The Burn Bag – National Security and Foreign Policy Redefined

To the Seventh Floor: Fmr. CIA Director John Brennan on Counterterrorism, Innovation in Intelligence, and a Changing CIA

June 06, 2022 Episode 118
The Burn Bag – National Security and Foreign Policy Redefined
To the Seventh Floor: Fmr. CIA Director John Brennan on Counterterrorism, Innovation in Intelligence, and a Changing CIA
Show Notes

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak with John Brennan, the 5th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, about the national security landscape. The conversation begins with Director Brennan's story of joining the CIA in 1980, his expertise in counterterrorism, and what the CT threat matrix looks like today. They also discuss how the US pullback from the Middle East impacts operations in the region, as well as the Agency's reorientation towards nation-state threats. Director Brennan's tenure at CIA experienced the development and use of technological innovations, such as drones, and he breaks down how and why the United States deploys them. The episode concludes with a frank conversation about diversity and recruitment at the CIA, as well as what issue area should receive greater attention by the intelligence community.