forthcoming book about Blackwater Worldwide to appear from Regnery Publishing.


That should make a very interesting meeting.

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