SpyTalk

Fat Leonard was “a maritime fixer who provided harbor protection, barges, cranes, food, fresh water, sewage collection, and anything else a nuclear powered aircraft carrier might need.” It’s absolutely astonishing how easily Leonard corrupted so many ranking Navy officers by providing them with prostitutes, booze, cash and airline tickets.Craig Whitlockhttps://twitter.com/CraigMWhitlockFat LeonardHow One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navyhttps://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Craig-Whitlock/162473096 Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow Karen Greenberg on Twitterhttps://x.com/KarenGreenberg3Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback.http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Exploring the delicate balance of cooperation and espionage in US-Israel intelligence ties. Unraveling key incidents like the Pollard affair and Snowden's revelations. Discussing Israel's electronic surveillance capabilities and intelligence dynamics on Hamas. Highlighting the friendly relationship tempered with cautious trust in espionage operations.

Jason Leopold, a fearless journalist, dives deep into uncovering government secrets using the Freedom of Information Act, revealing explosive documents on Clinton's email server, Trump's mishandling of classified info, and a threatening call implicating Trump. Despite challenges, Leopold persists in his pursuit of transparency, facing legal battles and conspiracy theories to shed light on hidden truths.

Discussing recent terrorist attacks and US intelligence warnings to Russia and Iran, former CIA case officer Laura Thomas sheds light on the 'duty to warn' practice in American intelligence. Exploring the ethics, strategic benefits, and reciprocity in alerting adversaries about impending threats, the podcast delves into the complexities and implications of espionage operations.

Mike Isikoff critiques 60 Minutes' coverage of Havana Syndrome, highlighting CIA's findings. Discussions include the mystery weapon possibly linked to Russia, conflicting reports, skepticism, and lack of structural brain damage in affected individuals. The podcast delves into the CIA's credibility, plans for a speaking engagement, and ends with production credits.

The podcast delves into the historical and modern use of honey traps in espionage, including how East German 'Romeo spies' targeted Western establishments. It also explores real-life cases of individuals falling victim to carefully orchestrated traps by foreign intelligence agencies and the enduring allure and dangers of honey traps in espionage.

Former CIA chief of disguises Jonna Mendez shares insights on the CIA's use of disguises in espionage operations, including transforming identities, the art of disguise, securing international mail communications, adapting intelligence services for biometric border challenges, and breaking barriers for women in the CIA. She also reflects on her career and recommends her book, 'In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked.'

Exploring the impact of Alexei Navalny's death in a Russian prison camp, Russian defectors to the U.S., speculations on Russia's future leadership, complexities of Russian intelligence operations, and bidding farewell with instructions for engagement.

Exploring a bizarre conspiracy theory about Taylor Swift and psychological warfare. Discussing right-wing extremism, narrative strategy, and the role of right-wing media in spreading conspiracy theories. Examining the effectiveness of leaflets and reaching out to oppose extremism. Highlighting the importance of purple states in tipping the balance for democracy. Addressing the need for DHS to inform the public about domestic extremist threats and shortcomings of the National Security Committee in combating extremism.

Former CIA officials discuss the establishment and goals of a red cell project focused on analyzing the rise of China. They explore the origins and purpose of the red cell program, its benefits for strategic thinking, and the challenges faced by high-level officials in decision-making. The importance of US-China relations and the reminder of impermanence are also highlighted.