Secrets and Spies Podcast: Current Affairs | Geopolitics | Intelligence

NEED TO KNOW: Russian Bounties with Frank Snepp A few weeks ago, a story broke in the New York Times, claiming it had been discovered that the Russian government had been paying bounties to the Taliban to target and kill US and Allied forces in Afghanistan. There has been an understandable shock and condemnation in the US and in the UK when the story first broke. President Trump’s reaction to the story has been to claim ignorance to the whole thing and claim that he was never briefed by US intelligence officials about any of this. On today’s “Need to Know” podcast we are joined by former CIA officer and Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist Frank Snepp and we discuss the Russian bounties story. You can find out more about Frank and his books “Decent Interval” and “Irreparable Harm” on Frank’s website: franksnepp.com/ Frank’s journalism and other writings can be viewed on his blog: franksneppexclusives.com/ Music On this episode: Music is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Become a Patreon Subscriber Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
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The Dry Cleanercast will be rebooted as "Secrets & Spies" in the Autumn. A new show called "Espresso Martini" will join our regular interview show and "Need to Know". Watch this space Please support this podcast Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a monthwww.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one-off tip at PayPal www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here:www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER twitter.com/DryCleanerCast FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/drycleanercast/

CIA in Vietnam with Frank Snepp On today’s podcast we are joined by Frank Snepp. Frank served with the CIA during the Vietnam war. He was the chief analyst of North Vietnamese strategy. He was there at the fall of Saigon and today we discuss his experiences during the Vietnam war and the intelligence failures that contributed to the US and South Vietnamese loss of the war. Frank published the book “Decent Interval” as an after-action report about the intelligence failures he witnessed in Vietnam. He hoped the book would galvanise the CIA into mounting rescue efforts for the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese allies left behind. Sadly nothing happened and Frank was instead sued by the US government for publishing his book. After the CIA Frank went on to become an investigative journalist and he won a Peabody Award for his work. You can find out more about Frank and his books “Decent Interval” and “Irreparable Harm” from Frank’s website: https://franksnepp.com/ Frank’s journalism and other writings can be viewed on his blog: http://franksneppexclusives.com/ This is our longest interviews and possibly one of the most fascinating. So pour yourself your favourite drink, sit back and join me on a trip back in time to 1960s Vietnam. Music On this episode: Music is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Become a Patreon Subscriber Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast One off payments If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
 And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
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“In the dark of war” On this month’s podcast, we are joined by former CIA officer Sarah M. Carlson. Sarah was deployed to Libya in 2013. A year into her deployment the situation in Libya deteriorated and it was decided to evacuate the US mission in Tripoli. Sarah played a key role in leading over 150 staff from the US mission to safety. After a legal dispute with the CIA, she is now able to tell her story publicly. We discuss her book “In the dark of war” which looks at her time in Libya. You can find out more about Sarah here: http://www.sarahmcarlson.com/ And you can get her book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/In-the-Dark-of-War/Sarah-M-Carlson/9781642934717 Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER 
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Why Spies Spy On this month’s podcast, we are joined by author and journalist Michael Smith. We discuss his book “Anatomy of a Spy” which takes a look at why spies spy. You can find out more about Michael and his books here: https://www.michaelsmithauthor.com/ All of Michael’s books and “Anatomy of a spy” are available at Amazon and all other book sellers. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Smith/e/B001H6O0OS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
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WELCOME TO NEED TO KNOW On this month’s podcast, we are joined by Dan Kaszeta. Dan is Security/CBRN specialist and a US Army Veteran. He is also the author of 'Toxic' which is due out on 1st July 2020 On this episode, we discuss Dan’s Washington Post article on why the Coronavirus is not a biological weapon. You can read that article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/04/26/no-coronavirus-is-not-biological-weapon/ And pre-order his book Toxic here: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/toxic/ Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm

WELCOME TO NEED TO KNOW On this month’s podcast, we are joined by author and journalist David Neiwert. We discuss the latest Conspiracy Theories inspired by the Coronavirus and look at how many of those theories have their roots in far-right ideology. We look at the economics of conspiracy theories, the dangers of conspiracy theories during a worldwide pandemic and Chris shares a few memories from his past as a conspiracy theorist. David is the author of a fantastic book called "Alt America: The Rise of the Alt-Right in the Age of Trump". You can get a copy here: amzn.to/2PKvY5p and you can listen to our earlier interview with David about his book here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/podcast/#/ep…ge-of-trump/ Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
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On this month’s podcast, we are joined by author and journalist Gordon Corera. Gordon is the BBC's Security Correspondent. We discuss his book “Russians Among Us” which takes a look at the use of sleeper spies by the Russian intelligence services.  You can find out more about Gordon and his books here: https://www.harpercollins.com/author/cr-128450/gordon-corera/ And you can see his reporting for the BBC here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/correspondents/gordoncorera You can also connect with him on Twitter here: https://www.twitter.com/gordoncorerar Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one-off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
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On this episode of “Need to Know” we are joined by author and journalist Iain Ballantyne. We take a look at how COVID-19 is effecting navies across the world and we also look at the first digital edition of Warships magazine. To get a copy of Warships IFR go to WWW.WARSHIPSIFR.COM/ For more information about Iain check out his website here: WWW.IAINBALLANTYNE.COM Please support this podcast 
Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
twitter.com/DryCleanerCast
FACEBOOK
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On a special episode of "Need to Know" we are joined by author and intelligence historian Calder Walton. We discuss his brilliant article called “Spies Are Fighting a Shadow War Against the Coronavirus” for Foreign Policy. You can read it here: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/03/coronavirus-pandemic-intelligence-china-russia/ Calder is also the author of the fantastic book “Empire of Secrets” which is available at all resellers. You can find out more about Calder and his work at his website: www.calderwalton.com/ Please support this podcast Get early access to episodes by becoming a Patreon subscriber. Early access from $5 a month 
www.patreon.com/DryCleanerCast If you don’t wish to subscribe you can leave a one-off tip at PayPal 
www.paypal.me/drycleanercast Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Connect with us here: TWITTER
 twitter.com/DryCleanerCast
 FACEBOOK
 www.facebook.com/drycleanercast/