The Life of Deep State Spook Joseph "Cofer" Black
The Life of Deep State Spook Joseph "Cofer" Black
The first of our "Faces of Tyranny" went from the CIA Counterterrorist Center Chief to the Burisma Board. Here's how he did it.
Joseph “Cofer” Black, a former CIA officer and State Department official, played a significant role in the United States' counterterrorism efforts during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His work in the CIA's Counterterrorist Center and subsequent appointment as Ambassador-at-Large for Counterterrorism at the State Department by President George W. Bush garnered both praise and criticism. Black's later appointment to the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings capped a long career doing the "dirty work" of the US government and ultimately profiting from his influence over it.
Born in 1950 in Ridgefield Connecticut, he would go on to the University of Southern California (“USC”) in 1968 or 1969.
After completing a Bachelor of Arts and then a Master of Science in International Studies at the University of Southern California in 1975, he joined the CIA. Prior to being appointed as the Director of the Counterterrorism Center in the late 90s, Black worked his way up in the Agency working in and around many of the Agency's and America's scandals in those decades. He is believed to have been involved in the Rhodesian Bush War and involved in the Reagan Administration's efforts to arm anti-communist gorilla's in Angola, amongst other locations. As the global terrorism risk escalated leading up to 9/11, Cofer never seemed too far away from the "action."
In 1999, Black was appointed by then CIA Director George Tenet to lead the CIA's Counterterrorist Center. During his tenure, Black oversaw the agency's counterterrorism efforts in the lead-up to the 9/11 attacks. He was later criticized for not informing the FBI about the presence of two hijackers in the United States.
DOD investigator Donald Canestraro declared that his sources implicated Black and the CIA working with the Saudi government to protect the two Pentagon hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, while they stayed in America. This was done to gain access to al-Qaeda. This spectacular intelligence failure was covered up by the CIA and the FBI's top brass to save face for the intelligence community.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Black played a key role in the development of the CIA-led campaign in Afghanistan, working with the Northern Alliance to topple the Taliban government and expel Al Qaeda. Black left the CIA in 2002 and was appointed as Ambassador-at-Large for Counterterrorism at the State Department by President George W. Bush.
Black was involved in the CIA's controversial "enhanced interrogation" (torture) and rendition programs, which drew criticism from human rights organizations. Additionally, Black's later involvement with the Ukrainian oil and gas corporation Burisma led to questions about his motivations and potential conflicts of interest.
After leaving the government, Black joined the private sector, working with various companies. He joined the boards of Blackwater and its subsidiary Total Intelligence Solutions in the mid-2000's. In 2017, Black joined the board of directors of Burisma, a Ukrainian oil and gas company, to help expand the company's global presence. He worked alongside Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden's son and provided cover for Burisma.
Cofer Black's long career in the federal government, pockmarked by controversies surrounding his work at the CIA and State Department, and his later endeavors as a "board bunny" have all added depth to his long career as a deep state operative. Despite his blunders and reprehensible conduct, Black's experience and expertise in counterterrorism and international security have made him a sought-after figure in both the public and private sectors.
Below you’ll find a timeline of this “Face of Tyranny” who rose to great heights on your dime, and paid for some of his success with your loved ones lives. We will leave it to you to judge ultimately whether Joseph “Cofer” Black deserves your ire or your respect.
Happy Shaming dear friends.
