By Ivan Pereira
A Forest Hills resident, who recently returned from hunting Osama bin Laden, was named to head U.S. Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) New York Veteran’s Committee, Crain’s New York reported.
Veteran CIA operative Gary Berntsen was introduced as the committee leader by the Republican presidential nominee’s staff Wednesday at the party’s national convention in St. Paul, the paper reported. Bernsten, who spent the last 12 months as an advisor to the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, formally joined the campaign team three weeks ago.
“I think Sen. McCain’s positions on national security have been established through 40 years of service,” he told Crain’s.
The Forest Hills native had been part of the CIA for 20 years and earned the Distinguished Intelligence Medal and the Intelligence Star when he led a team of CIA agents and special forces in Afghanistan in 2001, according to the paper.
He co-wrote a book, which Crain’s reported the CIA tried to block from publication, that claims bin Laden could have been captured if the U.S. Army sent teams into Tora Bora.
“As a CIA officer who has been in the field, there’s nothing like command,” he said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
