SpyCast

Summary  Eric Escobar (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss compromising networks and information security. He has a coveted DEFCON Black Badge.  What You’ll Learn  Intelligence  What keeps Eric up at night   Thinking like an ethical hacker (aka a “penetration tester)  Protecting your information (i.e., “Hardening the attack surface”)  Plain English explanations of key cyber concepts like “Kill Chains” and “Zero Days”  Reflections  Having a cool job  The information revolution and life in the modern world  And much, much more…  Episode Notes Eric Escobar commits several thousand felonies on any given day, if he didn’t have permission to do what he was doing. A Principal Security Consultant with SecureWorks, Eric has compromised pretty much everything out there: from healthcare and banking to technology and critical infrastructure, through to amusement parks and next generation military aircraft. “From my perspective, it’s the coolest job in the entire world.” His team consecutively won first place in the Wireless CTF category at DEF CON 23, 24, and 25, snagging a Black Badge along the way. He has a BS and MS in Civil Engineering.  And… The links between computing, hacking and the 60’s counterculture are FASCINATING. Learn more by dipping your toes here and here, or dive deeper with What the Dormouse Said (2005) by John Markoff and From Counterculture to Cyberculture (2006) by Fred Turner.    Quote of the Week "Watching any critical infrastructure get compromised is really the thing that keeps me up at night because lives are in the balance…and we do a lot of testing for critical infrastructure, and I've seen computers and machines that have been online and not been taken offline, longer than I've been alive…So really interesting to see those types of things because they interact with really big, expensive hardware…there's a catch 22 that happens where you can't really take the machine offline to do maintenance on it because it's critical infrastructure. So then how do you test it to make sure that a hacker can't take it offline, or maintenance can't be done on it? " – Eric Escobar.  Resources  *Andrew’s Recommendation*  Word Notes   From beginner thru advanced, you’ll find some helpful definitions of things like “Web 3.0,” “NFT’s” and “Digital Transformation” on this Cyberwire audio glossary.  *SpyCasts*  Inside Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) – with John Lambert and Cristin Goodwin (2021)  The Cyber Zeitgeist – with Dave Bittner (2021)  Securing Cyberspace – with Charlie Mitchell (2016)  *Beginner Resources*  What is Hacking? The Economic Times (n.d.) [web]  Ethical Hacking in 8 Minutes, Simplilearn (2020) [8 min video]  Cybersecurity in 7 minutes, Simplilearn (2020) [7 min video]  Books  The Cyberweapons Arms Race, N. Perloth (Bloomsbury, 2021)  Cult of the Dead Cow, J. Menn (PublicAffairs, 2020)  Breaking & Entering, J. Smith (Mariner Books, 2019)  The Art of Invisibility, K. Mitnick (L, B & C, 2017)  Ghost in the Wires, K. Mitnick (Back Bay Books, 2012)  Kingpin, K. Poulson (Crown, 2012)  The Cuckoo’s Egg, C. Stoll (Doubleday, 1989)  Neuromancer, W. Gibson (Ace, 1984)  Articles  2022 State of the Threat: A Year in Review, Secureworks (2022)  The Anthropology of Hackers, The Atlantic (2010)  Timeline Since 2006: Significant Cyber Incidents, CSIS (n.d.)  Documentary  DEFCON, The Documentary Network (2013) Resources  Government Hacking Bibliography, S. Quinlan, New America Foundation (2016) *Wildcard Resource*  “The Aurora Shard”  Come to the International Spy Museum to see an ugly chunk of metal. Why? Well, it speaks to a revolution in the relationship between the material world and the non-material world. Broken down? 30 lines of code blew up a 27-ton generator. Zeros and ones can cause violent explosions!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summary  Eric Escobar (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss compromising networks and information security. He has a coveted DEFCON Black Badge.  What You’ll Learn  Intelligence  What keeps Eric up at night   Thinking like an ethical hacker (aka a “penetration tester)  Protecting your information (i.e., “Hardening the attack surface”)  Plain English explanations of key cyber concepts like “Kill Chains” and “Zero Days”  Reflections  Having a cool job  The information revolution and life in the modern world  And much, much more…  Episode Notes Eric Escobar commits several thousand felonies on any given day, if he didn’t have permission to do what he was doing. A Principal Security Consultant with SecureWorks, Eric has compromised pretty much everything out there: from healthcare and banking to technology and critical infrastructure, through to amusement parks and next generation military aircraft. “From my perspective, it’s the coolest job in the entire world.” His team consecutively won first place in the Wireless CTF category at DEF CON 23, 24, and 25, snagging a Black Badge along the way. He has a BS and MS in Civil Engineering.  And… The links between computing, hacking and the 60’s counterculture are FASCINATING. Learn more by dipping your toes here and here, or dive deeper with What the Dormouse Said (2005) by John Markoff and From Counterculture to Cyberculture (2006) by Fred Turner.    Quote of the Week "Watching any critical infrastructure get compromised is really the thing that keeps me up at night because lives are in the balance…and we do a lot of testing for critical infrastructure, and I've seen computers and machines that have been online and not been taken offline, longer than I've been alive…So really interesting to see those types of things because they interact with really big, expensive hardware…there's a catch 22 that happens where you can't really take the machine offline to do maintenance on it because it's critical infrastructure. So then how do you test it to make sure that a hacker can't take it offline, or maintenance can't be done on it? " – Eric Escobar.  Resources  *Andrew’s Recommendation*  Word Notes   From beginner thru advanced, you’ll find some helpful definitions of things like “Web 3.0,” “NFT’s” and “Digital Transformation” on this Cyberwire audio glossary.  *SpyCasts*  Inside Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) – with John Lambert and Cristin Goodwin (2021)  The Cyber Zeitgeist – with Dave Bittner (2021)  Securing Cyberspace – with Charlie Mitchell (2016)  *Beginner Resources*  What is Hacking? The Economic Times (n.d.) [web]  Ethical Hacking in 8 Minutes, Simplilearn (2020) [8 min video]  Cybersecurity in 7 minutes, Simplilearn (2020) [7 min video]  Books  The Cyberweapons Arms Race, N. Perloth (Bloomsbury, 2021)  Cult of the Dead Cow, J. Menn (PublicAffairs, 2020)  Breaking & Entering, J. Smith (Mariner Books, 2019)  The Art of Invisibility, K. Mitnick (L, B & C, 2017)  Ghost in the Wires, K. Mitnick (Back Bay Books, 2012)  Kingpin, K. Poulson (Crown, 2012)  The Cuckoo’s Egg, C. Stoll (Doubleday, 1989)  Neuromancer, W. Gibson (Ace, 1984)  Articles  2022 State of the Threat: A Year in Review, Secureworks (2022)  The Anthropology of Hackers, The Atlantic (2010)  Timeline Since 2006: Significant Cyber Incidents, CSIS (n.d.)  Documentary  DEFCON, The Documentary Network (2013) Resources  Government Hacking Bibliography, S. Quinlan, New America Foundation (2016) *Wildcard Resource*  “The Aurora Shard”  Come to the International Spy Museum to see an ugly chunk of metal. Why? Well, it speaks to a revolution in the relationship between the material world and the non-material world. Broken down? 30 lines of code blew up a 27-ton generator. Zeros and ones can cause violent explosions!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryRhodri Jeffreys-Jones (Website; Wikipedia) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his book. He has studied American intelligence for 50 years.What You’ll LearnIntelligence The CIA and the American presidents they served   The founding of the CIA just as America became a global superpower  Pearl Harbor, the USSR and covert action under Eisenhower Assassinations, controversy, the Church Committee, and 9/11 Reflections How much of the future can we predict Intention in history And much, much more…Episode NotesThis week’s guest, Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, is Emeritus Professor of American History at the University of Edinburgh. He has been studying American intelligence for half a century and has written a history of the CIA to coincide with its 75th anniversary, entitled: A Question of Standing.   This episode with Rhodri is a counterpoint to last week’s episode with Robert Gates: a career historian and a career intelligence officer; a European and an American; a 70,000 feet view and a 30,000 feet one. Interestingly, they were born continents apart within almost a year of each other.  Rhodri is the author of over a dozen books, has a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, and grew up in Harlech, Wales.  And…Harlech, Wales, where Rhodri grew up, has the steepest street in the Northern Hemisphere. The steepest street in the Southern Hemisphere, and the world according to Guinness Records, is in Dunedin, New Zealand (Dunedin is Gaelic for Edinburgh). The steepest street in the continental United States is Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh (to celebrate its Welsh heritage the Steel City has a St. David’s Society). Espionage in Welsh is ysbïo.Quote of the Week"CIA can't afford to rest on its laurels and continue with systems it has. It has to change all the time." – Rhodri Jeffreys-JonesResources*Andrew’s Recommendation*“Documents on Origins of CIA,” Truman Library [pdf]*SpyCasts* “The 75th Anniversary” – with Robert Gates (2022)*Beginner Resources* History of CIA, CIA (n.d.) [web] A Brief History of US-Iran Relations, ABC News (n.d.) [video] CIA Involvement in 1953 Iranian Coup, CNN (n.d.] [video] Iran & Guatemala, 1953-4, NYT (2003) [article] Books Covert Action & USFP, L. Johnson (OUP, 2022) A Brief History of the CIA, R. Immerman (Wiley, 2014) The [Dulles] Brothers, S. Kinzer (St. Martin’s, 2014) Mighty Wurlitzer: How CIA Played America, H. Wilford (HUP, 2009) Countercoup: Struggle for Iran, K. Roosevelt (McGraw-Hill, 1979) Articles 64 Years Later CIA Releases Details of Iranian Coup, B. Allen-Ebrahimian, FP (2017)Video “The Nazi Spy Ring in America,” R. Jeffreys-Jones, SPY (2021) “Secrecy, Democracy & the Birth of the CIA,” H. Wilford, Great Courses (n.d.) Photo “The 1953 Iranian Coup,” Radio Free Europe Archives (2013)Documentary The Spymasters, Showtime (2015) CIA: Secret Wars, Part 1, Roche (2003) CIA: Secret Wars, Part 2, Roche (2003) Curatorial Pocket History of CIA, CIA (2014)Primary Sources History Staff Analysis: CIA & Guatemala Assassination Proposals, 1952-4 (1995) Iran 1953: Transcript of Interview with MI6 Officer Norman Darbyshire (1985) DCI Dulles to President Eisenhower (1953) Telegram from CIA to Station in Iran (1953) Telegram from Station in Iran to CIA (1953) Monthly Report, Directorate of Plans, CIA (1953) Memo from Deputy Director for Plans (Wisner) to DCI Dulles (1953) National Security Act (1947) Website Intelligence Milestones During Eisenhower Administration, Eisenhower Library (n.d.]*Wildcard Resource*Tom Paine (Common Sense, 1776), Alexis de Tocqueville (Democracy in America, 1835) and Mork from Ork (Mork & Mindy, 1978-82) are all outsiders, like Rhodri, looking in. What can each of them tell us about the United States? What can they tell us that people born within an ecosystem can’t? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryRobert Gates (Website; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to reflect on the 75th Anniversary of the CIA. He served 8 U.S. presidents. What You’ll LearnIntelligence His reflections on the CIA at 75 How the CIA’s story intersected with his own   His take on the organization’s strengths and weaknesses  The complex intl. environment the CIA must now help America navigate Reflections Twists of fate Identity and institutions  And much, much more…Episode NotesRobert M. Gates is the first career officer in the CIA’s history to rise from entry level employee to Director. He spent 27 years at CIA, nine of those at the NSC. More recently, he was the first Secretary of Defense to be asked to remain in office by a newly elected president. In all, he served 8 presidents. Wouldn’t you love to know his take on the CIA at 75? Well, we’ve made that happen for you!He was born in Wichita, Kansas, served in the U.S.A.F. and he received his undergraduate education at William & Mary, his masters from Indiana University, and his doctorate from Georgetown University. He was formerly the President of Texas A&M University and the current Chancellor of William & Mary. And…The academic institutions Dr. Gates has been associated with all have quite different capacities of football stadium: Georgetown University’s Cooper Field can hold 3,750; William & Mary’s Zable Stadium can hold 12,259; Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium can hold 52,626; and Texas A&M’s Kyle Stadium can hold a whopping 102,733. What could we infer about Dr. Gates, college sports, or the United States from this information? Well, that would be thinking like an intelligence analyst.Quote of the Week"I've led four very big, very different institutions and like all of them I always saw where places where CIA could be better. But I always loved the place, and I always was proud to work there and proud of the people that I knew…they were probably the smartest, most honest people I've ever met and worked with." – Robert Gates.Resources*Andrew’s Recommendation* “Reorganization in the Intel. Community,” DCI Gates (1992) Watch this prescient clip on historical naivete, or if you’re hardcore, the entire congressional testimony *SpyCasts* “Dealing with Russia” – with Jim Olson (2022) “I was a Presidential Daily Briefer on 9/11” – with Mike Morell (2021) *Beginner Resources* History of CIA, CIA (n.d.) [website] CIA Director’s Portrait Gallery, CIA (n.d.) [online gallery] Impact of President G.H.W. Bush’s Foreign Policy, MSNBC (2018) [13 min. video] At 75, CIA Back Where it Started, Countering Kremlin, G. Myre, NPR (2022) [5 min. audio] Books Spymasters: CIA Directors, C. Whipple (S&S, 2020) Duty, R. Gates (Vintage, 2015) [Def. Sec. memoir] A World Transformed, Bush & Scowcroft (Knopf, 1998) From the Shadows, R. Gates (S&S, 1996) [CIA memoir] Power & Principle, Z. Brzezinski (FS&G, 1983) [Gates was Z.B.’s Special Asst. at the NSC during the Carter era] Articles A More Realistic Strategy for the Post-Cold War Era, R. Gates, WaPo (2022) Creation of the Central Intelligence Group, M. Warner, SII (1996)  Video Legacy of the G.H.W.B. Administration, CFR (2016) Book Talk: From the Shadows, R. Gates, C-Span (1996) Documentary The Spymasters, Showtime (2015)Curatorial Pocket History of CIA, CIA (2014)Primary Sources Biden Speech on 75th Anniversary of the CIA (2022) Robert Gates on CIA and Openness (1992) Nomination of Gates to be DCI (1991) Adm. Roscoe, First CIA Director Dies (1982)  CIA Review of the World Situation (1947) Lester to Truman re Centralized Intelligence (1947)  National Security Act (1947) *Wildcard Resource* North by Northwest (Hitchcock, 1959) We hear the first explicit mention of “CIA” in a major movie  “FBI. CIA. ONI. We’re all in the same alphabet soup.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryAlex Finley (Twitter; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss life as a CIA Reports Officer turned author. She lives in Barcelona.What You’ll LearnIntelligence Her take on CIA analysts vs. case officers  Information and disinformation in fact and fiction  Ukraine, the 2016 election and the Russian historical playbook  The regularity even mundanity of much of daily intelligence life  Reflections Being an American in Barcelona  Viewing your own country from outside the goldfish bowl And much, much more…Episode NotesAlex Finley spent 6 years in the CIA as a Reports Officer - whom she describes as a bridge between the case officers and analysts. She is author of a trilogy of novels on the exploits of fictional CIA officer Victor Caro. Her most recent book, Victor in Trouble, completes the series (…or does it?) by looking at Russian influence operations and the contemporary intelligence landscape through a satirical lens. She now lives in Barcelona, Spain - and yes, apparently it’s as awesome as it sounds! – and she is the voice behind #YachtWatch, which tracks and exposes the activities of Russian oligarchs and their superyachts. And…Satire is often described as fitting into three categories: Horatian, which offers light comedy and social commentary (e.g., Pride & Prejudice, Parks & Rec, The Colbert Report); Juvenalian, a darker and more abrasive take that can often take the form of speaking truth to power (e.g., Animal Farm, American Psycho, South Park) and Menippean, which casts moral judgement on beliefs or generic character flaws (e.g., Alice in Wonderland, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Saturday Night Live). Which one does Alex use? Quote of the Week"There, there were points where I found myself in the middle of nowhere, West Africa. And there are these moments where…how did I end up here? This makes zero sense. And then there were the bureaucratic Catch-22s." – Alex Finley.Resources*Andrew’s Recommendation* Who are the Russian Oligarchs? (2022) A great visulacapitalist.com infographic - but if you want to go understand how they can afford their superyachts, start here *SpyCasts* CIA Officers Turned Authors – David McCloskey & James Stejskal (2022) NSA, CIA, Author - Alma Katsu (2021) Victor in the Rubble – Alex Finley (2016) *Beginner Resources* A Brief History of Spy Fiction, Stella Rimington, Crime Reads, (2018) [short essay] An Introduction to Satire, Jackson School District (n.d.) [2-page guide] Russia’s Top Five Disinformation Narratives, State (2022) [webpage] Books Victor in Trouble, A. Finley (Smiling Hippo, 2022) The Revenge of Power, M. Naim (St. Martin’s, 2022) Active Measures, T. Rid (Picador, 2021) The Misinformation Age, C. O’Connor & J. Weatherall (YUP, 2020) Victor in The Jungle, A. Finley (Smiling Hippo, 2019) Victor in The Rubble, A. Finley (Smiling Hippo, 2016) Great Spy Stories from Fiction, A. Dulles (Harper, 1969) Articles The Russian Firehose of Falsehood, C. Paul & M. Matthews, RAND (2016) Yellow Journalism, PBS (n.d.) Videos The Spy Writers You Love to Read, SPY (2019)  Russian Active Measures: Past, Present & Future, CSIS (2018) The Strategy Behind Russia’s Disinformation Campaigns, DW News (n.d.) Meet the KGB Spies Who Invented Fake News, NYT (n.d.) Reports Combatting Targeted Disinformation Campaigns, DHS (2019)Primary Sources Disinformation: Russian Active Measures, Senate Intelligence Committee (2017) KGB Active Measures in SW Asia in 1980-82, Wilson Center Primary Source Collections Rumor Control Project Documents, Library of Congress *Wildcard Resource* A Clockwork Orange (1962) [novel] A short, sharp satire that ruminates on the nature of society and free will – it will stay with you for a long time to come Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryDexter Ingram (LinkedIn; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his varied career. He has a very cool private collection of spy gadgets.What You’ll LearnIntelligence What spy gadget he would save if his house were on fire How the hunt for a spy artifact “gets his blood pumping” Using intelligence to achieve concrete policy objectives His preference for Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) while working with international partners Reflections Vulnerability and trust Building and leveraging relationships  And much, much more…Episode NotesDexter Ingram is the Acting Director at the Office of the Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and in his spare time a passionate collector of intelligence artifacts and gadgets.He has performed a variety of roles at the Department of State – he was on a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan, he was a Counterterrorism Coordinator at Interpol in Lyon, France, and has a deep interest in counterterrorism, counterproliferation and WMD. He was formerly a Naval Flight Officer and White House Intern with the US Navy and has studied at Hampton University, University of Oklahoma, and the National Defense University.In part of our ongoing effort to look at consumers of intelligence as well as producers - i.e., who eats the sausages as well as who makes them - we touch on the various parts of Dexter’s career that intersect with intelligence. And…Hampton University, where Dexter studied for his undergrad, is one of over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) in the United States. It sits near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay (incidentally on the same peninsula as “The Farm,” a covert training facility for CIA operations officers). Many leaders of the black community have attended HBCU’s, such as Booker T. Washington (Hampton), W.E.B. Du Bois (Fisk), Martin Luther King (Morehouse), Jesse Jackson (North Carolina A&T), and Kamala Harris (Howard). Quote of the Week"It's about real people. These are real gadgets better than the movies. It gets my blood pumping." – Dexter Ingram on collecting artifacts.Resources*Andrew’s Recommendation* “Shall We All Commit Suicide?” (1924) One of Churchill’s most powerful and prophetic essays on the destructive powers unleashed by modern science *SpyCasts* Spy of the Century Kim Philby & Artifacts (2022) ISIS Leader Al Mawla – Part 1 (2022) ISIS Leader Al Mawla – Part II (2022) Intelligence and the WMD Fiasco (2008) *Beginner Resources* 100 Years of Intl. Police Cooperation, Interpol (2014) [video] Our History, Interpol (n.d.) [website] Nuclear Proliferation & Nonproliferation: What you Need to Know, CFR (2019) [video]  Books The Terror Years: Al Qaeda to ISIS, L. Wright (Penguin, 2017) Black Flags: Rise of ISIS, J. Warrick (Doubleday, 2015) Policing the World: Interpol, M. Anderson (Clarendon, 1989) Articles “Islamic State’s Khorasan Vision in Asia,” L. Webber & R. Valle, The Diplomat, (2022) “Red Notices,” Interpol (n.d.) Video Deadly Evolution of Nuclear Weapons, Tech Insider, YouTube (2017) Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty: What you Need to Know, CFR (2015) [video] Sailing in the Sea of OSINT, S. Mercado, CSI (2004) Documentary Nuclear Tipping Point, NTI, YouTube (2010)Interactives A Guide to Open-Source Nuclear Detection Work, NTI (2020)Resource sites OSINT Techniques Primary Source CollectionsHistorical Documents, Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS)*Wildcard Resource* A BBC News Program and Nuclear War (2019) “Today” is Britain’s highest profile current affairs radio program, and it has been on air since 1958 - a few consecutive days without it and Britain could launch a nuclear counterstrike. Read more here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryJames Brundage (LinkedIn; Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss prisoners-of-war and intelligence. He is the Curator at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago. What You’ll LearnIntelligence The intelligence dynamics of “prisoners-of-war” Tap codes and other ways to covertly communicate Using POWs for propaganda Debriefing POWs after their release  Reflections Comparing across time (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc.) Comparing within time (German/Japanese/American POW camps during WWII) And much, much more…Episode NotesWhat intelligence questions are generated when we discuss “prisoners of war”? The prisoner’s side asks: what happened? Are they alive? If so, where? What did they know? Can they compromise operations? Can we get them out? The other side asks: what do they know? Can they tell us anything we don’t know? Are they misleading us? The prisoner asks: where are we? Are there any friendlies? Can we share information to escape? To answer these questions, this week’s guest is James Brundage who curated the May 22-Apr 23 exhibit, “Life Behind the Wire: POW” which explores life in captivity. He is a public historian who has also worked at the Obama Presidential Library, the Chicago History Museum & the James Garfield Historic Site. And…Jeremiah Denton Jr. was shot down while leading an attack over North Vietnam in 1965 and the title of his memoir, When Hell Was in Session, gives you an idea of what he endured during his captivity. As part of a propaganda campaign, the North Vietnamese arranged for him to be interviewed by a Japanese reporter. Hi blinked T-O-R-T-U-R-E in Morse code. Needless to say, the intelligence community took great interest in the video footage. He passed away in 2014. Quote of the Week"So roughly 1% of the POW population perished in Europe at the hands of the Germans versus in Japan…the death rate was almost 40%. A lot of that was the conditions of the camp…in Vietnam, of the more than 700 American POWs, there were 73 who perished in POW camps in North Vietnam, which is roughly 10%." – James BrundageResources*Andrew’s Recommendation* The Railway Man: A POW’s Searing Account, E. Lomax (Norton, 2014)  A powerful, powerful memoir. Lomax had nightmares about his WWII experience for over half a century. *SpyCasts* Operation Chaos – Matthew Sweet (2018) Eavesdropping in Vietnam – Tom Glenn (2012) Studies & Observations Group – Donald Blackburn (2012)  Intelligence Lessons from Vietnam – Rufus Phillips (2009) *Beginner Resources* The Vietnam War Explained in 25 Minutes, The Life Guide (n.d.) ([video]  Intelligence in the Vietnam War, Vietnam War 50th [posters] POW’s: What You Need to Know, ICRC (2022) [webpage] Books Spies on the Mekong, K. Conboy (Casemate, 2021) War of Numbers, S. Adams (Steerforth, 2020) Tap Code, C. Harris & S. Berry (Zondervan, 2019) Articles Meet the Hero: Douglas Hegdahl, Milliken Center (n.d.) OSS’s Role in Ho Chi Minh’s Rise, B. Bergin, SII 62/2 (2018) Intel. Support to Comms. with POWs in Vietnam, G. Peterson & D. Taylor, SII 60/1 (2016) Takes on Intelligence and the Vietnam War, C. Laurie, SII 55/2 (2011) Documentaries The Vietnam War, K. Burns & L. Novick (2017) The Fog of War, R. McNamara (2003) Hearts & Minds, P. Davis (1974) Oral Histories Veterans History Project Vietnam POW Interviews, U.S.N.I. Primary Sources POW/MIA Closed Briefing, DD CIA (1991) Report on US-Vietnamese Talks on POW/MIAs (1985) Causes, Origins & Lessons of the Vietnam War (1972) The POW Scandal in Korea (1954) *Wildcard Resource*Interestingly, philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein, John Paul Sartre, Paul Riceour, Emmanuel Levinas and Louis Althusser were all POWs – now, the impact this had on their thinking would be one hell of a rabbit hole to go down! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summary Seth Abramovitch (Twitter; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the British war-hero who spied on behalf of the Japanese during Hollywood’s Golden Age. This is a story-and-a-half, by jingo! What You’ll LearnIntelligence How a British war-hero became a spy for the other side Japanese espionage in Tinseltown  How the story involves Boris Karloff, Charlie Chaplin and Yoko Ono’s father  The spy ring’s activities before and after Pearl Harbor Reflections Playing the game for yourself vs. for a country or a cause Hubris & Nemesis  And much, much more…Episode NotesSqn. Ldr. Frederick Rutland, AM, DSC and Bar, was the first person to fly a seaplane from a ship in history. He was also the first man to spot the German fleet from his seaplane, thereby precipitating the largest naval battle of the First World War, the Battle of Jutland. After leaving the military because of indiscretions with a fellow officer’s wife, he tries to live an ordinary vanilla life, but still craves his action-packed days of old…ultimately, he is approached by the Japanese to spy on their behalf, which leads him to relocate to LA during the Golden Age of Hollywood.To discuss this doozy of a story, I am joined by Seth Abramovitch from The Hollywood Reporter – i.e., the definitive interpretive voice of the entertainment industry – where he has worked for ten years. And…There are some incredible Hollywood movies from the interwar period, capturing some of the tension and suspicion of the era, as well as the faint drumbeat of approaching war. Hitchcock alone had, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), Sabotage (1936), and Foreign Correspondent (1940). Major stars of the era such as Marlene Dietrich, Great Garbo, and Madelaine Carroll helped solidify the spy genre with movies such as Dishonored (1931), Mata Hari (1931), and I Was a Spy (1933). Don’t forget Fritz Lang’s Spione (1928), which has been called a, “marvel of narrative economy in montage.” Quote of the Week"At the very bottom of the list, it would be any kind of allegiance to any flag, because he's quick to offer to turn on Japan when push comes to shove at the very end of the whole story. I don't think he was doing it for any kind of nationalism or political, viewpoint. I think if anything he was apolitical." – Seth Abramovitch.ResourcesHeadline Resources “Beverley Hills Spy” Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter (2022)Andrew’s Recommendation Reel vs. Real CIA – The Americans, Argo, Black Panther, and the Good Shepherd *SpyCasts* “Russia Upside Down” – with Creator of The Americans Joe Weisberg (2022) “The Courier” – the Director’s Take with Dominic Cooke (2021) “Hollywood Spies” – with Jonna Mendez (2020) “U.S. Naval Intelligence in WWII” – with Rear Admiral Donald Mac Showers  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Beginner Resources Spy for Japan, T. Bradbeer, Historynet (2022) [webpage] The Pacific War, WELT (2021) [video] FBI Raid Japanese Spy Network in LA, Smithsonian Channel (2019) [video] Books Intelligence & the War Against Japan, R. Aldrich (CUP, 2000) The Emperor’s Codes, M. Smith (Bantam, 2000) Articles “Agent Shinkawa Revisited,” R. Drabkin & B. Hart, IJIC, 35/1 (2022) The 1924 Law That Slammed the Door on Immigrants, Smithsonian Magazine (2020) Washington Naval Conference, 1921-22, Historian, State Dept. (n.d.)  Russo-Japanese War, 1904-5, Historian, State Dept. (n.d.) Primary Sources “Security Service Files, Frederick Rutland” – National Archives (U.K.): 1924-1933 1933-1935 1935-1936 1935-1937 1937-1941 1941 1941-1942 1942 1942-1943 1943-1944 *Wildcard Resource* Reel-vs-Reel How Hollywood compares to the real CIA The Americans Argo Black Panther The Good Shepherd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryBill Parquette (LinkedIn; Website) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss Denial and Deception. They discuss examples such as D-Day, the Yom Kippur War, and the Persian Gulf War.What You’ll LearnIntelligence Denial and deception – what it is and why it matters Key examples of denial and deception Detecting denial and deception operations How to avoid seeing monsters everywhere Reflections How to counter denial and deception in everyday life (children, salespeople, etc.)  Stumbling into new roles in new fields And much, much more…Episode NotesSun Tzu said, “all warfare is based on deception” and so much of the natural world is also based on denial and deception: camouflage, feigning, mimicry, distraction. It is also a feature of our daily 21st century lives: spyware, trojan horses, catfishing, and spear phishing.With this week’s guest we look at the Denial and Deception Committee, which aimed to discover and mitigate foreign denial and deception operations against the U.S. by coordinating efforts throughout the IC.Bill Parquette was a former Chair of the Committee. He joined the Committee in 2002 and left in 2015. He was formerly a Lt. Col. In the U.S. Army, starting his career with 10 years in the 82nd Airborne, and is currently Professor of Practice at Penn State University. And…The episode looks at deceiving others but the human capacity for self-deception and denial is VAST – from head in the sand, plugging your ears, living in denial, willful ignorance, and cognitive dissonance through to doublethink. Quote of the Week"If I have an audience of one or 100, I ask does anyone have children? And the hands get raised. And then I said, okay, did you teach your child deception or denial? And of course not. Do they conduct denial or deception? And they all said yeah, it's throughout nature, it's throughout society…it's a natural thing to deny. I didn't mom I didn't take that cookie." – Bill ParquetteResourcesHeadline Resources Bill Parquette’s list of of acronyms and sources “Countering Foreign Denial & Deception – Rise of Fall of a Discipline” – J. Bruce, Studies in Intelligence, 64/1 (2020)  “Denial & Deception Issue,” American Intelligence, 32/2 (2015) Andrew’s Recommendation “D-Day Would be Nearly Impossible to Pull Off Today,” D. Lupton, WaPo (2019)*SpyCasts* “Deceiving the Iraqis in Operation Desert Storm” – with BGen Tom Draude (2013) “Agent Garbo” – with Stephan Talty (2012) “Identity, Espionage and Social Media” – with Thomas Ryan (2011) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Beginner Resources Deception at D-Day, Army Uni. Press (2022) [video] The True Story of the D-Day Spies, BBC (2014) [video] Operation Bodyguard Map, Eisenhower Foundation (n.d.) [map] Books History of the National Intelligence Council, Hutchings &. Treverton, eds. (OUP, 2019) Practice to Deceive, B. Whaley (NIP, 2016) The Watchman Fell Asleep, U. Bar-Joseph (SUNY, 2005) The Deceivers, T. Holt (Scribner, 2004) Deception 101, J. Caddell (Army War College, 2004) Strategic Denial and Deception, Godson & Wirtz eds. (Transaction, 2002) Deception in War, J. Latimer (Overlook, 2001) Videos The War in October, Al Jazeera (2013)Primary Sources  US-PLO Contacts During War, Oct 26, 1973 Secretary’s Staff Meeting, Oct 23, 1973 Sadat - Speech Calling for Arab-Israeli Peace Conference, Oct 16, 1973 Arab-Israel Tensions – Quandt to Scowcroft, Oct 6, 1973 Ultra – Marshall to Eisenhower, Mar 15, 1944 Overall Deception Policy, Jan 22, 1944 Deception Operations Around England, Dec 18, 1943 Overlord Cover Operation, Nov 20, 1943 *Wildcard Resource*Movies to explore on deception include Deception (1946), The Sting (1973), The Usual Suspects (1995), Donnie Brasco (1997), Female Agents (2008) and Operation Mincemeat (2021),  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SummaryDavid McCloskey (Twitter; Website) and James Stejskal (Twitter; LinkedIn) join Andrew to discuss writing about espionage. They are both former intelligence officers.  What You’ll LearnIntelligence What it is like writing spy fiction as a former practitioner How fact informs fiction Writing as a former analyst compared to as a former operator (James)  Reactions by the intelligence community to practitioners-turned-authors Reflections The heaven and hell of being an author  The process of getting a process And much, much more…Episode NotesHear two intelligence formers discuss life as current novelists. Where does fact end, and fiction begin when you are a former CIA officer writing fiction? What parts of your own story bleed into the novel? Are the characters composites of people you knew in your line of work or are they entirely fictional? To answer these questions and more, this week, I sat down with David McCloskey, former CIA analyst and author of Damascus Station, a book David Petraeus described as “the best spy novel I have ever read,” and James Stejskal, author of Appointment in Tehran, which has been called “a textbook clandestine operation involving…US Army Special Forces and a clandestine CIA Case Officer,” which James would know something about, since he was both. And…Spy fiction received quite the blow in the space of a 6-month period (Dec 2020-May 2021) which saw the passing of both John Le Carre and Jason Matthews, two formers who served in British and American intelligence. Le Carre was in MI5 and MI6 while Matthews had a long career in the CIA. David and James join a distinguished cast of formers who became novelists, including Ian Fleming, Graham Greene and Dame Stella Rimington. Quote of the Week"There are far more edits on, short articles I wrote that weren't even going to the president than on the book, so your writing is being critiqued at all levels. I I think when I did write for the PDB [Presidential Daily Brief], I don't think I'm making this up, I believe it was 9 or 10 layers of review. You could probably argue that sometimes that makes it worse, but you have to be able at all stages to roll with the punches and to write and to try to make things very clear." – David McCloskey.ResourcesHeadline Resources Damascus Station, D. McCloskey (2021) Appointment in Tehran, J. Stejskal (2021) Andrew’s Recommendation The Looking Glass War, J. Le Carre (1965) Le Carre doubles down on disabusing the public’s romanticization of intelligence  *SpyCasts* “Snake Eaters, Detachment A, CIA” – James Stejskal (2022) “American Spy” – Lauren Wilkinson (2021) “Red Widow” – Alma Katsu (2021) “American Traitor” – Brad Taylor (2021) “The Evolution of Spy Fiction”  - Wesley Wark (2011) Beginner Resources 15 Best Espionage Novels, M. Warwick, Mal Warwick On Books (2022) [article] Novelists Who Became Spies, C. Cumming, Crime Reads (2019) [article] Best Spy Novels According to a Spy, A. Katsu, Crime Reads (2021) [article] Books Missions of the SOE and OSS in WWII, J. Stejskal (Casemate, 2021) Special Forces Berlin, J. Stejskal (Casemate, 2017) On Writing, S. King (Scribner, 2010) Spy Fiction, Spy Films & Real Intelligence, W. Wark (Routledge, 1991) Articles Nine Examples of Spy Fiction Books, Masterclass (2021) How to Write a Spy Thriller, Masterclass (2021) How End of Cold War Changed Spy Fiction, J. Ciabattari, BBC Culture (2014) Videos All the Old Knives, O. Steinhauer, SPY (2022) Spy Writing in the Real World, Hayden Center (2021) The Spy Writers You Love to Read, SPY (2020) Primary Sources  American Observer, CIA (1970) Barry Farber Show, CIA (1970) *Wildcard Resource* The Riddle of the Sands, E. Childers (1903) An early spy novel that presaged the anti-German “spy fever” that struck allied countries before and during WWI  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices