BOOK REVIEW: KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet UnionBy Filip Kovacevic / University of Toronto PressReviewed by: Bill HarlowThe Reviewer Bill Harlow served as chief spokesman [...] More

The Nazis Never Left. A Worthy Successor to a Classic Thriller

BOOK REVIEW: REVENGE OF ODESSABy Frederick Forsyth with Tony Kent / G.P. Putnam’s SonsReviewed by: Susan GorgioskiThe Reviewer — Susan Gorgioski is a writer who lives in Australia. She informs us [...] More

I Was Cheney's CIA Briefer: This is the Dick Cheney I Knew

I Was Cheney's CIA Briefer: This is the Dick Cheney I Knew

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — About a week before being interviewed by Richard Bruce Cheney about whether I would be the right person to serve as his national [...] More

20 November, 2025

Matt Berrett

20 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Iraq Middle East

How Myanmar’s Generals Crushed Democracy — And What Comes Next

How Myanmar’s Generals Crushed Democracy — And What Comes Next

OPINION — After decades of military rule in Myanmar, free and fair general elections were permitted in 2015 and the National League for Democracy and [...] More

20 November, 2025

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

20 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani Asia

A file picture taken 12 July 2007 shows the headquarters (aka Lubianka) of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the former KGB in Moscow.

Russia’s Intelligence Services After the War

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Russia’s intelligence services (RIS) have failed spectacularly in Ukraine: in planning, execution, and analysis, yet they will [...] More

20 November, 2025

Sean Wiswesser

20 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Russia Europe Intelligence

The Downside to Mission Focus: Why the Intelligence Community Should Not Forget to Look Inward

The Downside to Mission Focus: Why the Intelligence Community Should Not Forget to Look Inward

OPINION — Not long ago, I was talking to an old friend and China analyst about the need for Intelligence Community (IC) analysts to spend [...] More

19 November, 2025

Josh Kerbel

19 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Intelligence Alternative Perspectives

The Two-Front Nuclear Challenge: Iran, North Korea, and a New Era of U.S. Deterrence

DEEP DIVE — While Washington is focused on Iran’s accelerating uranium-enrichment program and increasingly aggressive regional posture, an equally [...] More

19 November, 2025

Hollie McKay

19 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Iran North Korea Nuclear Middle East Asia

A Constitutional Clash Over Trump’s War Powers in Venezuela

A Constitutional Clash Over Trump’s War Powers in Venezuela

OPINION — “The question before the body is, can the Congress stop a military conflict declared by the Commander-in- Chief because we don’t agree with [...] More

18 November, 2025

Walter Pincus

18 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Ukraine Walter Pincus Fine Print Europe

Can a “Flamingo” Cruise Missile Help Ukraine Turn the Tide?

DEEP DIVE – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky calls it “our most successful missile.” One expert says it’s "Ukraine’s strongest security [...] More

17 November, 2025

Tom Nagorski

17 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Europe Ukraine

Q&A: Interpol’s Cybercrime Chief on How AI is Driving Borderless Cyber Threats

Q&A: Interpol’s Cybercrime Chief on How AI is Driving Borderless Cyber Threats

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — Anthropic’s announcement that Chinese state-sponsored hackers used its Claude AI technology for a largely automated cyberattack [...] More

14 November, 2025

Dr. Neal Jetton

14 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Tech/Cyber

Hezbollah’s Quiet Rebuild

DEEP DIVE — Tucked deep into the cragged hills of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah, the once powerful Iranian-backed militia brought to its knees by a war [...] More

14 November, 2025

Hollie McKay

14 November, 2025

Ethan Masucol

Middle East

Homepage About Us Advertise Careers Contact Get our Newsletter

Opinion The Dead Drop Podcasts

For general inquiries please email info@thecipherbrief.com