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Iran's leadership has been decapitated — but the real question is what comes next.
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In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Glenn Corn sits down with Ambassador David Hale, former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Pakistan, and Jordan and former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
Ambassador Hale previously warned — months before these events — that the core strategic problem in the Middle East was Iran itself, not just its proxies.
Now, after U.S. and Israeli strikes that decapitated major parts of Iran's leadership, we revisit that argument and ask:
What happens now?
🎙️ In this episode, we cover:
• Why the U.S.–Iran conflict really goes back to 1979 • Why previous presidents failed to change Iran's behavior • Why Iran ultimately only responds to force • Whether the Iranian regime can survive leadership decapitation • The real strategic importance of Hezbollah and Lebanon • Why Arab Gulf states may actually move closer to the U.S. after these strikes • What China and Russia are learning from the war • Why Iran's retaliation strategy may backfire • The energy market implications and Strait of Hormuz risks • Why the U.S. must stay engaged even after the fighting ends
Ambassador Hale explains why the Iranian leadership's attacks on Gulf states may actually strengthen regional alignment against Tehran — and why Iran's military position may be weaker than many assume.
He also warns that regime collapse is not necessarily the goal, and that the real objective should be preventing Iran from intimidating the region.
⏱ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 Glenn Introduces Ambassador Hale 02:00 "The Heart of the Problem Was Iran" 06:30 Why Iran Only Responds to Force 10:00 Why Iran Is Striking Gulf States 16:00 Oil Markets & Strait of Hormuz 21:00 Could Iran Negotiate Now? 25:00 What Happens Inside the IRGC 29:00 Lebanon, Hezbollah & Political Shift 36:00 Russia and China Watching Closely 42:00 Lessons From 40 Years of Iran Policy 48:00 The Risks of Regime Collapse
ABOUT AMBASSADOR DAVID HALE
Ambassador David Hale is one of the most experienced U.S. diplomats of the modern era.
He served as: • U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon • U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan • U.S. Ambassador to Jordan • Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (the #3 position at the State Department)
He is currently: • Distinguished Fellow at the Wilson Center • Professor at the Institute of World Politics
Wilson Center Profile https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/david-hale
Institute of World Politics Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/ambassador-david-hale/
HOW TO FIND GLENN CORN
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and Chief of Station.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
Subscribe and receive the daily intelligence brief https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
RESTRICTED HANDLING
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The Supreme Leader is dead — now what happens next?
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Get the daily intelligence brief Glenn and Ryan read — covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, and military operations.
This is ROUND 2 w/ Tony DeMario who spent 30+ years on Iran and regional proxies at CIA.
After the decapitation strikes. After Operation Epic Fury and Operation Lion's Roar. After U.S. and Israeli forces eliminated Iran's Supreme Leader and dozens of senior IRGC officials.
Tony DeMario returns to break down what comes next.
Tony is a former senior CIA officer with 34 years in the Army and Agency, specializing in Iran, counterterrorism, and Iranian regional proxies. He currently serves as Executive Vice President at Strider Technologies, a strategic intelligence firm focused on geopolitical risk and nation-state competition.
This episode goes beyond headlines.
We discuss the collapse of Iran's leadership structure, succession risks, proxy retaliation, Russia's angle, China's oil calculus, and whether regime change is even realistic.
🎙️ In this episode, we cover:
• The strategic impact of killing Iran's Supreme Leader • Why this is historically unprecedented • Whether Iran's security apparatus can reconstitute • Hezbollah and proxy retaliation risks • The role of Russia in prolonging instability • China's oil dependency on Iran • Succession scenarios inside Tehran • Whether Reza Pahlavi is viable (spoiler: unlikely) • Why "nation building" is not on the table • The risk of Libya- or Iraq-style fragmentation • What sustained U.S. strikes would look like • The danger of premature celebration
Tony explains why:
• Decapitation alone doesn't equal regime collapse• Infrastructure destruction matters more than leadership removal• Iran's bureaucracy is deeper than many realize• Russia benefits from U.S. distraction• This is the weakest Iran has been in decades — but that doesn't guarantee stability
Just clear-eyed analysis of a historic moment.
⏱ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
Tony DeMario is a former senior CIA officer with 34 years of service in the Army and Agency. He led teams focused on Iran, counterterrorism, and Iranian proxy networks across the Middle East.
He currently serves as Executive Vice President at Strider Technologies, a strategic intelligence firm specializing in geopolitical risk and state-backed economic threats.
Strider Technologies: https://www.striderintel.com/
Tony DeMario on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-demario/
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multiple-time Chief of Station.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
Subscribe and receive the daily intel brief: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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⚠️ This episode was recorded ONE HOUR before U.S. strikes on Iran (February 27–28). The predications are eerily accurate and insight and context about what comes next is worth the listen.
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
Get the daily intelligence brief Glenn and Ryan read — covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, and military operations.
The predictions and assessments made here are eerily close to what unfolded overnight.
We will follow up with a post-strike assessment episode — but this conversation captures the strategic thinking immediately before the kinetic phase began.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Glenn Corn and Ryan Fugit are joined by Tony DeMario, former senior CIA officer with 34 years in the Army and Agency, specializing in Iran, counterterrorism, and Iranian regional proxies.
Tony led teams across some of the most sensitive Iran-related missions in recent history.
This is not academic analysis. This is pre-strike strategic insight from someone who has lived the problem set.
🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:
• Whether Iran's regime is weaker than at any time since 1979 • Why regional partners hesitate to openly support U.S. action • Hezbollah's residual capabilities • Whether strikes would be symbolic — or decapitation-level • Why the IRGC leadership structure matters • What would actually fracture regime cohesion • Russia's strategic interest in prolonging Middle East instability • Whether protests inside Iran change the calculus • Why negotiations may be delay tactics • What it would truly take to end the conflict
Tony explains why:
• Iran has "never won a war, but never lost a negotiation" • Decapitation without follow-through may not achieve deterrence • Russia benefits from distraction • Sanctions and economic pressure may matter more than strikes • The regime's internal corruption complicates every scenario
This episode captures the strategic debate just before events overtook analysis.
⏱ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 Recorded One Hour Before U.S. Strikes 03:00 The Carrier Groups & Regional Tensions 08:00 Iran's Internal Power Struggle 14:00 Hezbollah & Proxy Capabilities 20:00 What a "Decapitation Strike" Means 27:00 Regional Allies & Overflight Politics 33:00 Russia's Strategic Angle 38:00 Negotiations: Real or Delay? 45:00 Could the Regime Collapse? 52:00 Final Assessments Before Kinetic Action
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multiple-time Chief of Station.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
Subscribe and receive the daily intelligence brief: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
HOW TO FIND GLENN CORNRESTRICTED HANDLING
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Today's it's international security in SPACE!
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Get the daily intelligence brief covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, space security, sanctions, and great power competition.
Space is no longer science fiction. It's the next strategic battleground.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn sit down with Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow at CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies).
Clayton is one of Washington's leading experts on military space power, space deterrence, launch competition, and U.S.–China rivalry in orbit.
This conversation goes far beyond UFO headlines and into the real strategic questions:
• Are we prepared for conflict in space? • How vulnerable is GPS? • What happens if satellites start colliding during a crisis? • Can the U.S. outpace China in lunar competition? • What role does Space Force actually play?
🎙️ In this episode, we cover:
• Why GPS is America's biggest space vulnerability • The real state of U.S. vs. China space competition • Russia's declining relevance in space • Satellite congestion and collision risks • Space-based missile defense and Golden Dome • The strategic importance of the Moon • Rare earth resources and lunar mining risks • Commercial launch dominance (SpaceX, Blue Origin) • Why research & development funding matters more than ever • Whether Space Force is structured for the future
Clayton explains how launch, satellite communications, and navigation systems quietly underpin modern warfare — and what happens if those systems fail.
From reusable rockets to orbital jamming to lunar competition, this episode reframes space not as exploration — but as infrastructure and deterrence.
If you think space is distant, abstract, or futuristic — this conversation will change your mind.
⏱ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction & Clayton's Background 04:30 Space as a Military Domain 10:00 Starlink, Ukraine & Space Warfare 18:00 GPS Vulnerabilities 23:00 Space Congestion & Collision Risks 30:00 U.S. vs China Launch Competition 37:00 The Moon & Strategic Resources 44:00 Space Force & Future Doctrine 52:00 Rapid Fire Questions
HOW TO FIND GLENN CORN
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multiple-time Chief of Station.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
ABOUT OUR GUEST – CLAYTON SWOPE
Clayton Swope is Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow for Defense & Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
CSIS Profile: https://www.csis.org/people/clayton-swope
Follow CSIS Aerospace Security Project: https://www.csis.org/programs/aerospace-security-project
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Get the daily intelligence brief Glenn reads—covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, military operations, and sanctions. Stay ahead of the news cycle.
On the ground in Kyiv. Power outages. Drones overhead. War in real time.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Glenn Corn records from Kyiv, Ukraine, joined by Phil, a senior commander in Ukraine's Third Corps and Chief Unmanned Systems Officer.
Phil is not a media personality. He is actively fighting this war.
They discuss:
What modern warfare actually looks like in 2026
How Russia has shifted from mechanized assaults to infiltration tactics
Why drones have fundamentally changed the battlefield
The reality behind Russian propaganda victories
How energy infrastructure attacks are meant to terrorize civilians
The psychological dimension of this war
What Europe understands — and what it doesn't
Whether negotiations are real or simply delay tactics
Why this war is not just about territory
Phil explains that Ukraine is not negotiating land — because this is about survival, not square kilometers.
He also shares how Ukrainian resilience holds, even during blackouts and -20°C winter nights.
This is not theory. This is not analysis from afar. This is war described by someone living it.
🎙️ In this episode, we cover: • The evolution of Russian tactics on the front line • Why infiltration replaced armored assaults • Drone dominance and battlefield adaptation • The cost of Russia's missile campaign • Civilian energy infrastructure as a weapon • Russia's foreign fighters and manpower strategy • The illusion of territorial "gains" • The reality behind negotiations • What it would actually take to end the war
⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 Glenn in Kyiv 02:00 Phil's Background (From IT CTO to Commander) 05:00 Davos & Europe's View of the War 10:00 Russia's Strategic Objective 15:00 Modern Battlefield Tactics 19:00 Drone Warfare & Infiltration 24:00 Russian Casualties & Foreign Fighters 29:00 Energy Infrastructure Attacks 33:00 Negotiations: Real or Delay Tactics? 38:00 What Would End the War? 43:00 The Human Dimension 47:00 Final Thoughts from Kyiv
HOW TO FIND GLENN CORN
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multiple-time Chief of Station.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
RESTRICTED HANDLING
Subscribe and receive the daily intelligence brief: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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Drones. Ukraine. China. Deterrence. The Future of War. This episode goes deep on where modern warfare is heading—and why the next 12–24 months matter more than most people realize.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Ryan Fugit (former Army & CIA officer) is joined by Mike Pako Benitez, former F-15E Weapon Systems Officer, Weapons School graduate, Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, defense technologist, and founder of The Merge—one of the fastest-growing military aviation and defense technology newsletters.
With Glenn Corn traveling in Eastern Europe, Ryan and Mike dive into the drone revolution, lessons from Ukraine, U.S. defense production realities, and why cost, scale, and speed now matter more than gold-plated performance.
Mike also shares insights from his current role as CEO of Purple Rhombus, a drone startup focused on affordable mass—building systems designed for real production, not PowerPoint warfare.
This conversation connects battlefield reality to defense acquisition, industrial base constraints, and deterrence against China and Russia, while tackling the big question everyone is asking:
Is manned aviation going away—or evolving?
🎙️ In this episode, we cover: • What ISIS drones (2014–2016) reveal about today's drone warfare • Why Ukraine's innovation cycle is measured in weeks, not years • Where the U.S. is falling behind on drones—and why • Cost, scale, and production as the new center of gravity • Why defense procurement is finally starting to change • China's supply-chain advantage and the rare-earth problem • Why affordable, expendable systems matter more than perfection • The future of manned aviation and man-machine teaming • What actually keeps defense leaders up at night
This episode is practical, unsanitized, and grounded in real experience—from cockpit decisions to factory floors.
If you want to understand how wars are actually fought now, and how the U.S. can still win the next one, this episode is essential.
⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro & Mike Benitez Background 02:20 What Is The Merge? 03:45 The Real Origins of Drone Warfare 06:30 Ukraine's Innovation Cycle 10:30 Where the U.S. Is Behind 14:30 Cost, Scale, and Production Reality 18:45 China, Supply Chains, and Rare Earths 22:00 The Future of Manned Aviation 26:00 Deterrence, Capacity, and Credibility 31:00 What Keeps Mike Up at Night 34:30 Purple Rhombus & Affordable Mass 37:30 Final Thoughts
HOW TO FIND MIKE PAKO BENITEZ
The Merge – Defense, Aviation, and National Security Newsletter https://themerge.co/
Purple Rhombus – Drone Systems & Affordable Mass https://www.purple-rhombus.com/
RESTRICTED HANDLING Subscribe, contact, and get the daily intel brief https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read—covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Stay ahead of the news cycle.
Serbia. The Balkans. NATO. Russia. History. Power. This episode is a masterclass in how unresolved history shapes modern geopolitics.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, hosts Ryan Fugit (former Army & CIA officer) and Glenn Corn (34-year CIA veteran, multiple-time Chief of Station) are joined by Ambassador (ret.) Anthony Godfrey, former U.S. Ambassador to Serbia and a career diplomat with nearly 30 years in the State Department and 12 years in the U.S. Navy.
Ambassador Godfrey brings firsthand experience from Serbia, Russia, Chechnya, Belarus, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, and beyond—offering rare insight into the Balkans, NATO cohesion, Russian influence, and why this region still matters for U.S. national security.
The conversation spans everything from Greenland and Arctic security to the fragile political balance in the Western Balkans, including Serbia's relationship with Russia, China, the EU, Bosnia, and Kosovo. Godfrey also shares extraordinary personal stories—from being declared persona non grata to navigating expeditionary diplomacy in some of the world's toughest environments.
Along the way, Ryan, Glenn, and Ambassador Godfrey break down: • Why the Balkans remain strategically volatile • Serbia's balancing act between the West and Moscow • Bosnia's unresolved political structure and rising risk • Kosovo as an enduring flashpoint • NATO's value—and the danger of undermining it • China's quiet economic leverage in the region • Why economic stability is the real key to long-term peace • Lessons from decades of frontline diplomacy
This episode combines hard geopolitical analysis, historical context, and unfiltered war stories—the kind of insight you only get from people who were actually there.
If you want to understand why the Balkans still matter, how Russia exploits fractures, and what the U.S. should be doing now, this episode is essential listening.
🎙️ In this episode, we cover: • Ambassador Godfrey's career across Eastern Europe and Eurasia • What it really means to be declared persona non grata • Greenland, Arctic security, and NATO cohesion • Serbia's political and economic trajectory • Bosnia and Herzegovina's fragile structure • Kosovo as a long-term security risk • Russian and Chinese influence in the Balkans • Why EU accession matters for U.S. security • Operation Halyard and forgotten U.S.–Serbian history • Why diplomacy still matters in unstable regions
⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro & Ambassador Godfrey's Background 04:30 Being Declared Persona Non Grata 10:15 Greenland, NATO, and the High North 15:00 Why the Balkans Still Matter 20:30 Bosnia's Fragile Political System 26:00 Serbia's Balancing Act: EU, Russia, China 32:30 Kosovo and Regional Stability 38:30 Operation Halyard & WWII History 45:30 Life as a Diplomat: War Stories 52:30 Final Thoughts & Lessons Learned
HOW TO FIND GLENN CORN
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer, multiple-time Chief of Station, and current professor at the Institute of World Politics.
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
RESTRICTED HANDLING Subscribe, contact, and get the daily intel brief https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read—covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Stay ahead of the news cycle.
Today it's: Greenland. Davos. Russia. Espionage. Serbia. Ukraine.
In this Ryan & Glenn–only episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, the hosts break down a whirlwind week in global geopolitics, from President Trump's Davos speech and the Greenland controversy to Russia, Ukraine, China, and the legacy of one of the most damaging spies in U.S. history.
Fresh off travel to Serbia, Glenn brings firsthand insight into the Balkans, great-power competition in Eastern Europe, and how countries caught between East and West navigate pressure from Moscow, Brussels, and Washington. The conversation then pivots to Aldrich Ames, whose death reignites hard lessons about betrayal, insider threats, and the human cost of espionage failures.
Along the way, Ryan and Glenn also cover:
Why Greenland suddenly matters—and what the U.S. may really want
NATO, Arctic security, and whether allies are finally stepping up
Iran's protests: stalled, paused, or still building?
Russia's weakening position and what comes after a ceasefire
China's quiet posture at Davos—and why that may be intentional
Serbia's balancing act between NATO, Russia, and the EU
Why betrayal inside intelligence organizations cuts deeper than anything else
This episode is part geopolitical analysis, part intelligence tradecraft, and part real-world storytelling—without guests, without filters, and without headlines driving the narrative.
If you want context instead of outrage—and experience instead of speculation—this episode is for you.
🎙️ In this episode, we cover:
What Trump's Davos speech signals about Greenland and Arctic security
Why Greenland became a flashpoint almost overnight
NATO burden-sharing and European reactions
Glenn's trip to Serbia and what it reveals about East–West competition
The death of Aldrich Ames and lessons from one of the worst espionage betrayals ever
Insider threats, loyalty, and how intelligence services fail
Russia's position in Ukraine as pressure mounts
China's strategic silence on the global stage
Why geopolitics rarely moves in straight lines
⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro: Davos, Greenland & a Big Week
02:00 – Why Greenland Suddenly Matters
05:30 – NATO, Europe & Arctic Security
09:00 – Iran Protests: Pause or Pressure Cooker?
12:30 – Glenn's Trip to Serbia: East vs. West
15:45 – The Aldrich Ames Case: Betrayal Inside Intelligence
22:30 – Russia, Ukraine & What Comes After a Ceasefire
27:30 – China's Quiet Strategy at Davos
31:30 – Final Thoughts & What to Watch Next
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Iran. Prison. Protest. Power. This is not theory. This is lived experience.
In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, recorded from the Institute of World Politics (IWP) media studio in Washington, DC, hosts Ryan Fugit (former Army & CIA officer) and Glenn Corn (34-year CIA veteran, multiple-time Chief of Station) sit down with Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman who spent years imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Emad Shargi was detained by the IRGC in 2018, held in Evin Prison, and reduced to a number—97010. His story is a powerful case study in Iran's hostage diplomacy, repression, and the reality inside the regime's prisons. Today, Emad is a leading voice on Iran's internal collapse, protest movements, and what may come next.
🎙️ In this conversation, we cover:
What it's like to disappear into Iran's prison system
Why today's protests are different from 2009, 2017, and 2019
How the IRGC and Basij actually operate on the ground
Whether the regime could collapse—and how fast that can happen
What comes after the Islamic Republic
Why comparisons to Iraq are wrong
The roles of Russia, China, Turkey, and Israel if Iran destabilizes
How the U.S. can support the Iranian people without backfiring
Glenn Corn, now a professor at IWP, adds deep regional and intelligence context drawn from decades in the field, including how authoritarian regimes fall—and why echo chambers are so dangerous.
🧠 NOTE: For those interested in connecting with Emad Shargi or learning more about his work and advocacy, please reach out directly through Restricted Handling at 👉 https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
This episode is raw, unfiltered, and essential for anyone trying to understand Iran, regime collapse, and what real freedom movements look like up close.
⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro & Recording from IWP
01:30 – "97010": Inside Iran's Prison System
05:00 – Why Today's Protests Are Different
08:45 – IRGC, Basij, and Regime Repression
13:30 – Could the Regime Collapse—and How Fast?
18:45 – Russia, China, and the Exit Options
23:30 – What Comes After the Islamic Republic
28:30 – How the U.S. Can (and Can't) Help
32:30 – Final Thoughts: Hope, Risk, and Reality
🔗 LINKS & REFERENCES
Glenn Corn
Institute of World Politics – Faculty Profile https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/
Great South Bay Consulting https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
Restricted Handling
Subscribe & Contact https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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In this explosive episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, Ryan Fugit is joined by Glenn Corn and David Fitzgerald—a 37-year CIA veteran and former multi-time Chief of Station—to break down one of the most consequential geopolitical operations in recent history: the U.S. apprehension of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
In the early morning hours of January 2, U.S. forces executed a highly coordinated interagency, combined-arms operation involving Delta Force, special operations aviation, CIA, DEA, NSA, NGA, and conventional forces. The mission—described publicly as an apprehension operation—resulted in Maduro and his wife being moved to the United States.
This conversation goes far beyond headlines to explain how it was done, why it matters, and what comes next.
INSIDE THIS EPISODE:
• How the U.S. intelligence community set the conditions months in advance • CIA operations without diplomatic cover—and what that really means • Why Venezuela's oil industry (PDVSA) is central to the transition plan • Chevron's unique role and why it never left Venezuela • Lessons from Panama, Haiti, Iraq—and what not to repeat • The real power dynamics inside Venezuela's ruling party • Narco-state realities, cartel corruption, and Cuban intelligence penetration • China's strategic dilemma and why Beijing may stay surprisingly neutral • What this operation signals to Cuba, Nicaragua, Iran, and beyond • Why the hard part starts now after the capture of Maduro
This is a rare, candid discussion between professionals who have planned, supported, and executed real-world intelligence and stabilization operations. No cable-news fluff—just clear, experienced analysis from people who've been there.
ABOUT THE GUESTS
David Fitzgerald is a former CIA officer with nearly four decades of experience, including multiple tours as Chief of Station across Latin America and senior roles supporting major counterterrorism and stabilization operations.
Glenn Corn is a former senior CIA officer and geopolitical risk expert, known for his deep regional expertise and strategic advisory work.
Find Glenn Corn and David Fitzgerald at Vector One Global https://www.vectoroneglobal.com/our-company
Glenn Corn is also with Great South Bay Consulting, providing high-level strategic insight for leaders navigating global instability https://greatsouthbayinc.com/
WHY THIS MATTERS:
The apprehension of Maduro isn't just about Venezuela—it reshapes the balance of power across the Western Hemisphere. What happens next will determine whether this becomes a model for successful transition… or a warning of what not to do.
Don't miss the next move. Go to 👉 https://restrictedhandling.com and get FREE daily intel briefs delivered straight to you.
EPISODE CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro 06:10 – Inside the CIA & Delta Force Mission 13:45 – What Happens After Maduro? 20:40 – Narco-State Reality & Cuban Influence 28:55 – Global Ripple Effects: China, Russia & Cuba 35:40 – The Hard Part Begins
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