How Does the CIA Recruit Russian Spies?
CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING — As any good intelligence officer will tell you, recruiting spies is a tough business. Not only do you have to identify […] More
Espionage
Spies Who Come Out in the Summer
CHALK MARKS / OPINION — Intelligence officers in the CIA talk about three things when they are together in the field: Headquarters officers mostly talk […] More
‘Lamps are Going Out all over Europe’ when it comes to Russian Espionage
OPINION — The day before Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, the Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey remarked to a friend that “the […] More
Chalk Marks: A Review of The Sympathizer
ENTERTAINMENT — “I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.” This opening sentence of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel The Sympathizer […] More
The Latest
Why ‘Ronin’ is an Espionage Classic
CHALK MARKS / COLUMN — If you craft a list of professionals who by virtue of their job knowingly undertake an effort they expect to […] More
E-Commerce Lessons for Espionage
OPINION — I recently enjoyed an overdue reunion with some college friends, wrongly assuming war stories from this retired CIA officer would wow my pals […] More
Why the Classic Movie ‘Spy Game’ Gets it Right
OPINION — Many moons ago, when I started my training as an operations officer, the world and country were in a different place. Everyone I […] More
Gen Z and CIA is a Relationship in Need of Counseling
OPINION — As a mere “wretched pensioner” in retirement (words taken from my good friend and former CIA colleague Doug Wise), I spend a great […] More