Defense official ran private spy operation

A US official identified as Michael Furlong organized a network of private contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan with the purpose of finding and killing suspected Islamic militants, The New York Times reported Monday.

This guy supposedly ran a secret spy operation that employed CIA and Special forces and supplied the military with the whereabouts of Islamic terrorists and the military didn't know anything about it? Yeah Right...

Link

Sounds to me like plausable deniability. Employ an individual who sits just outside the sphere of influences from government sources. Much like an intelligence operation similar to the run and gun of Blackwater (Xe). Interesting but not surprising in the least. Here is a couple pictures I found on Mr. Furlong. Apparently this guy is still Jack Bauer'ing it up somewhere.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0e8b69fdcd83.jpg[/atsimg]
From left: Michael D. Furlong, the official who was said to have hired private contractors to track militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan; Robert Young Pelton, a contractor; Duane Clarridge, a former C.I.A. official; and Eason Jordan, a former television news executive.


[edit on 15-3-2010 by Blood Eagle]

reply to post by Blood Eagle


I just hope they used any information gathered to get some bad guys.

Robert Young Pelton is an author and film maker of documentaries. I've read one of his books, a little sensationalized and over dramatic, but overall good.

I don't think he's a private contractor as labeled in your post.