Intelligence Matters

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with top infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Michael Osterholm, who is also director of the Center for Infectious Disease at the University of Minnesota, about the world's past, present and future handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Osterholm and Morell discuss the essential, still unanswered, questions surrounding vaccine and antiviral production and their manufacturing and distribution to the cities and countries that need them most. Osterholm explains why this virus is unlike any predecessor, and why so many mysteries about its transmission remain. He also explains how China's early handling of the outbreak may or may not have affected the effectiveness of other countries' responses. Intelligence Matters has dedicated a series of episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell offers an in-depth analysis of seven potential national security consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes, among other factors, the possible effects of a prolonged financial crisis, of growing political instability, of escalating conflict in global hotspots, of the threat of a reconstitution of ISIS, and of the consequences of sustained tension in the US-China relationship. He also discusses the role of the United States in navigating an expected period of global turbulence. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Chris Johnson, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies and former senior China analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, about China's internal handling of COVID-19, its subsequent messaging efforts, and the current state of U.S.-China relations. Johnson explains how Xi Jinping's leadership has affected both the domestic and diplomatic responses by Beijing to the outbreak. He also explains some of the likely near-term economic consequences of the pandemic. Johnson and Morell evaluate the state of the relationship between China and the U.S., as well as its likely trajectory. Intelligence Matters will dedicate several forthcoming episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Olivier Blanchard, former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund and Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Blanchard and Morell discuss the near- and long-term global economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the policy response from governments, and the prospects for an eventual recovery. Blanchard also explains recent turbulence in global oil markets and the vulnerabilities specific to lower-income economies. Intelligence Matters will dedicate several forthcoming episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former CIA deputy director John McLaughlin about the immediate and long-term effects the COVID-19 pandemic may have on global national security. McLaughlin and Morell focus on tensions within the U.S.-China relationship that the outbreak has exacerbated, as well as efforts by adversaries like Russia, Iran and North Korea to further destabilize the world order. McLaughlin shares views on the value of leadership to coordinate a response, and voices concerns about a potential void left by an America-First policy. Intelligence Matters will dedicate several forthcoming episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former White House Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor Lisa Monaco about pandemic preparedness and response by the federal government. Monaco, who helped oversee the Obama Administration's response efforts during the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, explains which government agencies play key roles in managing public health crises and preparing for future outbreaks. She shares lessons learned by the teams she led and details of their transition to the Trump administration. She also discusses the current government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Intelligence Matters will dedicate several forthcoming episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell interviews Dr. David Agus, Professor of Medicine and Engineering and Founding Director and CEO of the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine at the University of Southern California. Dr. Agus, who is also a CBS News contributor, explains what scientists have learned about the origins, spread, transmissibility and lethality of COVID-19 -- as well as what remains a mystery. He discusses the policies and practices that have led to successful mitigation efforts and explains how data may be used to better control future global health crises. Intelligence Matters will dedicate several forthcoming episodes to understanding the fundamentals and national security implications of COVID-19. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this revamped episode of Intelligence Matters — re-released while the world contends with the COVID-19 pandemic and the podcast has temporarily suspended new production — host Michael Michael reflects on a July 2018 conversation with CIA's Chief of Talent Acquisition, Sheronda Dorsey, who explains how the agency finds, trains and retains its global network of employees. Morell offers new perspective on the importance of the work of intelligence agencies during a global health crisis. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this revamped episode of Intelligence Matters — re-released while the world contends with the COVID-19 pandemic and the podcast has temporarily suspended new production — host Michael Michael reflects on a 2018 conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and, in 2020, leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Morell and Fauci discuss how pandemics and epidemics arise and how their spread can affect national and international security. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, retired Admiral Sandy Winnefeld speaks with retired General Philip Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander of U.S. European Command, about the trajectories of the United States' relationships with North Korea, China, Russia, Europe, and other adversaries and partners. Breedlove addresses the leadership characteristics and regional objectives of each nation and assesses U.S. engagement to date. He and Winnefeld also discuss the U.S. military's capabilities and readiness for potential confrontation with key adversaries. Breedlove reflects on his career at all levels of the U.S. Air Force. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, guest host Adm. James "Sandy" Winnefeld (ret.) speaks with Robert Work, the 32nd United States Deputy Secretary of Defense for both the Obama and Trump administration. Work and Winnefeld discuss the Pentagon's "Third Offset" Strategy, and delve into the military applications and ethical dimensions of technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum science. They also review the Defense Department's transition from focusing on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency to great power competition. Work, now the Distinguished Senior Fellow for Defense and National Security at the Center for a New American Security, explains how Russia and China are developing a range of technologies in an effort to leapfrog the U.S. in the military realm. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with David Ignatius, award-winning foreign affairs columnist for the Washington Post and best-selling author of more than ten spy novels. Morell and Ignatius discuss the mechanics of national security journalism and Ignatius’ experience reporting from the Middle East. They discuss the current leadership and dynamics of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel and Palestine. They also discuss Ignatius’ success as a writer of spy fiction, including his forthcoming novel, The Paladin. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Judd Devermont, director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former senior analyst in the intelligence community. Devermont discusses areas of instability on the continent and the areas where the U.S. has an opportunity to pursue national interests. He reviews areas of progress and setbacks in governance and security, and explains why he believes there has been a ‘democratization of leadership’ in Africa. Devermont also reviews Chinese and Russian investments and operations on the continent, and explains why they each have significant long-term implications for U.S. security. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Ben Buchanan, Assistant Teaching Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and Senior Fellow at the University’s Center for Security Studies. Morell and Buchanan discuss the intersection of technology and statecraft, focusing on the potential effect artificial intelligence-driven technologies may have on the geopolitical dynamics among nations. Buchanan reviews some of the central questions surrounding AI, including how autocratic governments and democratic governments may leverage it and how offensive cyber operations may come to rely on it. Buchanan also shares elements of his forthcoming book, The Hacker and the State. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell interviews former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon at the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy And International Security at George Mason University’s Schar School Of Policy And Government. Morell and Gordon discuss the importance and evolution of the craft of intelligence, the effect of technological change, and the need to make unclassified intelligence available to a broader customer base. Gordon discusses her time in government – spanning seven presidencies – and the circumstances of her departure from the role of PDDNI last year. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with author and journalist Robert Worth, who conducted a rare interview with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, for a profile featured in the New York Times Magazine. Worth, who previously worked as the New York Times’ Beirut bureau chief, explains the internal politics of and regional dynamics surrounding the United Arab Emirates, and explains why M.B.Z. is among the most powerful Arab leaders today. He also shares unpublished anecdotes from his reporting. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Evelyn Farkas, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia during the Obama administration and current Democratic candidate for New York’s 17th Congressional District. Morell and Farkas discuss the recent surge in congressional candidates with backgrounds in national security and the rigors of pursuing elective office. Farkas shares her views on the Trump administration’s strategies vis a vis Iran, Russia and China. She also weighs in on ongoing election security threats and the security risks posed by climate change. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with two former top White House officials – Stephen Hadley, National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, and Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama – on the top national security and foreign policy threats likely to be faced by the next commander in chief. Donilon, Hadley and Morell discuss the U.S. strategy to engage with China from a diplomatic, economic, technological and military perspective. They exchange views on the way forward in nuclear talks with North Korea. They also evaluate options for dealing with Iran in the aftermath of the U.S. strike on Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Donilon and Hadley stress the need for better communication and civic engagement among U.S. constituencies. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Shelby Pierson, a career intelligence official recently named the Intelligence Community Election Threats Executive within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Pierson details past, present and future election security threats facing the United States, and explains how the intelligence community has partnered with other government agencies to boost visibility into foreign interference efforts. She explains how the threat landscape has broadened since 2016, and tells Morell what new vectors foreign adversaries may consider using in 2020. Pierson also offers new insights into Russia’s systematic efforts to interfere in the 2016 and 2018 midterm elections. This is the latest installment of a continuing series on "Leadership of the IC," featuring currently-serving senior leadership within the U.S. intelligence community. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, about the agency's analytic and collection missions, its role within the broader intelligence community, and its top areas of focus today. Ashley and Morell discuss the growing number of contested domains and numerous technological challenges with which the U.S. military is actively grappling. They also review near and long-term challenges from Russia, China, ISIS and Iran, including the aftermath of the Trump administration’s strike on Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and senior Obama administration official Samantha Power speaks with host Michael Morell about a wide range of topics, including how the promotion of human rights bolsters global stability. Power and Morell discuss the value of public service and the importance of the rule of law. They also review some of the key foreign policy decisions made by the Obama administration. Power shares anecdotes from her latest book, “The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Sean Roche, a recently-retired senior CIA official who ran the agency’s digital innovation arm. Roche, who spent nearly 30 years at the agency, discusses the early, internal preparations the CIA made in anticipation of both technological challenges and new opportunities in the digital domain – including the creation of the CIA’s first new directorate in more than 50 years. Roche also discusses evolving cyber threats from nation state and non-nation state actors. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Barbara Slavin, former journalist and Director of the ‘Future of Iran Initiative’ at the Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington, DC. Morell and Slavin assess the U.S. foreign policy posture toward Iran and the effect of diplomatic efforts made to date. Slavin offers insight into Tehran’s calculus as the 2020 presidential elections approach, as well as its rapprochement with Russia and China. She also outlines Tehran’s likely regional and global objectives in the near term. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Susan Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor to President Obama. Rice discusses her career trajectory and some of the major foreign policy decisions she helped inform while serving in the Obama administration. Morell and Rice discuss the value of alliance networks and America's global leadership role. Rice also shares anecdotes from her new memoir, Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the current chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Smith, who has served on the committee for over two decades, discusses the work of overseeing the U.S. military and the late-stage negotiations of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. He and Morell also discuss near- and long-term strategic challenges for the Pentagon, including threats from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, as well as those stemming from artificial intelligence, quantum computing and hypersonic weapons. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with retired four-star U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, who also served as the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and was dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Morell and Stavridis discuss the value of alliances and the strategic foreign policy challenges facing the United States. They also discuss the importance of character and excerpts of Adm. Stavridis’ new book, “Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator from Colorado and a current Democratic presidential candidate. Morell and Bennet discuss the state of American politics and the ideologies and objectives that would define a Bennet administration. Bennet, who was recently added to the Senate Intelligence Committee, discusses the state of U.S. election security and his priorities for confronting Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Bennet also discusses his views of alliances and plans for bolstering global stability. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Sue Mi Terry, senior fellow for Korea at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A former senior CIA analyst, Terry explains why the U.S.-North Korea talks are at a stalemate after months of negotiations and three historic summits between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un. Terry tells Morell Kim has not taken a single step toward denuclearization, nor has he made the strategic decision to renounce his nuclear weapons program, all while continuing to test shorter-range missiles. Terry also outlines concerns about regional proliferation and the prospects of arriving at an interim nuclear deal before the 2020 election. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Carl Ghattas, former executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch, about the bureau's efforts to combat international and domestic terrorism. Ghattas explains how the FBI balances efforts to investigate crimes already committed with those intended to prevent new terror attacks. Morell and Ghattas also discuss the challenges related to the spread of violent ideologies through social and other online media. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Chris Johnson, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former CIA senior China analyst, about the state of play in U.S.-China relations. Johnson offers a portrait of President Xi, who has consolidated power and alliances domestically and throughout the region, and discusses the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to make its own case globally. Johnson and Morell also discuss the latest on the emerging U.S.-China trade deal, Beijing's response to the Hong Kong protests, and the attention paid overseas to the ongoing impeachment inquiry in the U.S. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, Bill Priestap, the former head of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, speaks with host Michael Morell about the evolving counterintelligence challenges facing the United States. Priestap, now a Centennial Fellow with Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, explains how nation-state adversaries are extending their reach beyond traditional espionage channels to target diplomatic, military, business and academic sectors to collect intelligence on U.S. targets. Priestap explains why the lack of immediacy that is characteristic of “gradual” espionage efforts means some of the damage it can cause is undetected, and tells Morell why the academic sector may be particularly vulnerable to the theft of secrets. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell discusses the implications of the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, including the U.S. raid’s operational details and how the terror group’s senior leadership may respond. Morell, who was deputy director of the CIA when Osama bin Laden was brought to justice in 2015, evaluates the intelligence collection opportunities that resulted and makes observations about current U.S. counterterrorism efforts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, former Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis (ret) speaks with host Michael Morell about his military career, and the value of strategic leadership, and the top national security challenges facing the country. The former U.S. Marine Corps general addresses the Trump administration’s the recent decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria and the ongoing threat posed by ISIS. Mattis explains why he believes members of the military should refrain from engaging in political criticism and discusses with Morell how the state of domestic politics has affected U.S. national security. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former senior CIA operations officer Marc Polymeropoulos, who retired from the agency in June after nearly three decades of service in a number of overseas posts. Polymeropoulos discusses the training he received at CIA, the art of recruiting and running assets, and the value of human spies. He discusses some of his assignments while overseas and addresses questions about politics and morale at the agency. Morell and Polymeropoulos also discuss the intelligence implications of the Trump administration’s decision to pull U.S. forces out of Syria. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Kurt Campbell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Asia Group, and Jake Sullivan, former national security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden and director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department, about U.S.-China relations and the long-term strategic threat posed by Beijing. Morell, Campbell and Sullivan discuss the variety of foreign policy challenges facing the Trump administration and the evolving strategies to confront China being discussed. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell appears alongside former CIA Acting Director John McLaughlin and former CIA Senior Paramilitary Officer Phil Reilly at a panel discussion at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, held in partnership with the CIA. Morell, McLaughlin and Reilly each discuss their recollections from both the September 11, 2011 attacks and their immediate aftermath, as well as how the work of intelligence collection and analysis was immediately and irrevocably changed. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with retired U.S. Navy Admiral William “Bill” McRaven, who served as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command from 2011 and 2014. The former Navy SEAL and four-star admiral discusses his family’s military history and his own experiences during some of the most well-known missions of his nearly 40-year career – including the Osama bin Laden Raid and the capture of Saddam Hussein. Morell and McRaven also discuss leadership, service and McRaven’s latest book, “Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell shares his views on and analysis of the recently released whistleblower complaint centered on a call between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Morell reviews the facts that have emerged to date and offers context on the complaint itself. He also addresses allegations surrounding former Vice President Joe Biden. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Richard Haass, former Director of Policy Planning for the State Department and current president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Morell and Haass discuss the arc of American foreign policy and its ideological evolution during the Trump administration. Haass offers his views on policy approaches to China, North Korea, Iran and Russia. He also shares his concerns about the security and stability of the U.S. and its institutions. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell has the tables turned on him – and gets asked the questions in a live taping at the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy & Government. Morell talks with CBS News intelligence reporter Olivia Gazis about his three-decade career at the CIA and top foreign policy issues involving Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea and China. He also discusses technological and other challenges currently facing the U.S. intelligence community. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Todd Owen, Executive Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Owen and Morell discuss the agency's main operational components and the state of U.S. border security. Owen explains the focus and range of the agency's efforts on counterterrorism and narcotics interdiction, addresses migration and asylum trends exacerbating security and humanitarian concerns on the U.S. southern border, and evaluates the U.S.-Mexico operational relationship. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with journalist and author Garrett Graff about his new book, "The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11." Graff and Morell discuss a number of the little-known details contained in the book, which were offered by hundreds of people who lived through the events of September 11, 2001. On the eighteenth anniversary of the attacks, as the day slips "from memory to history," Graff discusses the importance of collecting first-hand accounts that reveal more than just the day"s facts. Morell also offers details from his own experience as the CIA"s daily briefer to President Bush on the morning of the attacks. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former CIA officer Kristin Wood, who served in three different directorates over a two-decade career at the agency. Wood and Morell discuss the process, substance and value of the agency's analytic work and describe how it is delivered to top policymakers. Wood also discusses the growing importance of open-source data to the intelligence community and explains how an Internet-facilitated "firehose of information" has fundamentally changed the work of the country's intelligence analysts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers about recent developments in Afghanistan, the site of America's longest war. Morell and Vickers review the evolution of security challenges in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and discuss the current status of U.S.-Taliban peace talks. Vickers reviews the main pillars of the talks and offers perspective on the potential risks associated with a total U.S. withdrawal. He also offers thoughts on crafting a successful long-term strategy in Afghanistan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto about his new book, "The Shadow Wars," about how Russia and China are leveraging different tools, strategies and battlefields to counter the United States below the threshold of armed conflict. Sciutto explains how emerging domains including cyber, submarine technology and space are increasingly contested by great powers in their pursuit of dominance. Morell and Sciutto also discuss the United States? awareness of and policy responses to measures taken by Russia and China to date. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Juan Cruz, former special assistant to the President and senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council, about the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in Venezuela. Cruz explains the origins of the instability, the U.S. government's response to date, and discusses possible "day after" scenarios that could follow the fall of Nicolas Maduro and the installation of a transitional government. He also tells Morell how Maduro has managed to cling to power and invited support from strategic challengers like Russia, China, Iran and Cuba. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Michael Allen, a former majority staff director for the House Intelligence Committee and senior director at the National Security Council under former president George W. Bush, about the provenance and purpose of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Allen, who wrote a book documenting the office's post-9/11 stand-up, discusses how it came into being and the ways in which it coordinates activities and priorities across the 17-agency intelligence community. Allen also weighs in on the requisite qualities for a new DNI as the Trump administration continues its search for a replacement for Dan Coats. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and 'Stay Tuned' podcast host Preet Bharara about the findings and testimony of former special counsel Robert Mueller. Bharara and Morell review the implications of Volumes I and II of Mueller's report, discuss the health of the rule of law throughout the United States, and the effects of the potential erosion of trust in U.S. institutions. Bharara also recounts the story of his visit to Trump Tower to meet with the president-elect in 2016. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Ambassador Dennis Ross, former Middle East peace envoy and top negotiator, about the prospects for resolving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ross, who served multiple presidents of both parties over the course of a career spanning over three decades, retraces his efforts to broker a peace agreement under presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and explained how early missteps during the Obama administration seemed to derail prospects for a deal. He also evaluates the Trump administration's approach to the impasse and offers thoughts on ongoing challenges in Iran and Afghanistan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon, the country's number two U.S. intelligence official, about the proliferating and accelerating information threats facing the intelligence community. Gordon explains how agencies are preparing to confront a novel set of challenges related to the 2020 presidential elections - in part by boosting transparency - and how it is bolstering relationships with the private and tech sectors. Gordon also weighs in on the leadership of DNI Dan Coats and the wisdom of former senior intelligence officials speaking out publicly about political matters. This is the second installment of a continuing series on "Leadership of the IC," featuring currently-serving senior leadership within the U.S. intelligence community. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices