Blogs of War (Page 7)

Developing and Leveraging Strategic Foresight

Developing and Leveraging Strategic Foresight

I was recently in Washington D.C. and one of the highlights of the trip was meeting Dr. Mathew Burrows [http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/experts/list/mathew-j-burrows#fullbio]. Dr. Burrows is the Director of the Strategic Foresight Initiative [http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/programs/brent-scowcroft-center/strategic-foresight] in the Atlantic Council’

Intelligence at the State and Local Level

Intelligence at the State and Local Level

I attended a domestic terrorism conference hosted by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness in May and came away very impressed with how they’re approaching the business of intelligence. They have built a great team of analysts and are aggressively pushing high-quality unclassified products directly to

What Will the World Look Like in 2035?

What Will the World Look Like in 2035?

2035 doesn’t seem like an awfully distant point in the future – and it isn’t. However, the pace of change continues to accelerate and we are making significant advances in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, genetics, and other potentially disruptive fields. How will advancements in these areas combine with

Lockpicking 101: Why Your Locks Are Useless

Lockpicking 101: Why Your Locks Are Useless

I recently ran into Daniel Crowley [https://twitter.com/dan_crowley] at the BSides San Antonio [https://twitter.com/BSidesSATX] security conference. He, and other members of Longhorn Lockpicking Club [http://www.meetup.com/li-austin/], had several tables covered with what could have easily been two hundred or more locks

Cutting Through the Hybrid Warfare Hype

Cutting Through the Hybrid Warfare Hype

The conflict in Ukraine sparked a huge surge in interest in hybrid warfare. Phil Walter joins me in this episode to look at the less helpful aspects of that surge, discuss why the concept still matters, and to propose actions that could put us on better footing to deal with

How Will ISIS Evolve and How Will Our Response Evolve with Them?

How Will ISIS Evolve and How Will Our Response Evolve with Them?

In episode 45 I’m joined again by Patrick Skinner, Director of Special Projects for The Soufan Group [http://soufangroup.com/]. Patrick is a former CIA Case Officer, with a background in federal law enforcement, who specializes in counterterrorism issues. In this episode we discuss the danger of an Islamic

Navigating Massive Technological Change

Navigating Massive Technological Change

Andrew Trabulsi, entrepreneur, consultant, and co-editor of Warlords, Inc.: Black Markets, Broken States, and the Rise of the Warlord Entrepreneur [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N6PBC2G?btkr=1], joins me to discuss how profound shifts in technology create risk and opportunities for governments. We look at how artificial intelligence,

A Look at Transnational Crime from a National Security Perspective

A Look at Transnational Crime from a National Security Perspective

Andrew Trabulsi, entrepreneur, consultant, and co-editor of Warlords, Inc.: Black Markets, Broken States, and the Rise of the Warlord Entrepreneur [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N6PBC2G?btkr=1], joined me on episode 42 of Covert Contact to discuss the growing impact of transnational crime and how it intersects with

Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin: Identity, Espionage, and Counterintelligence

Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin: Identity, Espionage, and Counterintelligence

Regular Blogs of War and Covert Contact contributor William J. Tucker joins me to discuss the Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin espionage case. While little is known about the case, and Edward Lin has yet to be convicted, all signs point to a very damaging affair. Lin was born in Taiwan,

What Has Russia Gained in Syria?

What Has Russia Gained in Syria?

Regular Blogs of War and Covert Contact contributor William J. Tucker joins me after a long break to discuss Russia’s intervention in Syria. Why are they there, what were their true motives, what have they gained, and where does this action fit in the context of Russia’s long-standing

Marie von Clausewitz: A Biography of a Wider Experience

Marie von Clausewitz: A Biography of a Wider Experience

Jill S. Russell is a military historian whose interests lie in contemporary security affairs. She has recently submitted her doctoral dissertation on logistics, subsistence and American strategic culture. She has worked as a defence consultant and in the American professional military education system. You can find her writing at Strife

Ungoverned Spaces: What Threat do they Pose?

Ungoverned Spaces: What Threat do they Pose?

Phil Walter has served in the military, the intelligence community, and the inter-agency. The views expressed here are those of the author alone and do not contain information of an official nature. He tweets @philwalter1058 [https://twitter.com/philwalter1058] and blogs at www.philwalter1058.com [http://www.philwalter1058.com/]. This

Russian Weakness with William J. Tucker

Russian Weakness with William J. Tucker

Episode 39 of Covert Contact explores our frequent inability to adequately understand Russia’s strengths and weaknesses. William J. Tucker joins me once again to look at the significant challenges weakening Russia, their ability to act within constraints that would hobble other nations, and how they might evolve and cope

Are Ungoverned Spaces Inherently Dangerous?

Are Ungoverned Spaces Inherently Dangerous?

In episode 40 of the Covert Contact podcast Phil Walter joins me to discuss some of the concepts laid out in his recent post on Blogs of War [https://blogsofwar.com/ungoverned-spaces-what-threat-do-they-pose/] about ungoverned spaces and how they’re viewed from a national security perspective. Phil challenges some of the

Iran’s Quest for Regional Domination

Iran’s Quest for Regional Domination

This episode was recorded just after Iran briefly detained and released 10 American sailors. Researcher Phillip Smyth joined me to discuss that event, the explosion of terrible analysis that it triggered, Iran’s quest for regional domination, and its use of proxies to further those aims. We also look at

LZ Grace: A Place for Warriors to Heal

LZ Grace: A Place for Warriors to Heal

Lynnette Bukowski joins me to discuss LZ Grace Warriors Retreat [http://lz-grace.com/index.html]in the latest episode of the Covert Contact podcast. Lynnette, and many volunteers, have transformed a 38 acre farm in Virginia Beach into a place for members of the special operations community and first responders

Saudi Arabia vs. Iran, The Burns Oregon Militia Standoff, and a New Segment on Russia

Saudi Arabia vs. Iran, The Burns Oregon Militia Standoff, and a New Segment on Russia

William J. Tucker joins me to review the escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the militia standoff in Burns, Oregon. Did Saudi Arabia go too far? Why is the federal government handling the armed militia members in Burns with kid gloves?

Covert Contact Wraps up 2015 with William J. Tucker

Covert Contact Wraps up 2015 with William J. Tucker

Regular contributor William J. Tucker joined me for the final episode of 2015. We discussed holiday terror alerts, Poland’s unusual raid of a NATO-linked counterintelligence center that it operated with Slovakia, the U.S. Army Europe counterintelligence division’s release of a mobile app for soliciting tips, and more.

Art in Diplomacy and Conflict

Art in Diplomacy and Conflict

Dr. Julia Tatiana Bailey is an art historian specializing in visual politics in the Cold War and art as propaganda, diplomacy and resistance. She recently completed a PhD focusing on official and unofficial Soviet-American cultural exchange and works as Assistant Curator of International Art at Tate Modern in London. Julia

Julia Tatiana Bailey: Visual Artists and the Politics of Surveillance in Post-Privacy America

Julia Tatiana Bailey: Visual Artists and the Politics of Surveillance in Post-Privacy America

Julia Tatiana Bailey is an art historian specialising in visual politics in the Cold War and art as propaganda, diplomacy and resistance. She recently completed a PhD focusing on official and unofficial Soviet-American cultural exchange and works as Assistant Curator of International Art at Tate Modern in London. Julia blogs

Phil Walter: Behavior Change and the Instruments of Power

Phil Walter: Behavior Change and the Instruments of Power

Phil Walter has served in the military, the intelligence community, and the inter-agency. The views expressed here are those of the author alone and do not contain information of an official nature. He tweets@philwalter1058 [https://twitter.com/philwalter1058]and blogs at www.philwalter1058.com [http://www.philwalter1058.com/]. This

Understanding and Influencing Enemy Behavior

Understanding and Influencing Enemy Behavior

Phil Walter joins me again to discuss behavior. Why do the actors we seek to influence, friend and foe alike, behave the way that they do? What advantage does a deep understanding of the underlying motivations for their behavior give us? It’s easy to be dismissive of an enemy’

Video Games, Virtual Reality, and Conflict with Robert Rath

Video Games, Virtual Reality, and Conflict with Robert Rath

In episode 32 of Covert Contact freelance writer Robert Rath joins me to discuss video games and the very real violence that surrounds us. Gaming, especially in the first person shooter genre, reflects our view of combat but it can shape our views on the subject as well. Video game

Understanding the Limits of Intelligence and Counterterrorism

Understanding the Limits of Intelligence and Counterterrorism

In episode 31 of the Covert Contact podcast I’m joined by Patrick Skinner. Patrick is a former CIA case officer who specializes in counter-terrorism issues. Patrick’s background in both law enforcement (US Air Marshals and the US Capitol Police) and intelligence has positioned him to understand the full