Want to relive some Bush administration history the day after Election Day? On November 5th at 8 p.m., former CIA counterterrorism leader and current vice-chair of Blackwater USA Cofer Black will be speaking at an event organized by the Columbia University International Relations Forum.

Black became head of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center in 1999, and remained there over the next three years. He is particularly well-known/controversial for his advocacy, both before and after the September 11th attacks, of tough treatment of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. He has often been accused of being one of the main supporters of the more controversial “War on Terror” initiatives, includng the secret rendition and waterboarding programs. 

Since leaving the government in 2004, Black has been the vice-chairman of Blackwater USA. He also was Mitt Romney’s counter-terrorism advisor during the former governor’s presidential campaign.