SpyCast

Summary Avi Loeb (Harvard Biography, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in outer space. He is a Professor in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The Galileo Project & its goals The Intelligence Community and Outer Space Government positions on the existence of extraterrestrial life Connections between intelligence and astrop...

Summary Angie Gad (LinkedIn, Website) joined Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss her career in intelligence analysis. Angie is a first-generation Egyptian-American.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The role of state fusion centers to national intelligence How counterterrorism analysis evolved after 9/11 The connections between ISIS and Far Right Extremists The mental health implications of counterterro...

Summary Mark Stout (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book, World War I and the Foundations of American Intelligence. Mark Stout is a former intelligence analyst and former SPY Historian.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The first American intelligence “agencies” Codebreaking during WWI The American Protective League and spy paranoia  WWI’s effect on American culture and po...

Summary Andrew Hampton joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in New Zealand. Andrew is the Director General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The New Zealand Intelligence Community How geography effects national security The lasting impact of the Christchurch Mosque attacks New Zealand’s relationship with China Reflections The power of c...

Summary David Oranchak (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his work helping to solve the 340 Zodiac cipher. Dave is a software developer and avid puzzle solver.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The difference between codes and ciphers The cryptological methods used by the Zodiac killer  The history of cryptography and its importance to intelligence How Dave and his team cracked the...

Summary Mark Edlitz (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss how James Bond lived on in literature after the death of Ian Fleming. Mark is an author and pop culture expert.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The original Fleming novels Intellectual property and author’s rights to iconic characters The evolution of Bond as a literary character  The relationship between the Bond books and th...

Summary Mark Zaid (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss American intelligence and the law. You’ve heard of a “lawyer to the stars,” Mark is the “lawyer to the spies” What You’ll Learn Intelligence The quirks of being a lawyer in this space How the Espionage Act works in practice  The trial of the Rosenbergs The origins of FOIA and its purpose The Legal foundations underpinning espion...

Summary Dr. Sara Castro (LinkedIn, Bio) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the history of US-China diplomacy. Sara is an Associate Professor of History at the United States Air Force Academy.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The Dixie Mission  The history of US-China relations dating back to the Opium Wars China’s involvement with the OSS during WWII How Mao Zedong & Chiang Kai-shek built modern...

Summary Mike VanBlaricum (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his journey as a James Bond fanatic and collector. Mike is the President of the Ian Fleming Foundation. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How Mike became an obsessive James Bond collector with 10,000 artifacts Mike’s favorite Bond cars, movies, and books How From Russia with Love was one of John F Kennedy’s favorite books Mi...

Summary Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How psychology can be useful to national security Historical examples of leadership analysis  Leadership personality assessm...

Summary Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How psychology can be useful to national security Historical examples of leadership analysis  Leadership personality assessm...

Summary Leon Panetta (Panetta Institute) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his lifetime of American public service. Secretary Panetta was the 2023 recipient of SPY’s William H. Webster Award.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Directing the Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence & the Abbottabad Raid Working within the Clinton Administration  A life’s dedication to the safety of the American pu...

Summary Rory Cormac (X) and Richard Aldrich join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and the British Monarchy. The links between the royals and espionage prove the Crown to be far more than just a figurehead.   What You’ll Learn Intelligence Prince William’s internship with British Intelligence How Elizabeth II knew perhaps more secrets that anyone else in history King Charles' love of in...

Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond  Ian Fleming’s intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop cu...

Summary John Blaxland (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in Australia and Oceania. John is a widely recognized as a leading expert in this area.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence -Australia’s Intelligence Community  -SIGINT in Australia during WWII  -Australia’s relationship with South Asia -The Pine Gap facility  Reflections -The implications of geography -...

Summary James Crossland (Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the origins of modern terrorism. James is an expert on terrorism, intelligence, and propaganda. What You’ll Learn Intelligence -The origins of modern terrorism  -19th century spymasters  -Covert action and assassinations -Intelligence as a weapon Reflections -Philosophy and ideology’s effect on history -The power of fear...

Summary   Eric Escobar (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss compromising networks and information security. He has a coveted DEFCON Black Badge.    What You’ll Learn  Intelligence  -What keeps Eric up at night   -Thinking like an ethical hacker (aka a “penetration tester)  -Protecting your information (i.e., “Hardening the attack surface”)  -Plain English explanations of...

Summary Alan Kohler joins Andrew to discuss the FBI’s counterintelligence division. He is a recipient of the FBI Director’s Award for Outstanding Counterintelligence Investigation.  ***FULL SHOWNOTES AVAILABLE HERE*** What You’ll Learn Intelligence -Counterintelligence vs. Counterespionage -How the FBI recruit’s foreign agents  -Ideological motivations behind spying -Effect of technology on counte...

Summary Shane Harris (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the role of intelligence in the Ukraine conflict one year after it began. Shane reports on intelligence for the Washington Post and is the author of two books. What You’ll Learn Intelligence  -Where we are with the war in Ukraine -The role intelligence agencies are playing in the conflict -The leadership of Zelens...

Summary Bonny Lin (Biography) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the current state of China and intelligence. Bonny is the Director of the ChinaPower Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence -China’s economic power and status  -The current landscape of Chinese intelligence  -China’s relationship with Taiwan -The ChinaPower Project Refl...

Summary Barry Zulauf (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his extensive experience working across the American intelligence community. Barry is the President of the International Association for Intelligence Education.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence What is the “Intelligence Community?” The organizational structure of American intelligence The establishment of the ODNI...

Summary Robert Wittman (Website; Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his career and the FBI’s Art Crime Team. Bob recovered over $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property over the course of his career.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How the FBI’s Art Crime Team (ACT) was formed The intelligence angle when investigating provenance Living and working undercover abroad...

Summary Dina Rezk (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Egyptian intelligence. Dina is an Associate Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of Reading.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Egyptian leadership & intelligence The intelligence landscape of Egypt Egypt’s relationship with neighboring countries Ashraf Marwan’s story from the Egyptian perspective Reflect...

Summary Rear Admiral Tim Woods (Biography) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his role as Britain’s Defence Attaché to the United States. Tim previously served as the British Defence Attaché in Kyiv, Ukraine.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence What does a Defense Attaché do How intelligence impacts military strategy Admiral Woods’ experience of the 2021 Russian invasion of Ukraine What it’s...

Summary Laura Tohe (Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the stories of the WWII Navajo Code Talkers. Laura is a Diné author and the Poet Laureate of the Navajo Nation.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How the Code Talking units were formed How the Navajo people used their language as a weapon Laura’s father, Benson Tohe’s story Did the Japanese ever break the code?  Reflections The...