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SpyCast

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Dec 10, 2024 • 1h 4min

“An Imperial History of the CIA” – with Hugh Wilford

SummaryHugh Wilford joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book. Hugh is a professor, author, and leading CIA historian. What You’ll LearnIntelligence Imperial influences on American intelligence Key figures in CIA history  “Wild” Bill Donovan & British influence Groton School’s impact on CIA leaders Reflections Inherited history Challenging established narratives And much, much more … Resources SURFACE SKIM*Spotlight Resource* The CIA: An Imperial History, Hugh Wilford (Basic Books, 2024)*SpyCasts* The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence with Rory Cormac and Richard Aldrich (2024) The Past 75 Years with Historian of the CIA Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022) The 75th Anniversary of the CIA with former Director Robert Gates (2022) DEEPER DIVEBooks A Question of Standing: The History of the CIA, R. Jeffreys-Jones (Oxford University Press, 2022)  Spymasters: CIA Directors, C. Whipple (S&S, 2020) A Brief History of the CIA, R. Immerman (Wiley, 2014) Primary Sources  Sherman Kent Obituary (1986) Maj. Gen. Edward G. Lansdale to go to South Vietnam (1965)  CIA Review of the World Situation (1947) Lester to Truman re Centralized Intelligence (1947)  National Security Act (1947) Intelligence Remarks of Major General William J. Donovan (1946) *Wildcard Resource* Kim (1901) by Rudyard Kipling As Hugh mentions in this interview, this book was the inspiration behind Kermit Roosevelt Jr.’s nickname, Kim. Harold Adrian Russell Philby, the infamous member of the Cambridge Spy Ring better known as Kim Philby, took inspiration from the same source.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 3, 2024 • 59min

“The Battlefield Tour Guide” with Bob Shaw

SummaryRobert Shaw joins Andrew to discuss his experience working as an accredited Battlefield tour guide. Bob’s career in the British Army spanned over 25 years. What You’ll LearnIntelligence Becoming a battlefield tour guide IEDD and Intelligence Work in Northern Ireland Hypothetical WWIII scenarios  Special Forces, TECHINT, & the Bin Laden Raid Reflections Learning from history Interpretation and understanding And much, much more …Quotes of the Week“One of the things about being an IEDD operator, our intent of course is investigation. And part of that is asking questions, lots of them, and getting, in a sense, answers and then following off and chasing trails or rabbit holes … It's good to be able to question everything and work out why it's there and does it fit … So it does really help with battlefield touring.” – Bob Shaw.Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* Alan Turing: Codebreaker, Visionary, Enigma with Andrew Hodges (2024) The Real Ian Fleming with Nicholas Shakespeare (2024) ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: The D-Day Deception with National WWII Museum Curator Corey Graff (2023) St. Ermin’s Hotel, London – The History of a Legendary Spy Site with Stephen Duffy (2023) The IRA, The Troubles & Intelligence with Eleanor Williams and Thomas Leahy (2022) DEEPER DIVEExplore the Sites and Battlefields Discussed Thames House Vauxhall Cross Bletchley Park  Monument to SOE Agents The Old War Office Building The Admiralty Building Beaumanor Hall Battle of Arnhem / Operation Market Garden  The Khyber Pass  The Falklands Conflict   Abbottabad Raid / Operation Neptune Spear  Battle of Stalingrad  *Wildcard Resource* The Battle of Gettysburg is perhaps one of the most well-known and most visited battlefields in the United States.  Take a virtual tour of this historic American site here – Tour guidance by Bob not included.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 26, 2024 • 1h 2min

“Two Decades at the International Spy Museum” – with Anna Slafer

SummaryAnna Slafer (LinkedIn, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the history of the International Spy Museum. Anna was one of SPY’s first employees when the museum opened in 2002. What You’ll LearnIntelligence Building the International Spy Museum Milton Maltz: the visionary behind SPY  The role of historians and curators  Creating exhibits on espionage  Reflections Institutional memory and evolution The challenges and joys of storytelling  And much, much more …Quotes of the Week“We structured the museum so people could understand: How does [spying] work? Who does it? What is my role? And we wanted to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.” – Anna Slafer. Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* The World’s Preeminent Collection of SPY Artifacts with Laura Hicken and Lauren VonBechmann (2024) Secrets Revealed – Curators Alexis and Andrew on SPY’s Pop-Up Exhibit (2023) Peter Earnest Memorial: Spook, CIA Spokesman, Spy Museum Director (2022) *Beginner Resources* A look at the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C., FOX 5 Washington DC, YouTube (2023) [5 min. video] About the Collection, International Spy Museum (n.d.) [Short article] About Museums, American Alliance of Museums (n.d.) [Short Q&A] DEEPER DIVEArticles Cracking the Spy Museum Code to Revitalize Stale Learning, J. A. Manning, Medium (2023) A Reimagined Spy Museum in Washington Doesn’t Flinch From the Darker Side, S. Shane, The New York Times (2019) From For-Profit to Nonprofit: Evolution of the International Spy Museum, E. Merritt, American Alliance of Museums (2019) Spy Museum salutes '50 years of Bond Villains,' T. Wells, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2012) Role of museums in managing design education: a case study, H. Lee, International Journal of Education Through Art (2009) Museum visitors hit the D.C. streets in spy game, B. Zongker, Seattle Times (2009) *Wildcard Resource* Museums have been a critical element of community building and historical memory for centuries.  One of the world’s first curators was a woman named Ennigaldi-Nanna from modern day Iraq. Dating from 530 B.C., Ennigaldi-Nanna’s museum of Mesopotamian artifacts is thought to be the world’s oldest museum.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 19, 2024 • 1h 6min

Leadership & The United States Pacific Command with Ret. Lieutenant General Anthony Crutchfield

SummaryLieutenant General Anthony Crutchfield (Ret.) (LinkedIn, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his time as the Deputy Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command. PACOM covers 52% of the globe. What You’ll LearnIntelligence The role of intelligence in military operations Ethical dilemmas in command decisions Reflections on the impact of mentorship and outreach  The importance of remaining aware in today's pervasive world Reflections The challenges of leadership Hard work, determination, and resilience And much, much more …Quotes of the Week“I worked hard at everything I did. If somebody asked me to do a job, I didn’t say, ‘That’s not my job,’ I didn’t complain. There were places that I was sent that I didn’t want to go, but I went – And I didn’t complain about it…I did the best that I could and it was recognized.” – Anthony Crutchfield.Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* Leading United States Central Command with General Frank McKenzie (2024) CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman with Leon Panetta (2024) David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence with the former CIA Director & 4* General (2023) Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy with Michael Vickers (2023) DEEPER DIVEBooks The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century, K. F. McKenzie (Naval Institute Press, 2024) Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine, D. Petraeus & A. Roberts (Harper, 2023)  Strategy in Crisis: The Pacific War, J. T. Kuehn (Naval Institute Press, 2023)  Fire on the Water: China, America, and the Future of the Pacific, R. J. Haddick (Naval Institute Press, 2014) Primary Sources  U.S. Defense Infrastructure in the IndoPacific: Background and Issues for Congress (2023) Pacific Partnership Strategy (2022) Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States (2022) *Wildcard Resource*PACOM is, by far, the largest geographical combatant command. The smallest, on the other hand, is the U.S. Central Command. Listen to our interview with General Frank McKenzie, 14th commander of CENTCOM, here!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 12, 2024 • 1h 2min

“Applying Intelligence to Business Strategy” with Jonathan B. Smith

SummaryJonathan B. Smith (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the application of intelligence to entrepreneurship. Jonathan is an entrepreneur, author, and business strategist.What You’ll LearnIntelligence Building high-performance teams Case officers vs. entrepreneurs  Networking and overcoming operational challenges Curiosity as a key trait for success Reflections The will to succeed  The power of listening and empathy And much, much more …Quotes of the Week“I often switch languages …I'll speak from a medical CEO's perspective versus a financial services CEO perspective. And people, when you use their language, they tend to lean in. They're like, “Oh, you understand me.” It's fascinating – People don't want to know how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Jonathan B. Smith.Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* The Cyber Behavioral Profiler with Cameron Malin (2024)  The FBI Hostage Negotiator with Chris Voss (2024)  Spying and Start-Ups with former Assistant Director of the CIA John Mullen (2022) From the CIA to Strategic Cyber with Hans Holmer (2022) *Beginner Resources* What Do Entrepreneurs Actually Do? Foundation for Economic Education, YouTube (2019) [3 min. video] What is EOS? Entrepreneurial Operating System (n.d.) [Fact sheet] Case Officer, Central Intelligence Agency (n.d.) [Job description] DEEPER DIVEBooks Sell Like A Spy: The Art of Persuasion from the World of Espionage, J. Hurewitz (Diversion Books, 2024) Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, C. Voss & T. Raz (Harper Business, 2016) Optimize for Growth: How to Scale Up Your Business, Your Network and You, J. B. Smith (Chief Optimizer, 2015) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 5, 2024 • 1h 10min

“The Skinny on Cuban Intelligence” – with Counterintelligence expert Ean Forsythe

SummaryEan Forsythe joins Andrew to discuss the history of Cuban intelligence. Ean is the Counterintelligence and Security Center Chair at the National Intelligence University. What You’ll LearnIntelligence The history and evolution of Cuban intelligence Case studies, including Ana Montes, Kendall Meyers, and the Cuban Five Counterintelligence strategies and challenges The role of Cuban intelligence during the Cold War Reflections Ideology and the power of ideas Offensive vs. defensive play  And much, much more …Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* Code Name Blue Wren: Cuban Spy Ana Montes with Jim Popkin (2023) The Counterintelligence Chief with FBI Assistant Director Alan Kohler (2023) Dealing with Russia – A Conversation with Counterintelligence Legend Jim Olson (2022) DEEPER DIVEBooks Code Name Blue Wren: The True Story of America's Most Dangerous Female Spy—and the Sister She Betrayed, J. Popkin (Hanover, 2023) To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence, J. M. Olson (Georgetown University Press, 2021) United States-Cuban Relations: A Critical History, E. M. Dominguez (Lexington, 2008) Primary Sources  Report on the Convictions and Disproportionate Sentences Imposed on the Cuban Five (2014) USA: The Case of the Cuban Five (2010) Inspector General Review of Ana Montes Investigation (2005) US vs. Marta Rita Velazquez (2004) Ana Montes Statement During Trial (2001) FBI Arrests DIA Employee (2001) Selection and Training of Cuban Intelligence Agents Abroad (1964) Cuban Intelligence Information Report (1964) *Wildcard Resource*Watch Erin bake Ana Montes’ famous cheesecake recipe and dive deeper into Ana’s story in SPY's Declassified Desserts video!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Oct 29, 2024 • 1h 7min

Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People with Eliot Higgins

SummaryEliot Higgins (X; Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the work of Bellingcat. Eliot founded the open-source investigative website in 2014. What You’ll LearnIntelligence Bellingcat’s approach to “investigative journalism”   The rise of OSINT as a tool of journalism   Bellingcat’s relationship with intelligence agencies  Case studies from Bellingcat’s past, including the Skripal Case and the MH17 flight investigation Reflections Leading by example Accessibility and accountability And much, much more …Quotes of the Week“When I first started doing this work ... I would present geolocation and stuff on stage. The reaction was like I was doing magic tricks, but my point was that. This isn't magic – This is something that you can do and recreate and understand.” - Eliot Higgins.Resources SURFACE SKIM*SpyCasts* Digital Innovation and the Next Frontier of Intelligence with Jennifer Ewbank (2024) The Future of OSINT and the Intelligence Community with Jason Barrett (2024)  U.S. Army Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) with Dennis Eger & Shawn Nilius (2024) Ukraine & Intelligence: One Year On with Shane Harris (2023) DEEPER DIVEBooks OSINT Techniques: Resources for Uncovering Online Information, M. Bazzell (2023)  Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, R. L. Baker (Wiley, 2023) We Are Bellingcat: The Online Sleuths Solving Global Crimes, E. Higgins (Bloomsbury, 2022) Primary Sources  Map of Civilian Harm in Ukraine (2024) Death of Sinwar Report (2024) The IC OSINT Strategy 2024-2026 (2024) DoS Open Source Intelligence Strategy (2024) MH17 Investigation (2019) Skripal Report (2018)  *Wildcard Resource* The fable of Belling the Cat The inspiration behind Bellingcat’s name, the moral of this story is simple – It’s one thing to suggest a solution or idea, but it’s a whole other beast to actually take action.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Oct 22, 2024 • 1h 9min

The Cyber Behavioral Profiler with Cameron Malin

Cameron Malin, founder of the FBI’s Cyber Behavioral Analysis Center, delves into the intriguing world of cyber and behavioral profiling. He discusses the historical roots of profiling and its vital role in counterintelligence efforts. Malin explores the interplay of nature versus nurture in criminal behavior, and how dark psychological traits like psychopathy inform these processes. The conversation further uncovers the emerging threats of deception in the digital age, including AI's impact on disinformation, showcasing the need for holistic cybersecurity approaches.
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7 snips
Oct 15, 2024 • 1h 12min

The FBI Hostage Negotiator - with Chris Voss

Chris Voss, the former FBI lead international hostage negotiator and author of "Never Split the Difference," dives into the art of negotiation. He shares insights on tactical empathy, emphasizing the importance of understanding human nature. Voss recounts gripping case studies from his career, illustrating the dynamics of high-stakes negotiations. He also discusses the power of rapport in both negotiation and interrogation, advocating for ethical approaches that foster genuine connections. His anecdotes reveal how adaptability and emotional intelligence can lead to successful outcomes.
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Oct 8, 2024 • 58min

The U.S. House Intelligence Committee - with Ranking Member Congressman Jim Himes

Jim Himes, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's 4th district and ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, dives into the world of U.S. intelligence. He shares personal reflections on 9/11 and its profound impact on intelligence practices. Himes emphasizes the necessity of bipartisan collaboration and transparency for national security. The conversation touches on the challenges of oversight, the evolving role of Congress, and the vital lessons learned from past intelligence failures—all while maintaining a balance between accountability and secrecy.

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