John Kiriakou is a former CIA counterterrorism officer and the only intelligence official to blow the whistle on America’s torture program and ultimately pay the price with prison time.
In this revealing conversation, Kiriakou takes us inside the world of spy recruitment, from spotting targets at diplomatic parties to the devastating personal costs of intelligence work. He explains how a childhood fascination with the Middle East led to a 15-year CIA career, his role in capturing high-value Al-Qaeda targets after 9/11, and the moral reckoning that changed everything. We also explore his analysis of current geopolitical tensions, from Iran’s nuclear program to the growing risks of escalation in the Middle East.
We also spoke about:
- How the CIA recruits spies using the "spot, assess, develop, recruit" cycle
- The personal cost of counterterrorism work — losing his marriage after being targeted by Greek terrorists
- Leading the capture of Abu Zubaydah and witnessing the birth of America's torture programme
- Why he became the sole CIA officer to publicly oppose enhanced interrogation techniques
- His 23-month prison sentence for revealing torture to the American public
- Analysis of current Middle East tensions and the intelligence behind Iran policy
- Media manipulation and finding reliable sources in an age of disinformation
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