State Secrets

Writing a book was something former senior CIA Officer Rob Dannenberg never thought he’d do, but as he started reflecting on the ways he and his former colleagues would celebrate the successful recruitment of a new agent or the end of an operation that he couldn’t talk about, he started thinking about the cocktails he and his colleagues would order to mark the occasion. Dannenberg recruited former colleague Joseph Mullin, CSW to help him compile not only the best recipes for the cocktails that defined their careers, but also for the stories that make them all the tastier.

Rare Earth minerals might not be at the top of your panic list today but when it comes to U.S. national security, it’s an issue that has the potential to have the greatest impact on both our way of life and our future security. It was on the agenda at the recent G7 meeting where world leaders agreed to prioritize a joint strategy to protect critical mineral supply chains. But is it too little, too late? Tech executive and investor John Watters saw the signs of potential catastrophe years ago and is hitting the panic button with lawmakers and business leaders about just what’s at stake.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,Ukrainians have used every resource available to fight back. From aid packages and weapons systems acquired from western allies to mobilizing every sector of society to bring innovation to the fight, Ukraine has stayed alive largely because of its adaptations of technology and its ingenuity on the battlefield. As part of a special delegation that visited Kyiv last month – led by former CIA Director General David Petraeus, The Cipher Brief met senior Chief Warrant Officer Joey Gagnard, who retired from the U.S. Special Operations Community earlier this year. As part of that delegation, Gagnard’s unique take on where Ukraine is today when it comes to its use and development of war technologies like unmanned systems – provided some ground truth about where it may be headed.