SpyCast

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...

Summary Andrew leads a SPY Museum panel discussion between four experts on the most damaging mole in FBI history, Robert Hanssen. This program was in collaboration with CBS/Paramount on their new podcast “Agent of Betrayal" What You’ll Learn Intelligence The story of Robert Hanssen How his colleagues reacted to his betrayal A psychological analysis of Hanssen  How the Hanssen case has impacted the...

Summary Col. (Ret.) Shlomo Mofaz (LinkedIn) and Col (Ret.) Zohar Palti (Wikipedia) join Andrew to discuss their respective careers in the Israeli Defense Forces and the Mossad.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Israel’s relationships with neighboring countries  The role of intelligence within the Intifadas  Israel and the Lebanon War Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups that pose threats to Israeli se...

Summary Lt. Col. (ret.) Aviram Halevi (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Israel’s top secret commando unit, Sayeret Matkal. Aviram formerly served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Sayeret Matkal.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The origins of Sayeret Matkal Collaboration across Israeli intelligence  Operation Spring of Youth & the Entebbe Raid Intelligence & hostage retrieval Re...

Welcome to a very special bonus episode of SpyCast, coming to you directly from the stage of the International Spy Museum. Last month, we hosted a live panel discussion in collaboration with our friends at Goat Rodeo who produced the new podcast, Spy Valley: An Engineer’s Nuclear Betrayal, a series by Project Brazen and PRX.  The riveting series tells the true story of James Harper, a Silicon Vall...

Summary Uri Bar-Joseph (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the intelligence failure of the Yom Kippur War. Uri is an author and professor emeritus at Haifa University.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How Israel failed to predict the Yom Kippur War Egyptian spy Ashraf Marwan’s role in the War How Israeli intelligence evolved post-War Israeli leadership’s accountability for the fa...

Summary Uzi Arad (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and policy at the highest level. Uzi was also a former foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Director of Intelligence for the Mossad.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence National security in Israel Israel’s position within the Middle East  State leaders as consumers of intelligence Uzi’s rel...

Summary Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez David Maisel (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to provide a crash-course in Israeli Intelligence history. Erez is a researcher and former head of the IDF’s International Cooperation Division.  *FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE* What You’ll Learn Intelligence Early history of intelligence in Israel The origins of Israeli intelligence organizati...

Summary Letitia “Tish” Long (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss her time as the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Tish was the first woman to be appointed director of an American intelligence agency.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence GEOINT & its importance Tish’s recollection of the Bin Laden raid The differences between NGO and NGA Information sharing betw...

Summary Vappala Balachandran (Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his career and the ancient roots of espionage in India. Bala formerly served as Special Secretary for India’s Cabinet Secretariat.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence India’s Research and Analysis Wing The Tamil Tigers’ threat to Indian national security Intelligence considerations within India-Pakistan relations Less...

Summary Michael McElgunn (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in the Republic of Ireland. Michael is the Assistant Commissioner of An Garda Síochána’s Crime and Security Intelligence Service.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The history of An Garda Síochána The intelligence components of the Garda The present state of Northern Ireland relations Current threats to Iris...

Summary Brigadier General (Ret.) Wilson Boinett joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Kenyan intelligence. Wilson is the former Director of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The effect of colonialism on intelligence The organization of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service Wilson’s role in adapting and reforming Kenyan intelligence  The Nairobi bombings a...

Summary David Petraeus (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter, LinkedIn) to discuss his strategic analysis of the war in Ukraine. General Petraeus is a former Director of the CIA. What You’ll Learn Intelligence General Petraeus’ appraisal of the situation in Ukraine What victory would look like for each side What role intelligence is playing in the War General Petraeus’ time as Director of the CIA  Refl...

Summary Bill Britton (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) in a discussion about cybersecurity and cyber awareness. Bill is the Director of the California Cybersecurity Institute and CIO at Cal Poly.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How to better protect your online information Why cybersecurity is more important now than ever How Cal Poly is addressing cybersecurity challenges The state of c...

Summary Keith Michaels (LinkedIn) and James Lockhart (LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss intelligence in an unlikely place: Casinos! James and Keith have collectively over 30 years of experience within Las Vegas gaming surveillance.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How casinos conduct surveillance Collaboration between casinos and intelligence organizations  The mob origins of Las Vegas Nation-state...