Former CIA Officer Calls Embassy Closings 'Panicky Move'

Former CIA intelligence officer Michael Scheuer calls the closing of U.S. embassies and consulates in 19 countries around the world due to terror threats a "panicky move."

"They're afraid of what's out there," Scheuer said Monday on "Fox & Friends."

Scheuer served as a special adviser to the chief of the CIA's bin Laden unit from 2001 to 2004, and has written extensively about Islamist terrorists and threats.

"They are encouraged just by the fact that Obama seems to be ignorant of his enemy. That encourages the enemy because they have the leg up on him," he added.

Scheuer said that after 13 years, the U.S. still doesn't "have a clue about what motivates" extremist Islamists.

"If you look at the map today compared to 2001, the size, the geographic dispersal and reach of the enemy, and because of the Arab Spring, its reinforcements to veteran fighters — this is a very, very big problem. And the president is leading us to hell by downplaying the seriousness of it," he said.