Category Archives: In The News

From Russia with Love | A History of Poisonings

Targeted killing. Wet jobs. Assassinations. Eliminations. Spy thrillers feature deadly plots in which governments eliminate spies, operatives, dissidents or enemies of the state. Life imitated art with the recent expulsion of 60 Russians from the United States on Monday, in … Continue reading

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Holiday Etiquette – Moscow Rules

        With the holidays fast approaching, we can all use a refresher crash course in guest etiquette in preparation for your timely visit to family and friends! Much like the “Rules of Engagement” for spies, the CIA’s … Continue reading

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Do Former Intelligence Professionals Make Good Political Leaders? (PART 2)

In June of last year, Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi was elected President of Egypt in a landslide. Before becoming Egypt’s sixth president, Sisi had been the Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and its Defense Minister. But more … Continue reading

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Under Cover of Darkness – African Americans in Espionage

“Every shut eye ain’t sleep,” is an African American proverb that aptly addresses the presence and many contributions of African Americans in espionage. These unsung heroes have been active agents in the defense of American freedom on the frontlines and behind the … Continue reading

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UNFRIENDING FACEBOOK: BRITISH INTELLIGENCE AND THE MURDER OF FUSILIER LEE RIGBY

In December 2012, Michael Adebowale, a British-born Muslim convert, did what tens of millions of us do everyday by logging onto Facebook and starting a conversation. The person at the other end of the computer was a senior member of … Continue reading

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10 Amazing Facts About the Trabant

After WWII, East Germany had a hard time establishing a functioning industry. Not only had almost everything been destroyed during the war, but the Soviet Union dismantled most of the factories that were left. A steel embargo of the US, … Continue reading

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‘Never admit anything unless you have to’: Thatcher and Intelligence Secrecy

Legendary British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (October 1925 to April 2013), who would have turned 89 this month, was convinced that Britain’s intelligence services should remain absolutely secret, and tried repeatedly to protect them from the gaze of public scrutiny. … Continue reading

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SPY at the Movies: The Green Prince

The new documentary, The Green Prince, is based on the 2010 memoir, Son of Hamas, by Mosab Hassan Yousef. Mosab is the son of the Hamas founder and leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, and the film centers on his decision to … Continue reading

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Ben Macintyre Q&A “A Spy Among Friends”

Master storyteller Ben Macintyre’s most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth century’s greatest spy story with A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and The Great Betrayal. Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times of London and the … Continue reading

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The Implications of DoD’s New WMD Strategy

In June, the Department of Defense released its newest report: “Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction.” Reports like this from the DoD, State Department, and even CIA are released from time to time and temporarily pique my interest, but … Continue reading

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