The CIA’s zombies never die. Dewey Clarridge is still running amok two decades after Poppy pardoned him on Christmas Eve 1992. This is the guy running his own private spy network in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The private spying operation, which The New York Times disclosed last year, was tapped by a military desperate for information about its enemies and frustrated with the quality of intelligence from the C.I.A., an agency that colleagues say Mr. Clarridge now views largely with contempt. The effort was among a number of secret activities undertaken by the American government in a shadow war around the globe to combat militants and root out terrorists.

The Pentagon official who arranged a contract for Mr. Clarridge in 2009 is under investigation for allegations of violating Defense Department rules in awarding that contract. Because of the continuing inquiry, most of the dozen current and former government officials, private contractors and associates of Mr. Clarridge who were interviewed for this article would speak only on the condition of anonymity.

This is the kind of crap I warned about when Obama retained Robert Gates as his Defense Secretary. Gates has been loyal, he’s been competent, and he’s been useful, but after eight years of Bush/Cheney the Pentagon needed a fumigation. I knew articles like this would be appearing on the front-page of the New York Times because guys like Dewey Clarridge rise to the top whenever the Republicans are in charge. They’ve been thick with the Bushes probably all the way back to the JM/WAVE days. They think they have the right to change the government of any country, including our own. And they don’t necessarily wait around to get their orders.

This is the cost of not prosecuting the folks that brought us the War in Iraq, Abu Ghraib, torture, etc. On the other hand, if you takes these guys on? There is no telling what they’ll do. You know, when it comes down to it, no one has ever stopped them from doing what they want to do.

I guess it’s all about baby steps. Clarridge’s contact was cancelled and the officer who made the contract is under investigation. But obviously we still have a problem. We’ve had a problem for a long time.