"his connections and the people at the CIA wouldn't be able to BS him like they did Tenent."
Exactly.
He is very knowledgeable, the only problem is that most of what he knows he can't say. But seriously, he may well be on some assignment helping us. As you point out, he has a lot of connection in the region of interest.
And much of what he says he doesn't know. I have been watching him for two years and have yet to see him make a correct prediction. Has he made any, because I'd certainly like to know what it is. He always comes on the air breathless as if he just got some huge scoop handed to him and then nothing every comes of it.