SpyTalk

Journalist James Risen discusses Sen. Frank Church's investigation of CIA misdeeds, including assassination plots, LSD mind-control experiments, and spying on Americans. The podcast explores the Church Committee hearings, the controversial MK Ultra program, the transformation of the CIA after 9/11, the Discord leak controversy, and the importance of in-depth reporting on national security and intelligence institutions.

Former CIA and DoD Chinese espionage expert, Nicholas Eftimiades, talks about China's aggressive covert campaigns against pro-democracy activists in the US. Topics include China's covert operations, previous collaboration between Zoom and the Chinese government, lack of accountability in handling unregistered Chinese agents, China's use of artificial intelligence for surveillance, and the importance of promoting American values and national security.

Retired CIA officer discusses a massive leak of highly classified Pentagon documents, exploring the impact, motivations of the leaker, and implications of Snowden's leaks on U.S. intelligence. It also raises questions about the leaker's rank and access and discusses the danger of a major conflict in Ukraine.

The podcast discusses the FBI's preparedness to prevent violence by right-wing extremists, the challenges in stopping lone wolves, and the connections between extremist groups and individuals. It explores the limitations faced by the FBI in infiltrating extremist groups and highlights the need for caution in granting the agency too much power. The chapter concludes with a mention of the guest, Ali Winston, and a reminder to check out the podcast archive and the SpyTalk column on sub stack.

David Cenciotti, founding editor of The Aviationist, discusses the collision between a Russian warplane and a US MQ-9 drone. They also explore the transfer of MiG-29s to Ukraine, the future of hypersonic aircraft, and the potential conflict between Russia and NATO.

Loch Johnson, intelligence expert and former aide to the Church Committee, discusses oversight of intel agencies, political weaponization of intel, lack of oversight in the CIA's torture program, impact of polarization on intelligence oversight, existence of the 'deep state', flawed intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and CIA satellites' role in environmental monitoring.

Investigative reporter James Bamford discusses outrageous security breaches at intelligence agencies like the FBI, CIA, and NSA, highlighting stories of stolen NSA files, the ineffectiveness of oversight committees, and Israeli spying operations. He raises concerns about media portrayal and lack of attention to counterintelligence problems, emphasizing the need for better security measures and accountability within the agencies. The podcast concludes with hints at future topics and encourages listeners to subscribe.

Former top CIA officer James Lawler discusses the manipulation practiced by agent handlers, sociopathy in the CIA, recruiting foreign spies, the potential of chromosome editing as a biological weapon, priorities in response to Russia's invasion, and disrupting weapons programs and the fentanyl threat.

The hosts debate the motives behind Republican Governor Greg Abbott's actions regarding migrants. They discuss the evolution of human smuggling, the broken asylum system, and the need for comprehensive immigration reform. The podcast also explores the distinctions between human smuggling and trafficking, as well as an interview with the former head of Customs and Border Protection.

Discussing the failure of the war on drugs, the threat posed by transnational crime organizations, and the importance of effective intelligence sharing. Exploring the role of technology and data in law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Highlighting the integration of transnational organized crime into screening processes and the use of open source intelligence. Examining the potential of AI, data analytics, and federated learning in government.