Former CIA Counterterrorism officer Drew Berquist joins the show to pull back the curtain on his years working intelligence and covert action in the Middle East. We dive into his firsthand experiences navigating gray-zone warfare, the shadowy role of USAID in foreign policy, and China’s growing influence in global conflict. Berquist breaks down the secret surveillance tech the U.S. uses to monitor adversaries and the information-warfare strategies shaping today’s geopolitical battles. With over thirty deployments under his belt, he offers a rare blend of tactical insight and big-picture analysis.

Berquist is also the author of The Maverick Experiment and other works on intelligence and security, and he continues to share unfiltered geopolitical commentary on his show This Is My Show with Drew Berquist, available on drewberquist.com and all major podcast platforms.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Technical Setup

03:54 Transitioning from Military to Media

09:59 The Bro-Vet Phenomenon and Media Influence

16:09 Contracting in the GWOT

22:01 Reflections on Nation-Building and Military Strategy

27:44 The Role of PMCs in Modern Warfare

37:04 The Challenges of Intelligence Sharing

44:37 Day-to-Day Operations in Covert Action

55:06 The Impact of Technology on Intelligence Operations

01:02:23 Assessing America's Edge in Global Intelligence

01:08:01 Corruption in the Global War on Terror

01:14:05 The Cycle of U.S. Foreign Aid and Its Consequences

01:19:01 The Role of USAID and NGOs in Conflict Zones

01:24:52 Reflections on Whistleblowers and National Security

01:40:55 The Impact of Whistleblowers on Military Perspectives

01:47:55 Navigating the Complexities of Military Operations

01:55:12 The Role of Intelligence in Modern Warfare

02:18:37 The Invisible Forces Shaping Global Conflicts

02:24:38 The Untold Stories of the Global War on Terror

02:32:21 The Risks of Government Overreach

02:39:31 The Future of American Identity

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