The Burn Bag Podcast

In our very first snap podcast, A'ndre and Ryan are joined by special guests Tyler Breeden and Theodore Tymowski. They begin by providing an update on the current situation and a brief overview.  The conversation then delves into why Russia is so fixated on Ukraine, what the force posture looks like, and if an invasion is imminent. The group outlines individual  projections on if and how an i...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan sit down with former CIA Analyst David McCloskey to talk about his new spy thriller novel, Damascus Station . Set in the backdrop of the early years of the Syrian Civil War, Damascus Station depicts the conflict through the eyes of CIA Case Officer Sam Joseph and Syrian Palace Official Mariam Haddad. Sam recruits Mariam for CIA, but the two fall in...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan provide an update on the Russia/Ukraine crisis, predict Boris Johnson's fate, and dig into the CIA's interim Havana Syndrome report. They also discuss the tragic volcano eruption in Tonga, North Korea's renewed antics, and the likely designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization. 

In this week's episode, we speak with Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer about 2022's top political risks, in a conversation based off the Eurasia Group's latest annual report . Ian starts off with why he believes fatal flaws in China's 'Zero-COVID' policy are the #1 risk, as Xi Jinping will find it next to impossible to reverse course and global economic disruptions...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about the political implications of two crises in the UK. Boris Johnson is in hot water for throwing a party amidst strict public health orders and Prince Andrew has been stripped of his Royal titles as the sex abuse case against him continues in the US. They also discuss recent developments (or lack thereof) in US-Russia talks over Ukraine an...

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk to Javed Ali about the counterterrorism landscape for 2022. Javed, who spent his career in a variety of US government agencies working on counterterrorism, outlines the differences between domestic and international terrorism, and the difficulty of legislating the former. Javed served as Senior Director of Counterterrorism on the National Security Council...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss the January 6 insurrection on the one-year anniversary. They also talk about the Kazakh government calling in foreign military assistance, China's COVID lockdown, and Australian restrictions that are impacting the Australian Open. 

What a year 2021 has been both for the world and the Burn Bag Podcast! We're re-upping one of our favorite episodes to usher in 2022.  Check out A'ndre and Ryan's conversation with former SECDEF Leon Panetta from June.  "In this special episode of The Burn Bag Podcast, we speak to former U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (2011-2013) about a range of national security &apos...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk to Steven Pifer, former US Amb. to Ukraine and a career foreign service officer. Steve begins by contextualizing the current Russian esclaation, providing a brief history of Ukraine. He highlights the centrality of Kyiv to Russia's identity and what the Ukraine-Russia relationship has looked like over time. The conversation then turns to...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about Russian demands for security guarantees and Putin's politicization of Orthodoxy. They also discuss Chinese arms cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Israel-US talks about Iran, and Trump's Bibi betrayal. 

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak with John Sipher, who served in the CIA's Clandestine Service for over 28 years (retiring in 2014) and did multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station. John discusses the myth and realities of what the Chief of Station role is actually like, and why it's not as secretive as one would anticipate. We spend...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about Russian demands for NATO security assurances and Boris Johnson's political challenges. They also discuss issues such as the Democrat Party's communications failures and unpaid internships in DC. 

In this episode,  A'ndre and Ryan are joined by former CIA Senior Operations Officer Douglas London. Doug, who spent much of his career recruiting  assets abroad, discusses the nature of the job and its difficulties. He then describes the CIA's transition from a primarily foreign intelligence-gathering service to counterterrorism operations after 9/11, in addition to the politicization o...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden's democracy summit, and increasing diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Olympics. They also discuss nuclear negotiations with Iran and are joined by Ronald Marks, former CIA official and Congressional staffer, who discusses his personal and work relationships with the late Bob Dole. 

This week, A'ndre and Ryan speak with Russ Travers, former Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to President Biden, about the Afghanistan withdrawal, the Special Immigrant Visa program, and future counterterrorism challenges. Russ, who also served as Acting Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, provides his take on the nature of the terror threat today, and how we have to think throug...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss the Omicron COVID variant and Germany's  restrictions,  INTERPOL's new head, and situation in Belarus. They also talk about an op-ed written by the Russian and Chinese Ambassadors to the US, China's political repressions,  and Representative Boebert's comments about Representative Omar. BBC interview with Bealrus's...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak with Michèle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the Obama Administration, on U.S.-China strategic competition, the Taiwan question, and enhancing defense capabilities without a budget increase.  We get Michèle's take on the state of the Biden Administration's defense policy, asking her whether the Afghanis...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss the Biden Administration's Summit of Democracy,   German Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz and what changes may be afoot, and the tapping of strategic oil reserves. They also talk about the increasing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine's and the civil conflict in Ethiopia.

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak to retired Four Star General Stanley McChrystal about his new book Risk: A User's Guide , applying the principles of risk management to the War in Afghanistan -- a situation the General is very familiar with. We ask General McChrystal to discuss what he defines as the 'Risk Immune System', and to explain the 'Risk Control...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss the Biden-Xi meeting, the construction of China's secret port in the UAE, and Indian President Modi's decision to repeal the farm laws. They also talk about the " migrant crisis" at the Poland-Belarus and a recently uncovered  U.S. strike in Syria.  

This week, A'ndre and Ryan speak with Farah Pandith, the first-ever Special Representative to Muslim Communities for the State Department, on countering violent extremism. Farah, who has served under three U.S. Presidents, discusses her engagement with Muslim communities around the world during her time at both the National Security Council and the State Department. She emphasizes the importa...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about Russian troop movements on the Ukraine border, the civil conflict in Ethiopia, and the assassination attempt against the Iraqi PM. They also discuss COVID waves, COP26, and Xi Jinping's cementing of power. 

This week, A'ndre and Ryan speak with former CIA Director General (Ret.) David Petraeus about his thoughts on the Fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, as the retired general reflects on the mistakes made during the withdrawal and throughout the broader 20 year war. General Petraeus, who famously served as Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, outlines why Afghanistan is and will become a &a...

In this week's episode, we interview Gina Bennett, a senior intelligence analyst who has spent her career focusing on counterterrorism with the CIA's Senior Analytic Service, and is most well known for authoring the 1993 report that warned about the growing danger of Osama bin Laden and his jihadi movement. Gina discusses the warning signs she saw in her analysis that pointed to the grow...

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss China's testing of hypersonic missiles, IC officials testifying on the Hill, and India's acquisition of a Russian missile. defense system. They also talk about the coup in Sudan, President Erdogan's threats to foreign diplomats, and Russia's struggle to manage COVID.