On today’s episode (originally aired January 20th, 2024), Matt speaks with aerospace historian Peter Merlin, whose new book, DREAMLAND: THE SECRET HISTORY OF AREA 51, is the first authoritative, scholarly history ever published on the infamous top-secret base deep in the Nevada desert. This isn’t a book about UFOs or conspiracy theories but instead offers a sweeping, comprehensive study of the real Area 51, where for 70 years the US Air Force has developed and tested classified military aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes, the F-117 stealth fighter, and some projects that will remain secret for decades to come.

Purchase DREAMLAND through Schiffer Publishing: https://schifferbooks.com/products/dreamland

Find DREAMLAND and Peter’s other books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Peter-W.-Merlin/author/B001JS0GU6

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Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Chris and Matt are enjoying a late-summer break. Please enjoy this episode of Extra Shot, our bonus show for Patreon subscribers, originally aired May 11th, 2024. Secrets and Spies will return for season 9 with a new Espresso Martini on September 14th.

Take our anonymous listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MSRSSSP

"Asio boss says privacy ‘not absolute’ as he urges social media companies to do more on extremism" by Josh Butler | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/24/asio-boss-says-privacy-not-absolute-as-he-urges-social-media-companies-to-do-more-on-extremism

"Autocracies Are Winning the Information War" by Tom Nichols | The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/05/the-plot-to-discredit-democracy/678315/

"Putin’s Propagandists Rage Against the Republican ‘Betrayal’" by Julia Davis | CEPA: https://cepa.org/article/putins-propagandists-rage-against-the-republican-betrayal/

"The Royal Navy is going through difficult times" by Stavros Atlamazoglou | Sandboxx News: https://www.sandboxx.us/news/royal-navy-woes/

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Hello, everyone. We just wanted to say a huge thank you for your support during season 8. We will be starting Season 9 on the 14th of September.

Before we start the new season, we wanted to hear from you about your thoughts on the podcast and if there is anything you would like us to do.

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Music by Andrew R. Bird

Join us on today’s podcast as we sit down with author and investigative journalist Tim Tate to chat about his fascinating new book, To Catch A Spy. Tim takes us behind the scenes of the SpyCatcher affair, where the Thatcher government of the 1980s tried to silence MI5 whistleblower Peter Wright. It’s a gripping tale of cover-ups, deception, and its impact on MI5 today. So, grab your favourite drink, get comfortable, and enjoy this intriguing conversation with Tim!

To find out more about Tim and To Catch A Spy, visit: https://timtate.co.uk/

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Secrets & Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.

In this episode, we’re joined by Florian Flade, an investigative journalist for Germany’s public broadcaster ARD, based in Berlin. Florian takes us inside the gripping true story of two Russian sleeper spies who lived undercover in Germany for years, posing as an ordinary family. Drawing parallels to the fictional world of The Americans, this real-life espionage tale reveals the extraordinary lengths to which Russia will go to spy on foreign nations. Join us as Florian shares insights from his in-depth research and podcast, shedding light on one of the most remarkable espionage operations uncovered in recent history.

Please note that this episode was recorded before the historic prisoner swap with Russia in early August.

To listen to Florian’s podcast “Die Anschlags – Russlands Spione unter uns”  visit this link: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/die-anschlags-russlands-spione-unter-uns-wdr-und-ndr/13420611/

For more information and to connect with Florian, please follow the links below.

Blog: https://ojihad.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/FlorianFlade

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Secrets & Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.

 

On today’s episode, Washington Post national security reporter and friend of the show, Shane Harris, joins Matt to discuss last week's historic prisoner exchange between the US and Russia, securing the release of several prominent journalists and pro-democracy activists. Shane dives into his reporting on the swap, detailing months of delicate negotiations, who the Russians got in return, and touches on the complicated question of whether these exchanges incentivize autocrats like Putin to take hostage more Westerners and journalists to extract concessions from their governments.

Read Shane’s work for The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shane-harris/

Follow Shane on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/shaneharris

Follow Shane on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@shanewharris

"Inside the deal that led to a blockbuster prisoner swap between US, Russia" by Shane Harris, Yasmeen Abutaleb & Souad Mekhennet: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/08/01/deal-us-russia-prisoner-swap/

Committee to Protect Journalists: https://cpj.org

James Foley Legacy Foundation: https://jamesfoleyfoundation.org

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In today’s special episode, Phillip Smyth, a leading expert on Iranian-backed militias, returns to dissect the latest wave of conflict in the Middle East. Recent escalations have claimed the lives of a dozen Israeli civilians and two senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. Retaliation from Iran and its allies is expected at any moment, leaving the region once again on the brink of a potentially more widespread and unrestrained war. Phillip sheds light on who these two men were and what their deaths mean for their organizations, parses the delicate messaging and maneuvering behind the scenes, and offers his insights on what Iran and Hezbollah’s imminent response might entail.

Phillip’s work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth

Phillip’s work for West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth

Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth

"Who Is Fuad Shukr, Target of the Israeli Strike on Beirut?" by Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman & Euan Ward: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/world/middleeast/fuad-shukr-hezbollah-israel-strike.html

"Bomb Smuggled Intro Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader" by Ronen Bergman, Mark Mazzetti & Farnaz Fassihi: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/world/middleeast/how-hamas-leader-haniyeh-killed-iran-bomb.html

"Iran Arrests Dozens in Search for Suspects in Killing of Hamas Leader" by Farnaz Fassihi: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/03/world/middleeast/iran-security-response-hamas-assassination.html

"Houthis Launch Deadly Drone Strike on Tel Aviv, Evading Israel’s Defenses" by Gabby Sobelman, Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman, Lara Jakes & Erin Mendel: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/19/world/middleeast/houthis-drone-strike-tel-aviv.html

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On today’s podcast, we are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, historian, and journalist Anne Applebaum. In this episode, we discuss Anne’s latest book, Autocracy Inc., which examines how and why autocracies try to undermine democracy.

We also consider what can be done to better protect ourselves from anti-democratic propaganda.

Find out more about “Autocracy Inc” here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725302/autocracy-inc-by-anne-applebaum

Connect with Anne and find out more about her work here: https://www.anneapplebaum.com

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Today, we will look at a Russian operative who was arrested in France, details on the failed assassination of Donald Trump, and a little at President Biden stepping out of the 2024 Presidential race.

On Extra Shot we will be looking at a developing spy case in Australia, Tech Broligarch’s courting Trump, influences driving extreme misogyny and a former US analyst accused of spying for South Korea

To get access to Extra Shot you’ll need to become a Patreon subscriber. You can do that by clicking this link here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/extra-shot-27-07-108936531?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Article Discussed on Espresso Martini

https://theins.ru/en/politics/273350

https://www.twz.com/news-features/experienced-snipers-break-down-the-trump-assassination-attempt

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/23/us/politics/cheatle-secret-service-director-resigns.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/agency-crisis-secret-service-decade-old-staffing-shortfall-rcna162698

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c51ydg792ggo

https://theins.ru/en/opinion/weiss/273301

Youtube Videos Chris mentioned

https://youtu.be/zfATfPIpDc4?si=V1Ut0C0tTpnGKJLd

https://youtu.be/FsvJzfXZI18?si=IW6QqDzgclbpKtfC

Articles Discussed on Extra Shot

https://www.9news.com.au/national/one-of-two-russians-accused-of-attempting-to-leak-australian-military-secrets-to-moscow-told-colleagues-of-special-forces/2207002f-49a1-4d2f-8d2c-e8ec74b3b20e

https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-soldier-and-husband-charged-with-spying-for-russia/72e72264-a236-40e9-89c6-ee1bc27dfb90

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/20/tech-broligarchs-court-trump-vance-elon-musk-peter-thiel

  

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cne4vw1x83po

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/nyregion/sue-mi-terry-cia-south-korea.html

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On today’s special episode, Matt is joined again by Jacob Ware, a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations focusing on domestic and international terrorism. Jacob helps make sense of last weekend’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump, placing it in the larger context of political violence in the United States and the ongoing threat to the presidential election.

Read Jacob’s coverage of the Trump assassination attempt and preventing violence in the 2024 election:

https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/trump-assassination-attempt-poses-new-test-us-democracy

https://time.com/6998930/the-trump-assassination-attempt-represents-a-dark-new-chapter-in-american-politics/

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2024-07-15/trump-assassination-attempt-poses-new-test-for-u-s-democracy

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4411720-assassination-attempts-are-on-the-rise-worldwide-is-the-us-next/

https://www.cfr.org/report/preventing-us-election-violence-2024

Follow Jacob on social media:

https://x.com/Jacob_A_Ware

Support Secrets and Spies: 

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