The Burn Bag Podcast

Latest Episodes:

"No Easy Answer": Counterintelligence at Home and Abroad with former FBI Officials Bill Priestap and Holden Triplett Mar 29, 2021

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On this week’s episode of The Burn Bag, we talk counterintelligence with Bill Priestap, former Head of Counterintelligence at the FBI, and Holden Triplett, former Director of Counterintelligence on the National Security Council. Priestap and Triplett give an overview on counterintelligence, highlighting how it has changed over the past 20 years, and what types of operations the FBI has worked to respond to. They discuss the FBI’s role in thwarting espionage along with outlining what coordination looks like between the FBI and other agencies, such as the CIA in addressing these foreign threats. Priestap and Triplett highlight how extensive efforts are by foreign adversaries to recruit Americans to spy on their own country, and what the general threat of this has and does look like. Both dive into some modern day challenges, giving us a look at corporate espionage, the controversy behind Confucius Institutes, and developments around cyber-espionage. We wrap the episode with a discussion how we can address domestic threats, as evident in the January 6th insurrection and similar threats.

What in the World? (03/26/21) Mar 26, 2021

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In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about the cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal, North Korea's missile tests, and Taiwan's looming China threat. They also discuss Israel's political deadlock, the economic crisis in Turkey, and Biden's border problem.

100 Ideas for the First 100 Days: AI, Cyber Alliances, and Health Security Mar 25, 2021

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Welcome to the third installment of The Burn Bag Podcast's special collaboration with The Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Security and Strategy, where we highlight contributions to the Scowcroft Center's "100 Ideas for the First 100 Days" project. The third episode in the series delves into three big ideas with Robert Manning, Safa Shahwan Edwards, and James Danoy. First, Robert Manning speaks on why we need to harness artificial intelligence for cooperation, in order to create a regulatory regime for the rapidly proliferating technology. Second, Safa Shahwan Edwards discusses why a cybersecurity alliance is necessary given the rise of digital governance and disruptive technologies. Lastly, James Danoy highlights why new perspectives on national security require that the Health and Human Services Department be made a permanent member of the intelligence community.

"In True Face": A Conversation with Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise Mar 22, 2021

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On this week’s episode of the Burn Bag, we talk to Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise, about her work in the CIA. Mendez discusses her reasons for joining the agency, her time as an intelligence officer, and the history behind the Office of Technical Service (OTS). She analyzes the successes and failures of the products that the OTS produced and delves into the measures she and others had to take to thwart intelligence services in Russia, Cuba, and other areas where CIA assets were active. Jonna highlights the importance of human intelligence, revealing to us what the relationship was like between officer and agent, and speculates on how this form of intelligence may have changed given technological advances. We also chat to Jonna about the intricacies of the disguises she made, and why the "Tom Cruise peel" from Mission Impossible should be the "Jonna Mendez peel" -- as she details a famous meeting she had with President George H.W. Bush in which she demonstrated the efficacy of facial masks. We close the conversation with a discussion about the true story behind Academy Award winning movie Argo -- as Jonna talks about her late husband Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck in Argo) and his role in the Canadian Caper operation during the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1980.
Jonna will be releasing a new book, "In True Face", in the near future, and you can check out more of her work and her writing here.

What in the World? (03/19/21) Mar 19, 2021

Show notes

In this week’s episode, A’ndre and Ryan recap the Quad meeting, discuss the Biden-Putin drama, and dissect the uptick in migrants at the US southern border. They also talk about the recently released National Intelligence Council report on foreign threats to the 2020 election.

The People v. Hate: A Conversation with D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine Mar 18, 2021

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On this week’s episode of the Burn Bag, co-hosts Ryan and A’ndre speak with the D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine about the January 6th Insurrection, how to address issues in policing, and solutions to resolving the larger issues around hate in America. AG Racine outlines how his office is addressing the January 6th Insurrection at the Capitol Building, what jurisdiction he has in terms of prosecutions, and the active investigation of former and current political leaders, that include President Donald J. Trump. AG Racine talks about how our country needs to address hate groups, and why we need to get 'hate' off of social media platforms -- that's contributed to many of the security risks the United States faces domestically. We wrap by discussing issues around policing in America, and how we can advance American values against the prevalence of hate.

Profiles in Discord: Leadership Analysis with Dr. Ken Dekleva Mar 15, 2021

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In this week’s episode, co-hosts A’ndre and Ryan speak to Dr. Kenneth Dekleva about his work in leadership analysis and what exactly that is. Dr. Dekleva discusses how leadership profiles are created, and how different agencies like the CIA and the State Department have used them in the past to advance U.S. foreign policy goals. We then dig into three unique leadership profiles in particular: China's Xi Jinping, North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Dr. Dekleva reveals what the U.S. got wrong about Putin and how the Russian leader has maintained his political resilience. We then discuss how Kim Jong Un's leadership style and personality reflects his grandfather Kim Il Sung, and how his childhood may have contributed to his dictatorial tendencies. Dr. Dekleva reveals why he believes Xi Jinping is one of the world's most formidable leaders today, and how Xi has managed to weave his personal and political narrative together to wield power. We conclude by talking about potential future adversarial leaders, and what makes these leaders 'good' at being dictators.
You can check out Dr. Dekleva's work here and here.

What in the World? (03/12/21) Mar 12, 2021

Show notes

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about the Quad — an informal set of security meetings between the United States, India, Australia, and Japan — given President Biden’s virtual meeting with the other three leaders of the Quad today. They discuss what exactly the Quad is, and give you a preview of what you might expect from these meetings, and whether the Quad is truly meant to counter China. After digging into the Quad, they discuss Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s visit to South Korea, Japan, and India, and what it might mean for U.S. security policy in the Indo-Pacific region with regards to China. Ryan then gives us an update on the civil crisis in Ethiopia, the big tech space in Russia, a Saudi-imposed blockade in Yemen that might lead to a famine, and the Israeli political gridlock.

The National Security Democrat: Beyond Party Politics with Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) Mar 08, 2021

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On this week’s episode, co-hosts A’ndre and Ryan speak about the events at the Capitol on January 6th with Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. As the representative from Michigan’s 8th District, Congresswoman Slotkin discusses her role in working with the Biden administration to combat and deal with domestic terrorism and violence. During this episode, she addresses various topics such as Iran, the Department of Defense, and the 1st Amendment in relation to domestic threats. Congresswoman Slotkin then delves into the future of the Democratic Party's foreign policy platform.

What in the World? (03/05/21) Mar 05, 2021

Show notes

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk about last week's U.S. air strikes against Syria and delve into the Biden Administration's Interim National Security Strategic Guidance. They talk about how the document signals an emphasis on multilateralism, a pivot to Asia, rebuilding America's soft power, and strengthening democracy at home and abroad. A'ndre and Ryan also make sure to cover recent developments in Israel, Russia, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Yemen, and how U.S. relations and posturing towards situations in those countries has proceeded.

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