SpyTalk

Mick Mulroy, former Marine, CIA paramilitary officer and ex-Defense Dept. official, offers operational and policy analysis on Iran. He frames military versus diplomatic options. He explains Iran’s economic warfare and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. He discusses risks of seizing islands, asymmetric Iranian tactics, decision-making in Washington, and looming humanitarian shortfalls.

Acclaimed Iranian American writer Hooman Majd talks about the likely future of the Islamic Republic.Hooman Majd is an Iranian-born American journalist, author, and political commentator focused on Iranian affairs. https://x.com/hmajdMinister without Portfolio: Memoir of a Reluctant ExileFollow Michael Isikoff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isikoffFollow Karen Greenberg on Twitter: https://x.com/KarenGreenberg3Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow SpyTalk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ex-CIA op sees no end in sight for Iran conflict. "What you're now looking at is perpetual war," says Reuel Gerecht, former Iran target officer in SpyTalk interview.  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

David Shedd, former Defense Intelligence Agency director and co-author of The Great Heist, offers stark assessments of China and Iran. He weighs the odds of a Taiwan invasion and how Beijing reads U.S. actions. He connects Chinese industrial espionage to global influence strategies and calls for stronger national economic security coordination.

Jon Alterman, a Middle East expert and former State Department official, offers seasoned regional analysis. He unpacks why Iran negotiates to gain leverage, Tehran’s goals of survival and deterrence, and the timing behind recent escalations. He surveys possible Iranian retaliations, constraints on U.S. military options at sea, and the fraught politics of wartime decision making.

Mike German, a retired FBI agent turned national security analyst, gives historical critique of NSPM-7 and surveillance. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Congresswoman on the Judiciary Committee, presses concerns about a secret domestic-terror list and civil liberties. They examine NSPM-7’s broad language, secrecy risks, enforcement reach, and parallels to past political witch hunts.

Larry Pfeiffer, former CIA chief of staff and White House Situation Room senior director, weighs in on intelligence norms and recent controversies. He discusses NSA limits on surveilling Americans. He examines ties and trips linked to pro‑Kremlin actors and the Fulton County probe. He warns about politicization, talent drain, and risks from blurred lines between foreign intel and domestic law enforcement.

How A.I. is revolutionizing the spies’—and spy catchers’—toolkits. With ex-CIA officer Aaron Brown.Aaron Brown | https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-brown-lumbra/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

ISIS and other Afghan-based terror groups are growing stronger, a new UN report says. Expert Colin Clarke explains why.Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow Karen Greenberg on Twitterhttps://x.com/KarenGreenberg3Follow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substack https://www.spytalk.co/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jacob Kaarsbo, former senior Danish intelligence officer and author of Subverted, explains why Greenland suddenly became a geopolitical flashpoint. He discusses Trump’s designs, MAGA-linked influence operations and efforts to stir Greenland separatism. He also covers NATO strains, European moves toward defense independence, and the role of disinformation and foreign actors in Arctic politics.