THE SICK (SPY) MAN OF EUROPE: Here is an odd one. The Times newspaper from the UK reports that the German intelligence service, BND, is having a hard time fulfilling its mission because of a whole lot of empty seats. It’s apparently not just jobs that BND has been unable to hire people for (the BND like other government agencies around the world can have recruiting challenges) but in their case, BND officers miss work (claiming sickness) at more than twice the German national average. The Times cites the German paper Bild as their source. Low pay may be an explanation for why people are not signing up in the first place – but calling in sick? Maybe they are moonlighting as Uber drivers. According to the report, more than 1,000 of the 7,200 BND personnel took “over 30 days off due to illness last year.”
SICK REENLISTMENT BONUSES: One outfit that reportedly is not having personnel shortfalls is the U.S. Space Force. The fledgling military service is still pretty small in size and, as far as we know, Guardians are not flooding their bosses in boxes with notes from their doctors. One explanation of what Space Force personnel may be over the moon about is the size of reenlistment bonuses being offered. According to Military.com, Space Force Guardians in seven career fields are eligible for selective retention bonuses “potentially up to $180,000 with a career cap of $360,000 in total.” Sign us up!
WE CAN SEE “OUR ALASKA” FROM OUR BACKYARD: The Kremlin’s explanation for what its military is doing in and around Ukraine has morphed over the past of couple years from “we’re just conducting exercises” to “we are just taking back what is ours.” With that as a backdrop, Russia Media Monitor Julia Davis’ recent post is even more interesting. Davis posted a clip of Russian TV host Olga Skabeeva reiterating something that a member of the Duma said, once calling the U.S. 49th state: “their Alaska.” Skabeeva said that the U.S. only “considers” it to be theirs. Look for a review of Davis’ new book In Their Own Words in The Cipher Brief next week and an interview with her, on our Cover Stories podcast. (PRO TIP: You can be sure not to miss it by subscribing to The Cover Stories podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.)
DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT: According to an article that originally appeared in the Charlotte Observer, an Army JAG officer who was about to be discharged (apparently against his will) in February 2022, “filmed himself deleting Army training materials.” He also called the Russian Embassy in Washington. The former officer, Manfredo Martin-Michael Madrigal, III, allegedly texted a female friend claiming that the Russians had reached out to him – and that “they would like to know what I know.” Now, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office (Western District of Virginia) press release, Madrigal has pled guilty to multiple charges relating to the destruction of Army property and making false statements to federal investigators. He did not face espionage charges – and his attorney was quoted stressing that he is a “wounded warrior” and someone “who has been dry for two years.” So maybe claims of sharing stuff with the Russians was just the vodka talking. No word on his sentencing date.
WAIT, THEY COULDN’T BEFORE? A story by a news organization called “The Media Line” published in The Jerusalem Post reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently issued a decree that “legalizes espionage” in Russia, giving entities in his country the authority to steal and use foreign intellectual property without the consent of the owners. This appears to be an admission that Russia is falling behind the rest of the world in high-tech developments that are useful in the manufacturing of weapons systems and are prepared to use – and admit to – any technique to try to level the playing field. The only surprising part of this news is that Putin felt the need to issue such an order. What’s next? Is he going to legalize tossing dissidents out of Moscow high rise windows?
EXIT STAGE LEFT? We told you recently to keep an eye out for an uptick of senior administration officials deciding they want to spend more time with their families. Now, Bloomberg has reported that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough has told his staff that no matter who wins the November presidential election – he plans to step down from his current position. Politico reported the news in a newsletter titled: “What if Harris Cleans House?” saying that even if Vice President Harris should win election to office in November, it is starting to dawn on senior officials who are now working for President Biden that their days in their current jobs might be numbered. A second Biden term might have meant a lot of returning officials – but now with Biden out of the running, a lot of resumes are apparently being dusted off.
ENTER STAGE RIGHT? The guessing game of who might be coming – and going continued with a recent Axios story focusing on contenders for big jobs in a possible new Trump administration. Axios says former ambassador to Germany and ex-acting Director of National Intelligence, Ric Grenell, might be the new national security advisor – although it is suggested that he’d rather be Secretary of State. Axios also opines that former Senator Bill Hagerty, or current Senator Tom Cotton, might be Foggy Bottom bound – with Cotton also a Secretary of Defense candidate. John Ratcliffe, who was one of Trump’s DNI’s last time – was listed as a possible CIA Director. While that job is technically junior to his old DNI gig – many folks would tell you the CIA position would be a lot more fun.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: A Look Behind the Curtain at The Cipher Brief
A NEW NIGHTCAP: The Cipher Brief is upending its traditional newsletter game and adding a somewhat saucy afternoon take on national security news to its newsletter line up. (Trust us, we know a thing or two about saucy.) The newsletter includes candid comments from former national security professionals, many of them with years in the game, on the stories of the day. One of our favorite outtakes from the Thursday, August 1 edition was a quote from former Chief of CIA’s Eurasia Division Rob Dannenberg on the largest spy swap since the Cold War, announced late Thursday. “It will be welcomed also by many who are clueless about how thugs like Putin operate. As with the exchange for Britney Griner, we have again reinforced Putin and other dictator’s view that it is open season on Americans.” Dannenberg detailed exactly how the Russian president oversees the practice of kidnapping and nagotiations. “Putin has arrested innocent or naive Americans, subjected them to sham trials and had them sentenced to the gulag. He plays the charade until he gets what he wants, in this case, a convicted assassin. In the previous, a merchant of death.” Dannenberg, whose personality best reflects that of a spy and not a diplomat also had his own an idea on how to stop kidnappings like this. “The way to deter this behavior going forward is to arrest Russians, particularly children of oligarchs, who love their travel to the watering holes of the West. And if you wonder what the charges for the arrests might be, remember the quote from Lavrenty Beria, original head of the KGB, who said, “Show me the man and I’ll tell you the crime.” Don’t take it from us though, sign up here for free delivery to your inbox M-F.
POCKET LITTER: Dead Droplets and bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
FAT CHANCE: Maybe we can swap a boatload of Ozempic for a pledge to stop North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Associated Press says North Korean officials are trying to get their hands on medicine to treat Kim Jong Un’s ballooning weight. The forty-year-old portly leader from Pyongyang is believed to be 5 feet 7 inches tall and currently tips the scales at about 308 pounds. A couple years ago, Kim dropped a megaton of weight, but recently, he appears to have gained it all back. Kim’s doctors are said to be worried about his high blood pressure and diabetes, not to mention his family history of heart problems. Speaking of family – there are other reports out claiming that Kim has started training his pre-teen daughter, Kim Ju-ae to eventually fill his shoes. Well, figuratively anyway. The Supreme Leader has other kids, but the 11-or-12-year-old girl is said to be the apple of daddy’s eye and state media refers to her as the “respected daughter” and “beloved child.”
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