Straight from the Shoulder

Tensions are erupting between the United States and Venezuela, and in the first few weeks of September alone, the US military conducted multiple deadly strikes on narcotrafficking-linked boats off the Venezuelan coast. But questions abound pertaining to both the legality and political implications of the strikes, and what the latest developments might mean for national security moving forward. On this episode of Straight from the S...

Join us as we discuss Jack Devine’s recent USA Today Op-ed on the narcotrafficking threat, where he argues that Washington should collaborate with Mexico to take down the drug cartels. Jack’s opinion is informed by his time as the CIA Chief of the Latin America Division and Head of the Counter Narcotics Center back in the early 1990s- during which time he was even involved in a collaborative effort to take down Pablo Escobar- the s...

In late May, a New York Times investigation revealed that Russia was churning out deep cover operatives from Brazil for years until a CIA tip and sharp Brazilian policework led to their capture and escape. 

But what exactly is “deep cover” and when and how is it best used?

On this episode of Straight from the Shoulder, Jack and Julia chat to uncover: 

• The historic and contemporary motivations and methods behind the latest Russian ...

In this episode, Jack and Julia discuss the US officials' Signal chat group debacle and why Jack thinks that there’s value in formality when it comes to government decision-making. Tune in for unique insights on:

• How government decisions of import typically get made, and what, if anything, is different about this Signal conversation.
• The evolution of secure communications and what’s lost - and gained - when technology makes ...

2025 began with a tragic, ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans that serves as a disturbing reminder of the enduring terrorism threat both at home and abroad. Join Jack and Julia as we discuss the evolution of terrorism over the past several decades, and what we should be watching out for today. On this episode, we’ll consider:

• How the threat to the homeland has evolved since 9/11, and the role of US agencies and citizen...

In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 US elections, global leaders are recalibrating their political strategies and vying for President Trump’s good favor. But what can we expect over the course of the next two months before Trump takes office, and what’s the broader outlook for global stability?

Join Jack and Julia for a discussion about how President Trump’s second term is already resonating and impacting policy decisions on both...

On the cusp of the 2024 US presidential election, only one thing looks certain: the next US president is going to inherit two major ongoing wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. And right now, these wars appear to be expanding, not shrinking.

Join Jack and Julia for a thoughtful discussion about these ongoing conflicts and what their outcome might mean for the future of global security. On this episode, we’ll consider:

• The ...

Betrayal is a complicated act of “deliberate disloyalty” that can shock and unravel the fabric of any relationship. But when an intelligence officer is caught working for the other side, the damage is amplified - shattering the hard-won trust among colleagues and spy agencies that’s essential to doing effective intelligence work. The reasons why an officer might defect, however, can vary widely and have implications of their own.

Jo...

Hollywood serves as a powerful recruiting mechanism for spy agencies like the CIA- using the screen to glamorize the work of intelligence operatives worldwide- but it also contributes to some of the biggest misunderstandings of what spies do and how they operate. Join Jack and Julia for a fun and enlightening conversation about what Hollywood gets right- and what it gets wrong- in its portrayal of the spy-world.

 On this episode we’...

Many Americans now consider disinformation to be a key national security threat, and disinformation topped the World Economic Forum’s list of short-term global risks for 2024. But what’s the history of disinformation and how is it increasingly interfering in international relations and eroding the trust of civilian populations? Are democratic nations simply more susceptible to disinformation? Whose responsibility is it to limit the...

Given that hostage taking is again in the spotlight after the October 7 Hamas attacks, what is the latest status of Washington’s hostage policy? What can we learn from a review of the past several decades of hostage crises worldwide? And is it possible for Americans to avoid hostage situations in the coming years, even while tensions between democratic and non-democratic countries appear to be on the rise? 

Join Jack and Julia for a...

“How is the world being reshaped by two active wars involving US allies in Europe and the Middle East? And what will the outcome of these conflicts mean in terms of the world we want to live in? Join us for a thoughtful discussion about these destabilizing global conflicts, where we grapple with the question of what’s really at stake. On this episode, we’ll consider:

• The broader implications of supporting Ukraine and what’s curr...