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Spy Versus Spy: Iran’s Playbook for Espionage in Israel

Spy Versus Spy: Iran’s Playbook for Espionage in Israel

OPINION — Israel’s intelligence penetration of Iran played out in dramatic form over the course of the 12-day war this summer, but Iran is running an [...] More

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TAKING HONORING THE FALLEN TOO FAR? U.S. Air Force leadership is extending military funeral honors to Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran who was shot and killed by a security officer as she tried to climb through a broken window of a locked door inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. When Babbitt was buried, her family asked for funeral honors since Babbitt had served five years on active duty and several more in the Air National Guard. But the request was turned down because at the time, participating in an insurrection was considered conduct unbecoming. That was then. Now, Undersecretary of the Air Force Matthew [...] More

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In a recent opinion piece published in The Cipher Brief, former senior CIA Executive Mark Kelton suggests that the country’s leading intelligence organization has a trust problem both with policy makers and the public. One component of that problem that Kelton argues poses an existential threat to the Agency, is leakers. Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly talks with Kelton – who oversaw the CIA’s response to the devastating intelligence leaks made by Edward Snowden – about why he believes the future effectiveness of the Agency depends on restoring trust.

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Ambassador Joe DeTrani’s The North Korean Threat: Intelligence and Diplomacy — A Personal Memoir is a candid insider’s account of more than three decades navigating the perilous world of U.S.–North Korea relations. We’ll talk with him about some of his experiences as a CIA officer, senior U.S. negotiator, and Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks. In his book, which is available for free at this site, DeTrani blends gripping personal stories with sharp analysis of nuclear diplomacy, intelligence challenges, and the delicate regional dynamics that shaped negotiations. The memoir offers rare insights into the mindset of Pyongyang’s leadership and the enduring importance of vigilance, credible intelligence, and sustained dialogue.