An embarrassment to the CIA

By Silvio Canto, Jr.

From Rear Adm. Sidney W. Souers, who had the job for a few months in 1946, to the current CIA director, Gina Haspel, selected by President Trump, it's a long list of names that most Americans would not recognize.

In other words, we don't see the CIA director in the headlines that much, unless there is something going on like September 11. We definitively have not seen former CIA directors doing politics on partisan cable news shows.

Enter John Brennan, who just had his security clearance revoked.

In the past, these clearances have been a courtesy to former officials, who may have to be consulted at a moment's notice on an issue that they worked on.

It's a good idea, but it's a two-way street.

Brennan became another voice of the resistance, and that disqualifies him from a security clearance. It's not unreasonable for the Trump administration to believe that Brennan's nightly performances on MSNBC were irresponsible.

I agree with Jim Henson:

Some are claiming this is political retribution, but the overtly political nature of Brennan's attempts to undermine the Trump administration are a real problem. And even if he had a reason to keep his clearance, his actions and statements are grounds to cut him off.

Extending Brennan's clearance was a privilege no longer justified by any value he provides to the government. His unhinged rants against President Trump would land any serving clearance holder with a suspension and possibly even a referral for psychiatric evaluation.

These include an unfounded claim on television that President Trump is being blackmailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the Russians "may have something" on President Trump, and tweets that do not represent the communications of a stable person.