Michael talks with Army Ranger veteran LTC (Ret.) James Lechner about his book "With My Shield: An Army Ranger in Somalia" about his experience on the ground in Mogadishu in 1993 during the Black Hawk Down raid. They also discuss his recent experience in Ukraine. 

Somalia & Ukraine: Army Ranger veteran James Lechner

Former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell and former CIA Chief Operating Officer Andy Makridis interview top national security leaders -- intelligence officers, military leaders, and policymakers -- on the most critical security challenges of our time. Their interviews offer insights into the world's most pressing problems as well as the effectiveness of the U.S. policy response. They also delve into the biographies and careers of the individuals who have devoted their lives to protecting our nation.

News

Government

Andy talks with Arun Gupta, a venture capitalism lecturer at Stanford University and an adjunct entrepreneurship professor at Georgetown. Arun is also the CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, which focuses on catalyzing and inspiring a renewed spirit of national service through innovation. He is the author of "Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society." In their discussion, Arun shares insights from his experience and book on how to better partner entrepreneurs and the government to solve large problems through a renewed focus on outcomes-based collaboration, and to inspire young people to consider public service careers. Gupta advocates leveraging the optimism of entrepreneurs and the scale of government to address issues like national security, health tech, and climate change.

National Security Entrepreneurship: Arun Gupta

Michael talks with Asfandyar Mir, a South Asia senior expert at the United States Institute of Peace, about Pakistan. The two discuss the U.S. national security interest in Pakistan, relations between the two countries, the influence of China on Pakistan, and the Pakistani Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Pakistan: Asfandyar Mir

Michael talks with Beth Sanner, a career CIA analyst who concluded her tenure with the federal government as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration at the ODNI from April 2019 to March 2021. She discusses the risks and potential next steps in the Israel-Gaza conflict, Iran and the Middle East, Russia's war on Ukraine, and how she rose through the CIA's ranks to become a world-class analyst specializing in South Asia.

Israel-Gaza War & US Threats: Beth Sanner

Michael talks with retired FBI Special Agent Peter Lapp about his new book, "Queen of Cuba: An FBI Agent's Insider Account of the Spy Who Evaded Detection for 17 Years." Peter unveils the remarkable case of Ana Montes, the Defense Intelligence Agency senior analyst who was arrested 10 days after 9/11 for spying for Cuba. Together, Michael and Peter delve into Montes's audacious activities for communist Cuba, the unraveling of her espionage work, her prosecution and current whereabouts.

Catching the 'Queen of Cuba' Spy: Peter Lapp

Andy speaks with former CIA Center for Cyber Intelligence Director Andrew Boyd about protecting systems from the most sophisticated cyber terrorism and hacking attempts. Andrew outlines the current cyber threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and non-state actors like ransomware groups. Andy and Andrew also discuss the US cybersecurity strategy, partnerships between the government and the private sector, and challenges around emerging technologies like AI. 

Somalia & Ukraine: Army Ranger veteran James Lechner

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