Director of National... Intelligence?

By James Crum

Ignorance in Action paid our TV sets a visit the other night.

Inexcusable ignorance that might get innocent people killed.

In an interview with Diane Sawyer, National Intelligence Director James Clapper was shown to be completely unaware of the recent London Terror arrests. This was a huge event where over a dozen men were arrested just that morning for plotting large scale attacks on landmarks and public areas inside the UK. Widespread death and destruction would have been the result. The best response Mr. Clapper could generate? "Oh".

There is no defense to this. The question was not vague, poorly worded, or overly broad. The events were widely publicized and took place that morning. If it was misunderstood, he should have had the common sense to ask a probing question for some clarification or greater specificity. National Security is a sphere of discourse where Mr. Clapper ought to be a subject matter expert. That is, ostensibly, why he is there on the panel. Correct?

Apparently he lacks the background, organizational skills or perhaps even the interest in doing his job. Such a terrible lack of understanding reveals yet another person in the administration who needs to stick to the shallow end of the pool and leave the deep water to the big boys.

God help us.

"Nothing is more terrible than ignorance in action"

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1834)