CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast

In the premiere Round Table episode for the Threat Intelligence podcast Aimee Hanstein and Becca Stewart join Adam to discuss trending stories around Africa and how China’s expanding reach could lead to Cold War-era proxy wars. From Taiwan to East Africa, China's growing influence threatens the security of the U.S. and the rest of the West.

In recent months and years, the term INCEL has gained national and international prominence for all the wrong reasons. A so-called “red pill” / “black pill” dichotomy within the largely online community known as INCELs, short for involuntary celibates, has resulted in several mass killing events. The latest attack took place on August 13th, when Jake Davison shot and killed 5 people in Plymouth, England. Charley Gleeson of CTG’s CTSC team joins Adam to discuss this movement.

As chaos continues to ensue in the wake of the Taliban’s victory over the Afghan government, the international community is grappling with how to manage their response to the crisis. Today Rob is joined by Jujhar & Vaania from CTG’s CENTCOM team to discuss what the situation looks like on the ground, how the international community (beyond the United States) is handling the situation, and, most importantly, what can be done to manage the inevitable refugee crisis with humanity and empathy at the center of the response. 

Since President Biden began evacuating troops in earnest in late July, the situation in Afghanistan has changed – and fast. In just a matter of days, Taliban forces have enveloped the entire nation. On August 15th, the Taliban entered Kabul as reports came out detailing how sitting President Ghani had fled to Tajikistan. The U.S. is seemingly out of the fire into the frying pan as President Biden sends 6,000 more troops to Afghanistan with a single mission: protect the Hamid Karzai International Airport, and evacuate as many Americans and refugees as possible. 

Once again, Aimee Hanstein from CTG’s CENTCOM team joins us to break down the situation. 

In recent years, mass kidnappings in Africa have become a near-weekly occurrence, especially in Nigeria where Boko Haram wreaks havoc. Clara de Solages joins Adam to break down the current state of this continental crisis, as well as detail how some states can adapt to face this challenge more effectively.

As the US prepares to permanently withdraw all troops from Afghanistan after 20 years of devastating conflict, the Taliban stands uniquely positioned to potentially topple the existing democratic government and seize control of the country by force.

After two decades of war and tens of thousands of lives lost, the US has little to show for its efforts in Afghanistan. And the Taliban is as emboldened and powerful as ever.

Was the United States’ rapid withdrawal from the country a mistake? Or would remaining in the country just have delayed the inevitable?

Today I’m joined by Zaskia Torres from CTG’s CENTCOM team to discuss some of these big questions, and also to forecast whether or not the Taliban, one of the world’s most infamous terrorist organizations, may soon control an entire nation.

The frequency of romance scams, which involve a scammer posing online as someone they’re not for the purpose of deceiving and ultimately extorting an unsuspecting victim, have increased precipitously year over year since the explosion of online dating first began. Not only can this scheme be financially devastating for victims, but it also takes a major emotional and psychological toll that many never fully recover from.

Today I’m joined by Michelle Kaplun from CTG’s Illicit Finance & Economic Threats team to discuss the mechanics of how these scams function, who the victims and perpetrators are, the consequences for this type of fraud, and what can be done to stop and reverse this alarming trend.

Covid-19 has crippled Cuba's already fragile economy. The Cuban government points its fingers at the US while many Cubans point their fingers at their own government. Jasmine Woolley of CTG's SOUTHCOM joins us today to break down how Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel's assumption of the role of Communist Party Leader will affect Cuba's relationship with the US, as well as how it will affect Cuba's response to the label of a failed state.

With the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse,  Haiti finds itself in the center every major news outlet's breaking story, as well as in the middle of a devastating political, economic, and societal crisis. Jasmine Woolley from CTG's SOUTHCOM team joins us to discuss the recent updates on the assassination of President Moïse, as well as provide background on the larger context surrounding the crises in Haiti. 

Three weeks ago, Iran held presidential elections that saw hardliner and Islamic fundamentalist candidate Ebrahim Raisi win the election in a landslide victory. After much of the last 20 years have been presided over by reformist presidents who have been more open to cooperation with the West, Raisi’s victory signals a meaningful shift in Iranian politics, the country’s relationship with Western nations, and the possibility of salvaging the Iran Nuclear deal. 

Today I’m joined by Zaskia Torres & Jujhar Singh from CTG’s CENTCOM team to discuss what Raisi’s landmark election means for everyday Iranians, the Middle East more broadly, and the world.