The Decision Advantage

There are people in this world who need protecting; among them presidents, royals, diplomats, the rich and the famous. And then there are the people who do the protecting; the secret service, the bodyguards, the security officers. But who are these people and how are they trained? And why do they undertake such a profession?

How did Cold War governments plan to preserve the continuity of power in the face of devastating nuclear war? Lots of planning and a fair amount of creative problem solving. In this episode of the Stratfor Podcast, Chief Security Officer Fred Burton sits down with author Garrett Graff to discuss his book, Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself–While the Rest of Us Die.

Iraq, resting at the heart of the Middle East, is no stranger to conflict or controversy. Its role as a regional power dates back to the beginning of civilization, but so do its challenges, wedged between other countries vying for influence. In this episode of the Stratfor Podcast, Middle East and North Africa analysts Emily Hawthorne and Ryan Bohl sit down to explore the geopolitics of Iraq, from its geography and early history to the handful of critical decisions that have shaped the Iraq we know today.

Read our latest analysis on this topic and more at Stratfor Worldview. If you’re not already a Worldview member, you can subscribe today at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/subscribe

Related Reading:
The Tricky Business of Rebuilding Iraq - https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/iraq-war-rebuild-reconstruction

Collected Stratfor Analysis on Iraq - https://worldview.stratfor.com/region/middle-east-and-north-africa/iraq

A Brief Guide to Understanding the Kurds - https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/brief-guide-understanding-kurds

Have a question or comment for the Stratfor Podcast? Leave us a message and we may include your comment in a future episode. You can leave a message for our podcast team at 1-512-744-4300 x 3917 or email us at [email protected].

North Korea has indicated its interested in holding a second summit between Kim Jong-Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House has indicated its interest in a summit as well, but when would it take place... if it happens at all? Stratfor Senior Vice President of Strategic Analysis Rodger Baker explains the geopolitical constraints and opportunities surrounding any second U.S.-North Korea summit.

On April 18, 1983, a vehicle packed with explosives detonated in front of the United States Embassy in Beirut. Those killed in the suicide attack included the entire U.S. intelligence presence in Lebanon at that time. The man sent by the CIA to pick up the pieces was William Buckley.

Buckley’s story is the focus of the latest book from New York Times best selling authors Fred Burton and Samuel Katz. In this episode of the podcast, host Ben Sheen sits down with Stratfor Chief Security Officer Fred Burton to discuss Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah’s War Against America.

Read our latest analysis on global affairs as well as historical perspectives on World War II and more at Stratfor Worldview. If you’re not already a Worldview member, you can subscribe today at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/subscribe

Related Reading:
Beirut Rules: The Murder of a CIA Station Chief and Hezbollah’s War Against America by Fred Burton and Samuel Katz - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/532325/beirut-rules-by-fred-burton-and-samuel-m-katz/9781101987469

Lessons from Old Case Files by Fred Burton on Stratfor Worldview - https://worldview.stratfor.com/series/lessons-old-case-files

Conversation with Former Hostage Charles Glass - https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/conversation-former-hostage-charles-glass

Have a question or comment for the Stratfor Podcast? Leave us a message and we may include your comment in a future episode. You can leave a message for our podcast team at 1-512-744-4300 x 3917 or email us at [email protected].

On April 18, 1983, a vehicle packed with explosives detonated in front of the United States Embassy in Beirut. Those killed in the suicide attack included the entire U.S. intelligence presence in Lebanon at that time. The man sent by the CIA to pick up the pieces was William Buckley.

As Great Britain prepared its military to battle Nazi Germany in World War II, a select few were deployed behind enemy lines as part of a new program to lead a resistance, carry out intelligence operations and harass German forces, slowing their ability to solidify control of the continent. In this episode of the podcast, we hear the true story of two brothers tasked with just such a mission.

As China moves toward what it sees as an imperial dawn, in this episode of the Stratfor Podcast we take a look back at the last time China wielded great power on the global stage with professor and author Stephen R. Platt. Platt sits down with Stratfor Senior Vice President of Strategic Analysis Rodger Baker and Asia Pacific Analyst Evan Rees to discuss his latest book, Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China’s Last Golden Age.

What would happen if a U.S. special forces operator with a score to settle brought the insurgent tactics he’d been fighting against overseas back home? That’s the idea behind The Terminal List, the debut novel from former Navy SEAL and Special Operations Task Unit Commander Jack Carr.

War evolves. From technology and tactics to the strategic imperatives shaping the future of conflict, we explore the evolution of war since World War I in this episode of the Stratfor Podcast.