Rational Security

This week on the show: The FBI rules out terrorism in the awful train crash in Pennsylvania. But why are we so quick these days to ask whether every accident was caused by terrorists? Congress is poised to pass new legislation on surveillance. And what does a new report on Iranian hackers tell us about the standards of intelligence in the age of cyber war? Plus in our object lesson, we go to the movies with an Ethan Hawke film on drones, and in North Korea, death by very, very big firing squad.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Triple Entente Beer Summit was a great success, with an audience that filled the Washington Firehouse loft and a cast that mashed up Lawfare, Rational Security, and the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast.  We attribute the podcast’s freewheeling interchange to the engaged audience, our profound respect for each other, and, mostly, the beer. After a discussion of between the combined panels, we throw the event over to the audience, which demonstrates that we could have produced almost as good a program by randomly selecting audience members to appear on the panel with us.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show: The New York Times names the senior CIA officials who have run the agency’s drone program. Were they right or wrong to do it? Speaking of drones, it turns out the CIA’s program in Pakistan was given an unusually long leash. And Bashar al-Assad may be losing in Syria. Plus, in our Object Lesson, spy fashion. You, too, can dress like a spook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special guest Wells Bennett joins Shane and Tamara to talk about the U.S. strategy in Yemen. What is it? And just how big a nightmare? Also, Washington takes the cyber wars West, to Silicon Valley. Plus, spy gardens and swashbuckling pilots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast, the gang discusses Congress weighing in on the Iran nuclear deal. Sunni, Shia, let’s call the whole thing off. And a key Al Qaeda leader who was once held in Guantanamo is killed in a U.S. drone strike. Plus, Ben joins the surveillance state, and Shane solves a mystery from last week's episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, the gang welcomes special guest Jonathan Rauch, Brookings fellow, journalist, and longtime friend. On the agenda: Cyber attacks are way more damaging than we previously thought. Saudi Arabia’s Shiites fear a backlash in the Yemen war. And Congress is up to...absolutely nothing on surveillance reform and the new AUMF. Plus, in our Object Lesson segment, you too can take down a mugger while wearing high-heeled shoes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The talks over Iran's nuclear program are hurtling towards some vague, yet-to-be-defined conclusion. President Obama opens a new front in the cyber wars. And Rashomon comes to Egypt. Plus, "Wild Tales," and birthday cakes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The gang unravels the Israeli election results and the unpleasant White House-Israel tensions they have sparked. Tamara talks about Yemen's ongoing disintegration. And Shane discusses China's admission, at long last, that it really does offensive cyber operations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ben handicaps the Israeli election. Special guest Merritt Baer considers how our increasingly "interoperable" world may put security at risk (or enhance it). And Shane looks at how the FBI is using surveillance tools to catch child predators. Plus, in our Object Lessons segment, an only-in-Washington tchotchke, and an appeal to our audience to help find Shane's grandfather's war buddies.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the gang dissects David Petraeus' plea deal for giving highly classified information to his mistress. CIA Director John Brennan proposes big changes in the way the spy agency runs. And a new census of ISIS’ social media campaign. Plus, in our Object Lessons segment, gargoyles and the Rational Security chainsaw massacre.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.