Drycleanercast: Espionage, Terrorism & Geopolitics

On this episode I am joined by former CIA analyst turned author David McCloskey. David has written a fantastic new spy novel called Damascus Station”. I have to be honest David’s book is brilliant and sits in my favourite spy novels of all time. On this episode David and I take a look at the situation in Syria, and look at how those real life elements informed his writing.  And we ask the burning question…. Will the CIA hotdog machine return in David’s next book? Tune in to find out more You can connect with David and get a copy of “Damascus Station” via David’s website: https://www.davidmccloskeybooks.com/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the

On this episode we are joined by Bradley W. Hart and Ron Drabkin, who have both been researching the life of Fredrick Rutland. Fredrick Rutland was a British war hero who was nicknamed “Rutland From Jutland” and it is alleged that he may have been a spy for the Japanese intelligence services in the build-up to World War Two.   You can read Bradley and Ron’s paper on Fredrick Jutland here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08850607.2020.1871252 Also the story has recently been reported in the Hollywood Reporter https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/beverly-hills-spy-world-war-ii-pearl-harbor-1235069393/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Beco

On this episode we are joined by Dr Precious.Chatterje-Doody and we discuss her book which she co-authored with Dr Ilya Yablokov called “Russia Today and Conspiracy Theory: People, Power and Politics of RT”  The book is available with a 20% discount here (Use the code SOC21) : https://www.routledge.com/Russia-Today-and-Conspiracy-Theories-People-Power-and-Politics/Yablokov-Chatterje-Doody/p/book/9780367224677#  You can also visit Dr Chatterje-Doody’s website here: https://www.preciouschatterjedoody.com  Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.re

On this episode we are joined by Toby Harnden and we discuss his new book “First Casualty” that takes a look at the first CIA team that went into Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. The book also focuses on CIA officer Mike Spann who was tragically killed on that operation and became the first American casualty in the Afghan War. You can get a copy of the book here:https://tobyharnden.com/first-casualty/ You can find out more about Toby’s work on his website: https://tobyharnden.com/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/6

On this episode we are joined by Dr Helen Fry and we discuss her fantastic new book “Spymaster” that takes a look at the life and work of MI6 officer Thomas Kendrick You can get a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spymaster-Man-Who-Saved-MI6/dp/0300255950/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=helen+fry+spymaster&qid=1633709106&sr=8-1 You can find out more about Helen’s work on her website: https://www.helen-fry.com/ You can also connect with her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrHelenFry and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrHelenFry Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSp

On this episode we are joined by author Mark Simmons and we discuss his book “Ian Fleming’s War” You can get a copy of the book here: https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/ian-fleming-s-war/9780750993265/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies 

On this episode we are joined by author Tom Parker and we reflect on the legacy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Tom has written a fantastic in-depth book called “Avoiding the Terrorist Trap”.   You can get a copy of the book here: https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p995 You can follow Tom on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/tdgparker Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies

We are joined by counterterrorism analyst Angie Gad and we reflect on the legacy of 9/11. You can connect with Angie on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Angieslyst  Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music  Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies

On this brief podcast, I just wanted to take a moment to share my memories of 9/11 in London 20 years ago.  I also wanted to give you a quick update about the podcast. We will have two 9/11 specials over the following week.  The podcast will then take a break over October and return on Friday 5th November and continue once a month, with the odd extra episode if time allows. I just want to say if anyone listening was affected in 9/11 you are in my thoughts on this anniversary.

License to Parent On today’s podcast we are joined by former CIA officer Christina Hillsberg, who has written a fantastic book about how she and her husband Ryan have used their CIA training to raise resourceful and self-sufficient children.   Christina’s book is great as it gives a real snap shot of how CIA officers think and gives practical examples of how they use that training in their day to day lives. I personally think the book is great for spy buffs and it is also a great self-help book for adults who don’t plan to raise children but want to sharpen their own personal skills. There is literally something for everyone in this book! You can find out more about Christina and Ryan’s story and their book here: https://www.christinahillsberg.com/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
 And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music 
Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird)
 You can check ou

On this episode we are joined Dr Ayesha Ray who is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kings College in Pennsylvania. We discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the media and online reaction to the fall of Kabul.  We also take a look at the wider geo-political consequences of the Taliban take over of Afghanistan and we discuss why Pakistan supports them. It’s quite a packed episode! You can follow Dr Ray on twitter here: https://twitter.com/DrAyeshaRay Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with

On this episode of Secrets & Spies, we are joined by former CIA officer and Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist Frank Snepp. Frank was a CIA officer who served in the Vietnam war and he was there at the fall of Saigon, so in light of the recent events in Afghanistan we take a look at the similarity and differences between the fall of Saigon and Kabul. We also discuss the intelligence picture that led up to the chaotic scenes we have witnessed as US and NATO forces attempt to evacuate personnel and Afghan allies from Afghanistan. Frank has asked me to add this about the fall of Saigon: "Because of US Ambassador Graham Martin’s reluctance to accelerate departures and risk upsetting the “controlled conditions he thought were needed for a diplomatic solution to the military crisis, the pullout from Saigon devolved into every man and woman for themselves.  Every agency battled for seat space on outgoing aircraft, violating the quotas assigned to each one. Vietnamese girlfriends and maids wer

On this episode of Secrets & Spies, we are joined by Rolf Mowatt-Larssen.  Rolf is a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Centre, prior to that appointment he was the Director of Intelligence & Counter Intelligence at the US Department of Energy. Before that he served in the CIA for 23 years as an intelligence officer. On this podcast we discuss future intelligence threats such climate change, WMD’s, Chemical Weapons and more. You can find out more about Rolf here: https://www.belfercenter.org/person/rolf-mowatt-larssen And you can get an copy of his excellent memoir “A State of Mind: Faith and the CIA.” https://amzn.to/3eBqUeN Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here:  https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%E2%80%A6BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this

On today’s podcast we are joined by Ben West and we take a look at money laundering, its connection to organised crime and an FBI sting operation called “Trojan Shield”   Ben is a Senior Global Security Analyst with Stratfor, a RANE company. You can read Ben's two articles on money laundering here: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/basics-money-laundering-how-criminal-organizations-move-illicit-revenue-legal-economy  https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/basics-money-laundering-case-studies Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/6

On 28th June 2016 I recorded my first interview for the podcast. Back then the podcast was called “The Dry Cleanercast” named after my film “The Dry Cleaner” and now the podcast is “Secrets & Spies” I have decided to re-air the first episode with a little behind the scenes story about the recording of that first interview. You can find out more about Meredith Tax and her two books “The Double Bind” & “A road unforeseen” here at here website: https://www.meredithtax.org/book.php Thank you for listening to the podcast for five years. Keep an ear out for Season Six starting on Friday 2nd July Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released!   Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm    MUSIC Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU     Please support this podcast   Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast” on

On this episode of “Secrets and Spies”, we are joined by author and former intelligence officer Anthony Wells We discuss Anthony’s excellent book “Between Five Eyes”, which takes a detailed look at UK-US intelligence through a personal lens based on working uniquely for UK intelligence as a British citizen and US intelligence as a US citizen.   You can find out more the book here: https://www.casematepublishers.com/between-five-eyes.html#.YLntCuvTWjg     Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released!   Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm   MUSIC Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU     Please support this podcast   Patreon Become a “Friend of the podcast” on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies     Visit our new memorabilia shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996     Connect with us h

On this episode of “Secrets and Spies”, we are re- joined by author Tim Tate We discuss his latest book “The Spy Who Was Left Out In The Cold” which takes a look at Polish intelligence officer Michal Goleniewski who became one of the West’s most effective Cold War spies.  Michal has largely been written out of western intelligence history.  Join us on the podcast to find out why. You can find out more the book which is available from 27th May here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/112/1120299/the-spy-who-was-left-out-in-the-cold/9781787634015.html You can find out more about Tim’s previous work here: https://timtate.co.uk/ and connect with him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TimTateBooks Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here: youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 And you can buy the film here: www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird) You can check out his work here: https://www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0%

On this episode of “Secrets and Spies”, we are joined by author Henry Hemming We discuss his book “Our Man in New York” which takes a look at the history of the secretive BSC and its mysterious spymaster William Stephenson. Henry and I discuss the myth and facts of BSC’s operations in the US prior to America joining the fight in World War 2 You can find out more about Henry and his book here:
http://henryhemming.com/ Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music
 Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird)
 You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon 
Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3
 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER
twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK
w

On today’s podcast we are joined by Ben West and we take a look at economic espionage past, present and future.    Ben is a Senior Global Security Analyst with Stratfor, a RANE company.  You can read Ben's reports here: Understanding Economic Espionage: The Future Understanding Economic Espionage: The Present Understanding Economic Espionage: The Past Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music
Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird)
You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon 
Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3
www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER
twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/secretsandspies

“Hitler’s American Friends”  On this of “Secrets and Spies”, we are joined by author Bradley W. Hart We discuss his book “Hitler’s American Friends” which takes a look at the history of Nazi sympathisers in America before and during World War Two.  You can get a copy of Bradley’s book here:
https://t.co/HcyUt8s6mB?amp=1 And you can connect with Bradley on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/DrBHart Our film “The Dry Cleaner” has been released! Check out the trailer here:
youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4
And you can buy the film here:
www.drycleanercast.co.uk/watchthefilm Music
Music on this podcast is provided by Andrew R. Bird (Andy Bird)
You can check out his work here: www.monsteromnibus.com/?fbclid=IwAR0…BdNQbuCvt9KWU Please support this podcast Patreon 
Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3
www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Visit our new memorabilia shop:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Connect with us here: TWITTER
twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/secretsa