Target USA Podcast with JJ Green

545 | 9/11 25th Anniversary Special

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, America is safer from the kind of large, coordinated terrorist plot that struck New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

But the threat did not disappear. It evolved.

In this sometimes emotional, special report, I revisit the day that changed the country through the memories of former D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter and terrorism expert Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director at the Counter Extremism Project. Their accounts connect the fear and helplessness of September 11, 2001, with the more fragmented, digital and difficult-to-detect terrorist threat facing the United States today.

9/11 at 25: The Threat That Changed examines what America fixed, what terrorists learned—and why the country can never afford to let its guard down.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, America is better prepared—but the threat has changed.

544 | The Iran War is pulling America's focus off of China

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The Iran war is beginning to create consequences far beyond the Middle East. Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery joins Target USA to examine what the extraordinary deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln—and the decision to replace it with the Pacific-based USS George Washington—reveals about the growing strain on American military power.

543 | For Ukrainian, Independence has a new meaning

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Olen Cherkun left Ukraine for Spain when the war started, to study and prepare herself for the say when she could return. While away, with war raging, she has a new view of independence. She talks to Target USA about it.

542 | CIA Director Turns Up in Moscow

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unusual and unannounced trip to Moscow and Washington is saying virtually nothing about it.

The world of intelligence rarely reveals details of its developments. But this visit may be one of the biggest developments in years. We spoke with former CIA Director Leon Panetta about it.

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541 | Trump’s Threats Abroad: Oman, Iran and a New Opening to North Korea

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

President Trump threatens Oman over Iran as retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery warns his rhetoric could undermine U.S. strategy. Meanwhile, former Ambassador Joseph DeTrani examines Washington’s new overtures to North Korea after a surprise reduction in U.S.–South Korean military exercises.

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540 | Deception, Danger and the Iran War

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 17:30:00 -0400

President Trump was secretly moved off Air Force One and onto another aircraft during his trip to Turkey amid a reported Iranian threat. Retired senior Secret Service agent Donald Mihalik explains why deception is a critical presidential protection tactic. Then former U.S. Ambassador Gordon Gray assesses the proposed 60-day Strait of Hormuz arrangement, Iran's negotiating leverage, and why regime change in Iran could be extraordinarily difficult.

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539 | When Wars Collide

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The United States finds itself at the center of two of the world's most dangerous conflicts. In the Middle East, the war with Iran is testing American military endurance, precision weapons inventories and the limits of deterrence. In Europe, Ukraine is running dangerously low on the air-defense interceptors needed to stop Russia's growing missile campaign.

This week on Target USA, former Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Robert Wilkie examines the strategic and military consequences of a prolonged conflict with Iran, while Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project, explains how these wars are reshaping global security, empowering America's adversaries and increasing the risk of wider escalation.

Together, they provide a sobering assessment of two conflicts that are no longer separate wars, but interconnected tests of American power, industrial capacity and global leadership.

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538 | Two Wars, No Easy Exit: Iran Escalates as Sudan Disappears

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The war with Iran is widening, but Washington still has no clear path to end it. Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker argues that limited strikes are not changing Tehran’s strategy—and warns the United States may soon face a stark choice between a negotiated ceasefire and a much larger war.

Meanwhile, Sudan is enduring what Professor Jok Madut Jok calls the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis, largely beyond the glare of international attention. Millions have been displaced, aid systems have collapsed, and outside powers continue to fuel a conflict neither side can win.

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537 | Ukraine Is Not Breaking — But Kyiv Is Worried

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, Sr. Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, joins us from Kyiv with a direct assessment: Ukraine is not losing, its military is adapting fast, and its drone and long-range strike campaigns are hurting Russia. But Kyiv is uneasy after President Zelenskyy fired popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sparking protests, then removed the senior military leader Fedorov had been feuding with just days later. Montgomery says Russia will exploit the turmoil, but Ukraine’s military and society are still not breaking.

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536 | Two Wars, One World on Edge

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

As Russia unleashes one of its largest missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, a resident describes what it's like to survive another night under fire and wake up to shattered streets and shattered lives. Then, as fighting resumes between the United States and Iran, former U.S. Ambassador Gordon Gray explains why the ceasefire collapsed, what President Trump's next moves could be, and why the Middle East may be heading toward a wider regional war. Two conflicts. Two front lines. One world growing more dangerous.

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535 | The Iran Deal That Never Really Existed

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The latest U.S.-Iran fighting didn't erupt because diplomacy collapsed. According to geopolitical analyst Nick Redman, the negotiations may never have truly begun. In this episode of Target USA, Redman explains why Washington and Tehran interpreted the same agreement in completely different ways.

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534 | Evidence Suggests Russia is Losing War with Ukraine

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Ukrainian MP Halyna Yanchenko watched an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently. For the first time she saw a man that looked defeated. What Ukraine's military is doing and what Putin said confirmed it.

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533 | Robert Wilkie: Winning in Ukraine and Iran Is the Key to Containing China

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Former Veterans Affairs Secretary and former senior Pentagon official Robert Wilkie joins Target USA to argue that today's wars are not isolated conflicts—they are interconnected fronts in a global struggle led by Russia, Iran, and China. Wilkie explains why NATO remains indispensable, why Ukraine is America's best defense investment, why Iran's threat extends far beyond the Middle East, and why the Pentagon needs sweeping reform to prepare for the next era of great-power competition. He also outlines what he would tell President Trump to do now to reshape America's national security strategy.

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532 | The Shooting Stopped. The Countdown Didn't: Inside the Fragile U.S.-Iran Deal

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The U.S. and Iran have agreed to stop fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but the toughest issues—including Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief—have been pushed into future negotiations. The next 60 days could determine whether this is the start of peace or just a pause in the conflict. Former eSecreteary of Defense Leon Panetta joins us t explain the problems

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531 | The Ambassador Who Biked the Ukraine War Front Line

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

After four years covering the war in Ukraine, I've rarely encountered intelligence as insightful as that gathered by retired Swedish Ambassador Lars Freden. Instead of relying on reports and briefings, he rode a bicycle more than 1,000 miles along the front line—twice. In this episode, he shares what he saw, what he learned, and the human reality of a war that continues to reshape Europe.

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530 | DEAL OR THE DELUSION? Inside Trump's Struggle to End the Iran War

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The military operation was a success. The strategy may have been a failure. In this episode, Gordon Gray is the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, examines how the Trump administration may have underestimated Tehran, why negotiations continue to stall, and whether the White House is now looking for a face-saving exit rather than a decisive victory.

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529 | Putin’s Pressure Point — Estonia Says Russia Is Weaker Than It Looks

Wed, 27 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this explosive episode, Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna delivers a stark warning about Russia’s growing instability and the escalating battle over the Baltic Sea. He explains how Moscow accidentally exposed its direct ties to the shadow fleet used to evade sanctions, why Russia is reacting “painfully” to Ukrainian deep strikes, and why Putin may now be more vulnerable than at any point since the war began. Tsahkna also discusses NATO, the weakening Russian economy, rising tensions inside the Kremlin, disinformation operations targeting the Baltics, and why Europe believes strategic patience, not rushed negotiations, is the key to ending the war.

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528 | The US War With Iran: A Conflict With No Clear Winner

Fri, 15 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Where does the US war with Iran stand? One day there's talk of peace; the next they are shooting at each other. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, says there is no clear winner, and that may never change.

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527 | Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting: America's New Threat Environment

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:00:00 -0400

A rare insider look at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting. Former Secret Service Deputy Director A.T. Smith explains how the attack unfolded. He breaks down the security response, failures, and lessons learned. And he warns America is entering a far more dangerous political era.

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526 | The War in Iran: A Stalemate is unfolding

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Grant Rumley, Meisel Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute, and Nick Redman, Director of Analysis at Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones explain why the negotiations appear to have slowed almost as much as the shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

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525 | The U.S.–Iran Crisis, the Hormuz Blockade, and Donald Trump's fight with the Pope

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The U.S.–Iran crisis has entered a volatile new phase—and the stakes are rising fast.

In this episode, Ambassador Gordon Gray, veteran diplomat and the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, breaks down the reality behind the rhetoric: from President Donald Trump’s inflammatory messaging to the strategic consequences unfolding in the Persian Gulf.

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524 | Civilization on the Brink? Trump’s Threat, the Stepdown, and the New Geometry of Power

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In one of the most volatile stretches of the Iran conflict, a warning came from President Donald Trump that “a whole civilization will die” if escalation continued, followed by a sudden stepdown into a cease-fire framework.

In this episode, we sit down with Ambassador Gordon Gray, Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Affairs at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, to unpack how we got there.

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523 | The War in Iran: Power, Pressure, and the New Global Order

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Ambassador Gordon Gray, the Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, delivers a clear-eyed assessment of the rapidly evolving global security landscape. Drawing on deep experience inside the national security apparatus, Gray analyzes the convergence of geopolitical flashpoints, strategic competition with adversaries, and the internal pressures shaping U.S. decision-making.

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522 | Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Inside the Iran Conflict’s Strategic Failure

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The United States and Israel have devastated Iran’s military capabilities—crippling its air defenses, missile systems, and leadership ranks.

But the bigger picture tells a different story.

In this episode, Dana Stroul, Research Director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explains how Iran is using asymmetric tactics to disrupt global energy flows, pressure the economy, and hold strategic leverage—even after major battlefield losses.

The result: tactical success for the U.S., but no clear strategic win.

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521 | The Expanding War: How One Conflict Is Rewiring Global Security

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The Iran war has crossed a critical threshold. What began as a military campaign is now expanding across leadership structures, regional boundaries, domestic security systems, and global power competition.

In this episode, we break down the most important developments from the war, including Israel’s targeting of Iran’s leadership, Iran’s widening retaliation, and the growing impact on global systems like shipping and energy. Retired General Ben Hodges, former Commander of U.S. Army Europe, and Dr. Nick Redman, Director of Analysis and Editor-in-Chief at Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones.

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520 | The Iran Conflict at the Edge of Escalation

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran is entering a dangerous phase. While the fighting is still concentrated in the Middle East, the ripple effects are already spreading across global energy markets, international security networks, and cyberspace. Dr. Nick Redman, director of analysis and editor-in-chief of Oxford Analytica from Dow Jones, joins us to put it into context

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519 | Iran: War of Congested Skies, Expanding Fronts, and Strategic Fragility

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Over the past 5 days, the war in Iran has been confusing. The air space in the region has been clogged with fighter jets, drones, and missiles. The objective has evolved. Joining us on this episode to put it into perspective are Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and Ret. General Ben Hodges, former Commander of US Army Europe,

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518 | Peace Through Pressure: Why Ukraine Says Only Strength Will End the War

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

As discussions of ceasefires and negotiations circulate, Ukraine faces its deadliest year for civilians since the full-scale invasion began. With more than 2,500 killed and nightly shelling nearly constant, Ukrainian leaders outline how Ukraine’s rapidly evolving defense industry and battlefield innovations are reshaping modern warfare and NATO’s future security posture. Halyna Yanchenko, a member of Ukraine's parliament, joins us to discuss.

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517 | Two Fronts, No Breakthrough: Sudan’s Humanitarian Collapse and Ukraine’s War Without Pause

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has driven more than ten million people from their homes and pushed parts of Darfur toward famine. Dan O’Malley, Red Cross chief in Sudan, joins us with a firsthand assessment of a crisis accelerating beyond control.

At the same time, February 17–18 talks in Geneva between Ukraine, Russia, and U.S. representatives ended without a ceasefire or concrete progress, even as Russian strikes continued. Ambassador Kurt Volker breaks down what the stalled diplomacy means for the war’s trajectory.

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516 | Frozen But Unbroken: Ukraine Endures as Missiles Fall

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

As Russian missile and drone strikes continue to hammer Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, hundreds of thousands are living in brutal winter conditions—minus 15 to minus 20 degrees at night—with no electricity, no heat, and sometimes no running water.

Former Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman Yuriy Sak describes what daily life is like inside Kyiv and across the country.

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515 | Germany Warns Its Citizens: What U.S. Street Violence Signals to the World

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Germany has issued a formal travel warning for its citizens visiting the United States — a move that would have been almost unthinkable just a few years ago. The advisory cites escalating violence tied to protests and confrontations involving government authorities, raising alarms among European security officials about stability inside the world’s most powerful democracy.

In this episode, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director at the Counter Extremism Project and a German who lives in the U.S. part-time, talks about why this warning matters far beyond tourism.

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514 | The Alliance on Edge: How Trump’s Greenland Gambit Shook Europe’s Trust in America

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

The transatlantic alliance is facing its most serious test in decades. President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to assert control over Greenland—combined with mounting pressure tactics against U.S. allies—has accelerated a quiet but consequential shift in Europe’s strategic thinking.

In this episode, Ambassador Daniel Fried, Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a former senior U.S. diplomat deeply involved in NATO and European security policy, joins us to discuss how harsh rhetoric and failed coercion fractured long-standing assumptions about American leadership.

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513 | Wait! Trump did what in Davos?

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

After a blistering speech that lasted more than an hour, which centered around the US taking Greenland, President Donald announced that a deal had been made. Listen to an excerpt of his speech and hear Ambassador Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, explain what happened.

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512 | Greenland tells the U.S. "We're not interested"

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Former Greenland finance minister Maliina Abelsen delivers a blunt warning about President Donald Trump’s renewed talk of “taking” Greenland. This episode examines how power politics, symbolism, and messaging are colliding with international law, alliance norms, and Arctic security—and why Greenlanders see the rhetoric as a threat, not protection.

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511 | Lines in the Ice and Fire: America’s New Red Lines

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

As U.S. military actions stretch from Venezuela to the North Atlantic, allies and adversaries are reassessing what American power now means. This episode, featuring retired General Ben Hodges and Ambassador Kurt Volker, examines the seizures, the rhetoric, and the growing concern in Europe that long-standing rules are giving way to something more dangerous—and more unpredictable.

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510 |PART TWO | Unchecked Force: The Legal, Strategic, and Moral Cost of America’s New Military Drift

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Retired General Ben Hodges, former Commander of U.S. Army Europe, says the U.S. military activity off Venezuela is repeating one of the most dangerous mistakes of Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan: no clear strategy, no defined end state, and questionable legality. And the consequences, he argues, extend far beyond any single operation, putting U.S. troops, alliances, and global credibility at risk.

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509 |PART ONE | Unchecked Force: The Legal, Strategic, and Moral Cost of America’s New Military Drift

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Former U.S. Army Europe commander General Ben Hodges delivers a blunt assessment of America’s shifting military posture and the risks it carries. He raises urgent questions about the legality of recent U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, the absence of clear rules of engagement, and the strategic vacuum surrounding U.S. actions from the Western Hemisphere to Ukraine. He addresses these issues in Part One of Unchecked Force.

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508 | Living in the Dark: Russia's War on Civilian Life in Ukraine

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

This episode pulls back the curtain on daily life inside a country under siege. From a darkened apartment in Kyiv, Ukrainian Member of Parliament and mother Halyna Yanchenko describes nights without electricity, heat, water, or internet. Elevators stop. Food cannot be cooked. Homes go cold. This is not a war fought only on front lines or maps. It is a deliberate campaign aimed at civilians, families, and children, designed to exhaust, frighten, and break a society from the inside out. In her own words, Yanchenko explains what it means to raise children in darkness, and why Ukraine says this is not just war, but an attempt to erase civilian life itself.

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507 | Ukraine’s War, Ukraine’s Problem: The Fight Within the Fight

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

As Russia intensifies its campaign, Ukraine faces another threat from within: systemic corruption undermining its own war effort. In this episode, Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Special Envoy to Ukraine, and Distinguished Fellow at CEPA explains how corruption is weakening Western support. It's also complicating battlefield decisions and giving Moscow strategic breathing room. A hard look at Ukraine’s internal battle and what must change for Kyiv to win the external one.

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506 | When the War Follows You Home: The DC National Guard Attack Explained

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

An Afghan national shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Counterterrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler says this may be more than a mental health case. He warns extremist networks in Taliban-run Afghanistan now reach directly into Afghan diaspora communities online. The attacker’s travel, target selection, and ambush tactics match modern lone-actor terror patterns. Schindler says social media platforms—not law enforcement—hold the real early-warning data. A close look at a threat environment turning darker in the U.S.

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505 | The Coast Guard’s About-Face: The Hate-Symbol Reversal That Shook the Military

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Today on Target USA, a story that cuts straight to the core of military culture, extremism, and truth. The U.S. Coast Guard, under intense public pressure, has reversed course on a deeply controversial policy shift. A draft manual, first uncovered by The Washington Post, appeared to downgrade the swastika and the noose, two of the most violent, hate-laden symbols in American and world history, from outright banned imagery to merely “potentially divisive.”

The backlash from veterans, lawmakers, and civil-rights groups was immediate and fierce. Now the Coast Guard says it never changed its stance. But the documents tell a different story. Coast Guard and Navy veteran Lene Mees De Tricht joins us on this.

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504 | Grenada’s Impossible Choice: The U.S. or Venezuela

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Grenada is facing one of the most consequential national security decisions in its modern history, after the United States quietly requested permission to install a radar system and station military personnel on the island as it pursues action against Venezuela. Veteran Grenadian journalist Linda Straker breaks down the mystery behind the U.S. request, the growing anxiety on the island, and the high-stakes diplomatic trap Grenada now finds itself in.

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503 | Trump’s Threat to Nigeria: A Nation on Edge

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to send troops or cut aid to Nigeria has triggered a diplomatic and security storm across Africa. In this episode, we speak with humanitarian journalist Usman Abba Zanna from Maiduguri, who explains how Trump’s words could inflame tensions, embolden extremists, and reshape Nigeria’s ties to the West.

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502 | Alternate Reality: How The Government of Belarus Built its Own Parallel Truth

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

In this gripping conversation, Belarusian legal expert and exiled journalist Natalia Belikova explains how disinformation in Belarus isn’t just a tactic; it’s the regime’s operating system.

She describes how the Lukashenko government has built an alternative reality, where familiar words like “democracy,” “elections,” and “human rights” are redefined to serve state power.

In a sometimes emotional interview, Natalia shares what it’s like to be exiled from your home, to lose colleagues to prison, and to raise children abroad while fighting to preserve your national identity. She also issues a warning to Western democracies.

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501 | The Summit That Wasn’t: Putin’s Power Play

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

When President Trump agreed to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, it looked like a potential breakthrough. Instead, it became a masterclass in manipulation. Within 24 hours, the Kremlin pulled the plug — and the world saw how quickly leverage can shift. In this episode, Ambassador Kurt Volker, former US Special Envoy to Ukraine and current Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy analysis unpacks how Putin’s “summit offer” was never about peace talks, but about power, humiliation, and control — and what it reveals about the fragile state of U.S.–Russia diplomacy.

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500 | I turned in my Pentagon credential — not my commitment

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

After twenty years of covering the U.S. military, I turned in my Pentagon press credential today. But that’s all that changes; My commitment to covering the men and women of the U.S. military and the institution they serve remains exactly the same. Let me explain.

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Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Inside Ukraine’s Fight for Survival and the Future of Freedom

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

We go deep inside the mind of one of Ukraine’s most unflinching voices—two-time former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The man who stood at the helm during the nation’s darkest hour after Russia’s first invasion in 2014 returns with a stark warning and a message of resilience. In this powerful conversation, Yatsenyuk, now Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, dissects Vladimir Putin’s endgame, the limits of Western resolve, and what it truly means to fight for democracy when your nation’s survival hangs in the balance. From the corridors of Kyiv to the frontlines of the disinformation war, his words cut through the noise—revealing what Ukraine needs most and what the world stands to lose if it turns away.

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Echoes of Silence: Andrei Soldatov on Putin, Propaganda, and America’s Warning

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov has tracked the rise of Putin’s propaganda machine from the inside; and paid the price in exile. In this gripping conversation, he connects the dots between Russia’s early media crackdowns and the chilling parallels unfolding in the United States today. From late-night comedy to Pentagon press restrictions, Soldatov explains how free speech erodes step by step; and what Americans must do to fight back. This episode is both a history lesson and a warning: freedom of expression isn’t lost overnight; it’s chipped away until silence becomes the norm.

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Twelve Minutes in Estonia: Inside Russia's incursion into Estonia's airspace

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Russia is turning up the pressure on NATO’s doorstep. Estonia says three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets stormed into its airspace over the Gulf of Finland, lingering for twelve minutes in what Tallinn calls a “brazen and deliberate” violation. It’s the fourth breach this year, but the first involving multiple high-performance fighters—and NATO isn’t brushing it off, especially not Estonia. Krisjan Prikk, Estonia's ambassador to the U.S., explains what happened and the consequences.

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496 | ICE, Graphite, and the Spyware Frontier

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode we look at how Immigration and Customs Enforcement is believed to have access to Graphite—powerful spyware capable of silently hacking smartphones and reading encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal. At issue is what Graphite can do, the legal red lines it risks crossing, and what it means for civil liberties inside the U.S. if you carry a phone. Joining us are Eric O'Neill, a former FBI counterintelligence operative, author, and current national security strategist with Nexasure, and Theresa Payton, CEO of Fortalice Solutions and former White House Chief Information Officer.

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495 | Linked Incursions: Moscow allegedly behind Poland’s Drone Attack and Lithuania’s Exploding Tankers

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Are two headline-grabbing incidents—the overnight Russian drone incursion into Poland and the explosion of eight Polish gas tankers on a train in Lithuania—part of the same campaign? Dr. Artis Pabriks thinks so. The former Latvian Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister, now chairman of the Northern Defence Policy Centre, joins us to explain why he believes the events are connected and why he holds Russia responsible. He also lays out what NATO can do next.

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494 | Salt Typhoon in the U.S. and Secret Ops in Greenland: The New Frontlines of Influence

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

On this episode we’ve got two big stories.

First, we continue our Greenland story. Denmark says covert influence operations aren’t just the work of Russia or China anymore—they’re happening inside the Western alliance. Investigators there allege Americans tied to Donald Trump tried to stir separatist sentiment in Greenland. Now we're hearing there are people from another country involved in this. Greenland MP Pipaluk Lynge joins us.

And second, BUT a really big story as well, a cyber campaign with global reach; it’s called Salt Typhoon. A sweeping Chinese operation that pierced America’s telecommunications backbone, siphoning off call records, texts, and even audio from high-level officials, political campaigns, journalists—and ordinary citizens. Emily Odom, Cyber Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the FBI's Washington field office, explains.

Two different fronts, one common thread: covert operations shaking the foundations of trust and security.

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493 | Denmark Confronts Trump Administration over Greenland

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Denmark has done something almost unheard of: it hauled in the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen to demand answers—after uncovering evidence that people tied directly to Donald Trump have been running secret influence operations in Greenland. The allegation? That these operatives tried to stir up a movement in Greenland—a territory of Denmark—to break away and open the door to U.S. control. Danish officials call it “completely unacceptable,” likening it to planting a fifth column inside an allied nation. Niels Fastrup, who broke the story for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, joins us. And we hear from Pipaluk Lynge, a Member of Parliament in Greenland.

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492 | The Trump–Putin Summit in Alaska: Optics Without Outcomes

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, the Trump–Putin summit in Alaska—three hours of high-stakes talks that produced no ceasefire, no sanctions relief, and no concrete deal. We hear President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in their own words. Then break down the much-talked-about event with members of Parliament from Ukraine Ivanna Kympush-Tsintsadse and Halyna Yanchenko.

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491 | Showdown in Alaska: War, Peace, and the Stakes for Ukraine

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

A major geopolitical summit is coming up in Alaska this week between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with top European leaders to send a strong message to them—Ukraine's map will not be redrawn at a meeting that doesn't include them. On this episode, Trump explains his thinking, experts discuss Putin's objective, and a Ukrainian tells us exactly what Ukrainians are thinking.

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490 | Putin’s War, Western Delusion, and the Erosion of NATO

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Former Latvian Defense Minister Dr. Artis Pabriks joins us with a stark warning: the West still misunderstands Russia’s long-term ambitions—and its slow, fragmented response to the war in Ukraine is already reshaping Europe’s future. From Belarus’s silent absorption to NATO’s fragile cohesion, Pabriks argues the stakes couldn’t be higher.

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489 | Gabbard Says Obama Led a Coup Against Trump. Truth or Fiction?

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In a seismic allegation, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard claims former President Barack Obama “led a coup attempt” against Donald Trump—accusing him of directing the intelligence community to fabricate the Russia collusion narrative to overturn the 2016 election. In this episode, we scrutinize Gabbard’s charge against the historical record, including testimony from former DNI James Clapper and findings from years of bipartisan investigations. Is this a long-suppressed truth coming to light—or a dangerous rewriting of history? We dig deep into the evidence.

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488 | Explosive New Book on Chinese Espionage Unmasks Beijing’s Covert War inside America

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this explosive episode, we dive into Chinese Espionage: Operations and Tactics—a chilling exposé by Nicholas Eftimiades, a 35-year veteran of the CIA, DIA, and State Department. Eftimiades pulls back the curtain on China’s massive, evolving spy machine—revealing how Beijing is quietly infiltrating America’s power grids, research labs and even targeting young U.S. military personnel online. It’s espionage without borders—covert, relentless, and already inside. If you think the threat is far away, this episode proves it’s already knocking at the door.

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487 | "The Kill List: Russian Orders, American Proxies and Ukraine’s Shadow War"

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400

A high-ranking Ukrainian intelligence officer is assassinated in broad daylight—five shots, close range, in the middle of Kyiv. Within hours, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launches a manhunt. Days later, they kill two suspects tied not only to Russia’s FSB but also to a U.S.-founded extremist group now operating from inside Russia.

In this episode, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project, navigates us through the shadow war playing out across Eastern Europe, where the lines between war, terrorism, espionage, and state power are blurring.

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486 | Putin is giving Trump "the Middle Finger"

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker didn’t mince words—Putin has effectively given U.S. Presient Donald Trump “the middle finger,” rejecting every offer of peace Trump has put on the table. From lifting sanctions to restoring Russia’s global status, Trump tried to cut a deal. But Putin isn’t interested. He’s doubling down—escalating attacks on Ukraine, brushing off diplomacy, and chasing an imperial legacy soaked in blood. With over 100,000 Russian troops dead this year alone, even Putin’s allies—Iran, North Korea, and China—are starting to question his grip. This war isn’t just grinding on—it’s accelerating toward a geopolitical rupture.

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485 | Sirens and Silence: Israel Under Fire, Iran on the Edge

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we cover the deadliest escalation between Iran and Israel in years. Beginning June 13, Iran launched up to 350 ballistic missiles and drones in waves that pounded Israeli cities through June 16. Civilian areas were hit hard—28 people killed, including children and a Holocaust survivor, and hundreds injured in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Rehovot, and Rishon LeZion. This wasn’t routine retaliation—it marked a dangerous shift into a wider conflict. And today, we bring you voices from inside two different bomb shelters—two very different perspectives on fear, resilience, and what this war feels like from the ground in Israel. We also have an update on where Iran's nuclear program stands.

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484 | From Blitzkrieg to Bleed-Out: How Putin’s War Plans Unraveled

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Estonia’s Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jonatan Vseviov, joins us for a candid conversation on Russia’s failed war objectives, shifting strategies, and the growing threat to Europe’s eastern flank. We explore how Estonia and its allies are countering Kremlin influence—and why the fight for Ukraine is a fight for global stability.

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483 | Ukraine: Behind Putin's Obsession

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Two men. One war. And a war of words that could dictate the terms of a new world order. Trump calls Putin crazy. Putin fires back—calls Trump emotional. Trump warns he’s playing with fire. But behind the insults is a deeper conflict—one that could tip the scales of history. At the center: Ukraine. Not just a battlefield, but a test of resolve, ego, and global power. This is where rhetoric meets reality—and the consequences are deadly. Former CIA covert operative Robert Baer explains what drives Vladimir Putin.

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482 | Ghost Fleet: Russia’s Lawless Armada of Oil Tankers

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The world’s most dangerous fleet isn’t on any navy’s registry—it sails in the shadows. Russia’s so-called shadow oil fleet is a rogue armada of unflagged, uninsured, barely seaworthy tankers hauling sanctioned crude across the globe. Estonia’s Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs, Kerli Veski, explains what it is, how it works and why it's a problem.

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481 | War in Ukraine: A Strategic Reckoning for the West

Wed, 28 May 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The 2025 Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn wasn’t just another diplomatic gathering—it was a strategic wake-up call. With war raging in Ukraine and hybrid threats escalating across Europe, leaders from NATO, the EU, and beyond converged to confront what they called a new axis of authoritarian aggression—Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivers a blunt assessment of the situation and what needs to be done.

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480 | Israel strikes Sanaa Airport as the U.S. strikes a deal with the Houthis

Wed, 14 May 2025 21:00:00 -0400

479 | Moscow's "ceasefire" said to be a "gimmick"

Wed, 07 May 2025 21:00:00 -0400

478 | The Baltics issue a warning to Putin

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Artis Pabriks is the former Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister for Latvia. He's currently chairman of the “Northern Defence Policy Centre.” He warns that "if somebody will cross our border, we are gonna shoot immediately to kill" and "we will fight to the end."

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476 | Trump's high-stakes tariff war with China

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Dr. Bobo Lo, independent international relations analyst and Nonresident Fellow at the Lowy Institute says China will not likely give in, because if it does, It's President Xi would likely be ousted.

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475 | Greenland and SIGNAL-GATE

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Pipaluk Lynge, Member of Parliament, joins us to make clear her thoughts about the possibility of becoming a part of the U.S. And former National Security Council member Shawn Turner discusses the fallout of the SIGNAL-GATE controversy.

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474 | The Impact of Trump's Tariffs on US National Security

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Mitchell Miller, Capitol Hill Correspondent at WTOP joins me to discuss all the ways the president's tariffs impact everyone in the U.S. and many people abroad.

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473 | The White House "Signal" Problem

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:00:00 -0400

How did a reporter "accidentally" get invited into sensitive government chat group. We hear comments from two people in the chat, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Former White House Chief Information Officer Theresa Payton also addresses how secure communications should be handled.

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472 | The Ukraine Ceasefire: What's Putin's Angle?

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a member of Ukraine's Parliament and former Deputy Prime Minister joins Daniel Fried, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland and current Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council

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471 | The War in Ukraine: Is the Trump administration making the right moves

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Retired Lt. General Ben Hodges, former Commander of U.S. Army Europe discusses the Trump team's choices in this war.

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470 | Pins and Needles: What will happen in Ukraine?

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Kristjian Prikk is Estonia's Ambassador to the U.S. He discusses how the turmoil regarding Ukraine is impacting the war against Russia, the U.S. and Europe

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469 | The Fallout from Vice President J.D. Vance's Munich Scolding

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Jorn Fleck, senior director with the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council was there and explains why so many people were upset by the remarks.

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468 | Baltic countries deliver a blow to Russia's energy grid

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Margus Tsahkna, Estonia's Foreign Minister discusses Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia severing their connection to Russia's energy grid. It's something many thought was done many years ago.

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467 | Marc Fogel released from Russian prison

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Paul Whelan, former "hostage" joins us to discuss Fogel's release and how he helped

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466 | Downsizing the U.S. Intelligence Community. Really!

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Dan Stanton, Director, National Security Program. University of Ottawa, Professional Development Institute and former Canadian government intelligence official discusses deep concerns he and other former and current intelligence officers have about the changes the Trump administration is making to the intelligence community.

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465 | Salt Typhoon: The Secret Chinese Government Hack of US Telecoms

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

This hack, which has been going on for more than a year, still has not been contained. Millions of Americans phone calls and text messages may no longer be private. Dr. James Lewis, a Senior Vice President and the Director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies joins us to describe just how dangerous this hack is.

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464 | Trump terminates Bolton's security detail

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

President Donald Trump has ordered the security detail terminated for one of his former top advisors, who is facing death threats. John Bolton served as Trump's national security advisor in his first term. The government of Iran has sought to have Bolton, Trump and others killed after the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Bolton spoke to Target USA about what this means for him.

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463 | Securing the 60th Presidential Inauguration: How does it work?

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service's Washington Field Office, David Sundberg, Assistant Director of the FBI Washington Field Office and retired Sr. Secret Service Special Agent Don Mihalek break down the concerns and how they'll be addressed.

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462 | Terror attack sets off security scramble in the U.S.

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Don Mihalek, Retired Sr. Secret Service agent and Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project break down the impact of the New Orleans terror attack on U.S. security -especially in Washington, D.C.

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461 | Global terrorism concerns grow

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 10:22:00 -0500

Dr. Hans Jacob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project, says 2024 signaled a very concerning terrorism trend for 2025.

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460 | Hurricanes; The Harsh Reality Behind a Growing American Threat

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Media personality Chris Core says his life, like that of millions of others in Florida and North Carolina, has been ruined by the increasingly powerful hurricanes that have been raking the U.S. in recent years.

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459 | Two Big Stories: FBI Director resigns; and how was Bashar al Assad's regime in Syria overthrown so quickly?

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:00:00 -0500

FBI Director explains his decision to resign. Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler details how Hayat Tahrir al Sham overthrew Bashar al Assad's regime in Syria overthrown so fast.

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458 | The relationship between Putin and Trump, and what it means for Ukraine

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and current Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis discusses some key elements about the war and what's to come.

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457 | Donald Trump Returns to the White House. What does that mean for NATO?

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Meelis Oidsalu, former Undersecretary for Defence Planning in Estonia and current Editor-in-Chief at The Baltic Sentinel suggests Donald Trump is not the "anti-NATO" figure many think he is.

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456 | Disinformation Nation Part Two

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:00:00 -0500

For the last decade the U.S. election system has been targeted relentlessly, by hostile nation-states. Russia, the principal culprit is at it again, with a new scheme so potent that even the US Congress was caught off guard. In this episode, Dr. Martin Innes, from Cardiff University in the UK talks about how Doppleganger works.

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455 | Disinformation Nation Part One

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 21:00:00 -0400

For the last decade the U.S. election system has been targeted relentlessly, by hostile nation-states. And, as election day 2024 approaches, Russia, the principal culprit is at it again, with a new scheme so potent that even the US Congress was caught off guard. Va. Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly and fellow members were bombarded by thousands of angry callers in a coordinated, targeted operation after the Congress passed the Ukraine Aid Package in April. That was just the beginning. Our investigation revealed some deeply concerning activity.

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454 | The Story Behind Yahya Sinwar's Killing

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:00:00 -0400

Hans Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project discusses how Israeli forces found Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the circumstances of his death.

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453 | This is what life is like in war-ravaged Lebanon, right now.

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Jad Nasrallah, an architect, who lives in Beirut, shares his story, heartbreaking videos and pictures that reveal sleepless nights, worry for his family, and personal and city-wide devastation that may signal a long conflict ahead. Also Rena Bitter, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs talks about innovative ways the State Department's using to get Americans out

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452 | The Conflict in the Middle East Spreads

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Three interviews in this show paint a picture of a chaotic week in Middle East. Ben Francke, who lives near Tel Aviv reflects on Iran's missile strike. Vedant Patel, the State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson talks about US efforts to stop the conflict from spreading. And Fred Burton, former Deputy chief of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service says he's shocked at how deeply Israeli intelligence penetrated Hezbollah.

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451 | (Exclusive) The Most Secretive U.S. Spy Agency. AUKUS and the Quad

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0400

A rare sit-down interview with the director of the National Reconnaissance Office, Dr. Christopher Scolese. We also talk with Australia's Ambassador Kevin Rudd about the 3rd anniversary of AUKUS and the 2024 Quad meeting.

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450 | Why are Hezbollah's pagers exploding in Lebanon?

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Former CIA Senior Operations Officers Robert Baer and Douglas London join us to explain what most likely is happening.

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449 | The Stress of war on Ukrainians

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Vicki Aken, Ukraine Country Director for Mercy Corps, says Ukrainians are suffering from lack of sleep, land mines, electricity and constant strains on their mental health as they face a devastating, and overwhelming use of weapons by Russia.

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448 | Ukraine's frustration mounting in war with Russia

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0400

General Onno Eichelscheim, Chief of Defence for the Netherlands discusses Ukraine's incursion into Kursk. Also, Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Strategic Industries speaks forcefully about why Ukraine needs permission to use long-range western weapons to strike Russia.

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447 | Iran's Election Interference and Ukraine in Kursk

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Clint Watts, GM of Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center discusses Iran's meddling and Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Strategic Industries, describes Ukraine's military mission in Russian territory.

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446 | What's behind Ukraine's sudden incursion into Russia?

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyk explains why Ukraine did it and why Russia can't really stop it.

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445 | Paul Whelan's Release from Russia

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0400

A retrospective look at some my reporting and podcasts from the time of his arrest in December of 2018, to his release in Late July 2024.

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444 | Russia, China and Cuba unite to taunt, test and spy on the US military

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Chris Simmons, retired supervisory Counterintelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency and author talks about why Russia is sending warships to Cuba and why it’s teaming up with China to fly joint military patrols off the Alaska coast.

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443 | Jim Hughes, retired CIA Station Chief speaks out about his life in the shadows and chasing terrorists

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Hughes talks about his career and key tools the Agency used to get the upper hand on terrorists in the Middle East.

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442 | Iran's plot to kill former President Donald Trump

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Retired State Department Diplomatic Security agent and official Fred Burton talks about Iran's long history of attacking Americans and it's capabilities. He discusses details of security lapses at the Trump rally and changes that need to be made.

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441 | The Trump Assassination Attempt

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Donald Mihalek, retired Senior Secret Service agent discusses what happened, what's likely happening now at Secret Service and what should happen down the road.

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440 | NATO'S 75th Anniversary Summit: Strong Future, Strong Challenges

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 16:45:00 -0400

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Poland's Foreign Minister Radek Sikorsky, paint a picture of the troubling problems facing NATO and how the alliance is meeting the challenge.

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439 | Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? And why is he locked away in a Russian prison cell?

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza joined us in 2020, after being poisoned twice by Russian intelligence and surviving. That was almost 2 years before he was locked away in a Russia prison. After the killing of Alexei Navalny last year, he's emerged as one of the most significant anti-Kremlin figures in modern times. This podcast (a replay of 2020 interview) is a reminder of just how important he is to those fighting Russian aggression.

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438 | The fallout of Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joseph Detrani, former Director of the U.S. National Counter Proliferation Center says this is major blow to U.S. efforts to stop North Korea's nuclear weapons pursuits.

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437 | A conversation with E.U. Ambassador to the US, Jovita Neliupšienė | Part 2

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:00:00 -0400

EU Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė discusses the EU/US relationship and why the world needs to pull together to help Ukraine defeat Russia.

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436 | A conversation with E.U. Ambassador to the US, Jovita Neliupšienė | Part 1

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 21:00:00 -0400

E.U. Ambassador to the US Jovita Neliupšienė loves nature and her job. So we combined the two for a unique interview that takes place in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. She discusses, the EU, the war in Ukraine, trade, disinformation and much more

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435 | What happens when the war in Ukraine ends? Will there be another like it?

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 21:00:00 -0400

The Secretary General of Estonia's Foreign Ministry, Jonathan Vseviov, and Emmanuel Mignot, France's Ambassador to Estonia discuss these important issues.

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434 | The reason eastern Europeans are so concerned about the war in Ukraine

Thu, 23 May 2024 21:00:00 -0400

George Kent, U.S. Ambassador to Estonia discusses the history of Russian aggression and the current threat facing the region.

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433 | Using artificial intelligence to control nuclear weapons. Yes. it's a possibility

Wed, 15 May 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joseph Detrani, former director of the U.S. Counter Proliferation and Center talks about concerning developments. They include China building hundreds of nuclear weapons silos, Russia's plans to test tactical nuclear weapons, and talk of using AI to control nuclear weapons.

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432 | Disinformation Nation | Explosion of new threats in the U.S.

Wed, 08 May 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Bret Schaefer, senior fellow, Media and Digital Disinformation, for the Alliance for Securing Democracy breaks down the threat, how disinformation is laundered, and the "democratization of disinformation" in an episode loaded with important and fascinating details about the threat today.

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431 | Jewish and Palestinian students stand together as campus clashes erupt

Wed, 01 May 2024 21:00:00 -0400

ATIDNA International Founder and President Elijah Kahlenberg, who is Jewish, and Vice President Jadd Hashem, who is Palestinian talk about their group and its effort to find and promote common ground on Jewish and Palestinian issues.

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430 | Is Paul Whelan being pressured by Moscow?

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Part two of our conversation. This time, ask yourself a key question. Why is he saying these things?

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429 | Paul Whelan calls Target USA -again!

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Paul Whelan called us in December of last year with an urgent message for the president. He called again on April 11th with another. He has been detained in Russia for five years and is again appealing to President Biden to accelerate efforts to bring him and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich home.

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428 | Iran is now a nuclear power

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Washington Post national security correspondent Joby Warrick reports Iran now has enough fissile material to make three bomb with in days

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427 | Remembering "Zomi" Frankcom

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, worked for the World Central Kitchen. She was one of seven WCK staff killed in an Israeli drone strike on April 1st in Gaza. She is remembered fondly by her friend Brian Weaver, founder of Hoops Sagrado.

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426 | The view of democracy in Russia

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Eeva Eek Pajuste, Policy Advisor, Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says the view of democracy in Russia is "totally different" from the Western view. She explains how the early days after the collapse of the Soviet Union shaped that view. It's also a key reason why Vladimir Putin is still popular inside Russia.

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425 | Vladimir Putin gets another six year term

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Daniel Fried, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, lays out bluntly the consequences of Putin getting another term as President of Russia and what he's doing to get the U.S. Congress to support Ukraine. Also, Ukrainian journalist Nataliia Bozhyk speaks out about the devastation the war has caused.

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423 | Why are Kremlin opponents dying?

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 19:00:00 -0400

Robert Baer, a former CIA undercover operative with deep knowledge of Russian intelligence has some ideas.

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424 | EXPAT STORIES: Nataliia Bozhyk is a native of Odesa, Ukraine now living in Ireland

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 21:00:00 -0400

Nataliia talks about the hardship, the unlikely friendship that helped her get out of Ukraine, her work in Ireland and her message to the U.S. government.

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422 | What happened to Alexei Navalny?

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Luke Harding, correspondent for the Guardian and author of several books about Russian corruption and assassinations, has himself been detained by the Kremlin. He talks about Alexei Navalny's death, what likely happened and Russia's "forever game" of American hostage-taking.

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421 | NATO's concern with a second Trump Presidency

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Former US President Donald Trump, who's running for another term said recently he wouldn't help NATO countries that were attacked by Russia if they were not contributing 2% of their GDP to their own defense programs. Kurt Volker, former US Ambassador to NATO and Kristjan Prikk, Estonia's Ambassador to the US, discuss the impact of Trump's statement and the reality of life as a member of NATO.

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420 | U.S. officials deeply concerned about Chinese cyber threat

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Andrew Scott, Associate Director for Chinese Operations at CISA indicates that this is a wide-ranging and very sophisticated threat. If successful, it would give the Chinese government complete control over critical US infrastructure whenever they want it.

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419 | God, Guns and Sedition: A new book about far right extremism in the US

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Counterterrorism expert Bruce Hoffman talks about the new book he's co-written on the rise of far right extremism in the US.

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418 | The US urged to "crush" Iran's regime in response to the killing of U.S. servicemembers

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran says the the Iranian "regime" is the "head of the snake" of trouble in the region. And it should be "crushed". Jafazadeh was targeted by the regime in a kidnap operation in 2018 inside the U.S..

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417 | Plane allegedly shot down carrying 65 Ukrainian POWs

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Ambassador Kurt Volker, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, discusses the murky situation regarding a plane crash on January 24, 2024. Moscow claims Ukraine shot it down and that there were 65 Ukrainian POWs aboard. Ukraine says Moscow is playing with the lives of Ukrainians.

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416 | The "Christmas Eve Call" from Paul Whelan | Part 2

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Paul Whelan and Ambassador Roger Carstens share more details about Whelan's case.

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415 | The "Christmas Eve Call" from Paul Whelan

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 22:00:00 -0500

Paul Whelan, who's been imprisoned in Russia, wrongfully for 5 years called me on Christmas Eve, with a message for President Biden. You'll hear our conversation and his deep concerns on this episode. You'll also hear Ambassador Roger D. Carstens, the US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, discuss his team's efforts to free Whelan and fellow American Evan Gershkovich.

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414 | Chaos in the Middle East grows

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:00:00 -0500

The assassination of a Hamas leader in Beirut and a terror attack in Iran have triggered fears of an explosion of attacks throughout the region. Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter-Extremism Project says the attack in Iran is unprecedented. Fred Burton, Executive Director of Protective Intelligence at Ontic says the killing of Saleh Arouri could lead to a wave of retaliation, directed at Israel.

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413 | Hamas allegedly planning a wave of terror attacks in Europe

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project, says the foiled Hamas plot in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands recently, was likely started well before the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

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412 | U.S. Envoy travels to Africa to address humanitarian tragedy in Sudan

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:00:00 -0500

U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Michael Hammer discusses his deep concerns about the war in Sudan, the lack of global attention, and what's being done to address it.

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411 | Qatar pressured to hand over Hamas leaders

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Fran Townsend, President of the Counter Extremism Project says her organization believes Qatar is harboring terrorists. Also We check in with Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces about the search for Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar.

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410 | Crossroads of a Crisis: Part Three

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0500

We talk with Major Libby Weiss, spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces about their recent military activity and, the hostage/prisoner exchange efforts in Israel and Gaza. Also, I join WTOP News Anchors Anne Kramer and Shawn Anderson to analyze the hostage negotiations and, what Israel has learned about Hamas during its military operations in Gaza.

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409 | Crossroads of a Crisis: part Two

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Spies tried to take advantage of the chaos created by the war in Ukraine and conflict in Israel and Gaza to recruit spies in the U.S. Russian investigative journalist Andre Soldatov, wanted by the Russian government joins us with details.

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408 | Crossroads of a Crisis: Part One

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Declining Western support for Ukraine. A massacre in Israel followed by war in Gaza. The disarray in the U.S. Congress. In this new series “Crossroads of a Crisis,” we delve into the three weeks in October when the world changed dramatically. And while many have been distracted by the chaos, Russian spies have launched a secret espionage operation in the U.S.

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407 | Israeli Diplomat says Hamas putting Palestinians at risk

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Tal Naim Cohen, spokesperson for Israel's Embassy in Washington, D.C. discuss the conflict and what happens after Hamas is gone.

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406 | Is Israel's war with Hamas expanding beyond Hamas?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Fadi Mansour, Washington Correspondent for Al Jazeera-Arabic, said the number of civilian casualties and journalists that have died, suggest the war is no longer just about dismantling Hamas.

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405 | Israel-Hamas Conflict: The US military making moves

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:30:00 -0400

Pentagon Press Secretary, Brigadier General Pat Ryder details how the US military is responding to growing threats to servicemembers in the region. Also, I speak with WTOP News Anchor Dimitri Sotis about the impact of the Hamas attack on the US terrorism picture.

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404 | How did Hamas plot the invasion of Israel?

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Advisor at the Counter Extremist Project says "Hamas didn't suddenly grow brain cells". He says they had high-level help from outside. Also NATO's perspective from US Ambassador Julianne Smith.

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403 | The Israel/Hamas Conflict

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Three interviews about the horrific invasion of Israel by terrorists associated with Hamas. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, International Spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces, former Diplomat Lior Weintraub, and Israeli journalist Eldad Beck paint a vivid picture of what happened, the current situation and what's to come.

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402 | Prelude to a Crisis: Series Introduction

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:00:00 -0400

After spending a week in Poland, a good amount of it on the border with Ukraine, one thing is crystal clear. The next great war in Europe has already started...

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401 | SPECIAL REPORT | Slovakia's Election

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:07:27 -0400

Radovan Javorčík, Slovakia's Ambassador to the U.S. discusses why this is a critical moment for NATO and E.U. unity.

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400 | North Korea releases American servicemember Private Travis King

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Frank Aum, Senior Expert, at the U.S. Institute of Peace discusses his views on King's release. And Joe Detrani, former U.S. Special Envoy to the Six Party Talks with North Korea, talks about what's going on inside North Korea's government.

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399| Putin and Kim pursue formal alliance

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 18:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joe Detrani, former director of the U.S. National Counter Proliferation Center, says a formal alliance between Russia and North Korea could mean global trouble.

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398 | Russian Spy Ring Tried to Disrupt Ukraine Weapons

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 21:00:00 -0400

This was the most serious incident in a NATO country since the war in Ukraine started. Retired, U.S. Army Colonel Ray Wojcik, Consultant with the Kosciuszko Chain in Poland discusses.

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397 | Prigozhin dies in a place crash. And what happened in the early hours of the Maui wildfires

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0400

My live radio reporting on Wednesday August 23, 2023 on the plane crash that claimed the life of Yevgeney Prigozhin. Also on this episode, Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Maui County Councilmember describes what took place during the horrible fires on Maui.

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396 | "Mistake" : NATO official says Ukraine could give territory to Russia to join

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Kurt Volker, Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, now a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis says telling Ukraine to give up territory to Russia was a "huge" mistake. Also, Retired General Ben Hodges joins us to assess the situation and Ukraine's chances of winning the war.

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395 | Remember the 9/11 attacks? Similar plotting recently exposed

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Dr. Hans-Jacob Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project, reveals a plot that was broken up in Germany, with is where the 9/11 hijackers actually starting training. Also, Retired U.S. General Ben Hodges, discusses the coup in Niger and the terrorism implications.

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394 | Wildfires in Greece and Updates on Niger, Ukraine, and North Korea

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Nikos Panagiotou, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications at Aristotle University, discusses the message the devastating wildfires have sent. Then, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary, updates us on developments in the Ukraine war, the coup in Niger, and the latest regarding an American serviceman being held in North Korea?

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393 | What Does North Korea Want from the US?

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0400

392 | The NATO Summit: Why Zelenskyy got angry

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Kurt Volker, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, says NATO's decision not to give Ukraine an immediate path to membership was the key problem. But that wasn't the only one.

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391 | Putin and Prigozhin's Secret Meeting

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Dr. Michael Taylor, Sr. Analyst at Oxford Analytica for Eastern Europe says the whole affair was strange.

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390 | Russian government plane lands in Washington after weekend rebellion

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 18:08:00 -0400

Robert Baer, a retired CIA covert operative is suspicious of that plane. Brigadier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary, discusses the weekend "rebellion" in Russia.

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389 | Ukraine: Nova Kakhovka Dam Investigation and Nuclear Weapons

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense joins with new insight

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388 | The destruction of the Nova Khakovka Dam in Ukraine

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Yuri Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, and Ambassador Kurt Volker, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis join us to explain what happened and the implications.

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387 | Sudan: Prospects for long war

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Professor Jok Madut Jok, Anthropologist at Syracuse University explains why this could be a long drawn out conflict.

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386 | Warning for those growing tired of the war in Ukraine

Wed, 24 May 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union's Ambassador to the U.S., warns against western war fatigue. He says, "there is no safe distance from an autocrat sitting on nuclear who is convinced he can bend the will of our people and our leaders to his own through force."

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385 | Conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan are connected

Wed, 17 May 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense says it was another tragic day -a 5 year old was killed. On Sudan, Samah Salmon, President of the U.S. Educated Sudanese Association says 70% of the nation's hospitals have been destroyed or are inoperable. More than a thousand people have been killed.

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384 | The Lennart Meri Conference 2023

Thu, 11 May 2023 14:34:38 -0400

Lennart Meri Conference Director Eeva Eek-Pajuste discusses the top issues at this year's event. Ukraine is at the top of the list. New York Times Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Steven Erlanger, also discusses the precarious position Ukraine's President is in.

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383 | Kremlin Attacked By Drones: Putin Assassination Attempt?

Wed, 03 May 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense says Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack. He suggests it was an act of Kremlin fiction to cover for Russia's poor performance in the war inside Ukraine.

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382 | War Explodes in Sudan

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Professor Jok Madok Jok, who teaches Anthropology at Syracuse University, says bodies are lying in the streets. The hospitals, he says, are "useless", because many of the surgeons have been kidnapped by the fighters. He also says foreign diplomats and NGO leaders are rushing to leave just when the Sudanese people need their help.

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381 | China's U.S. Balloon Foray: Did the shootdown happen too late?

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Nicholas Eftimiades, a retired U.S. intelligence officer says it's a case of if the U.S. knew then what it knows now.

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380 | The Pentagon Document Leak

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Shawn Turner, a former Head of Communications for the Director of National Intelligence, and Robert Baer, a former CIA Case Officer, share insights about the leak, its impact, and how to stop them.

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379 | Nuclear Weapons in Belarus and Finland joins NATO

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Peter Stano, Lead Spokesman for the European Commission denounced Russia's plan to move nuclear weapons to Belarus. And, Daniel Fried, former U.S. ambassador to Poland says, Finland's entry into NATO was "a bad day for Russia."

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378 | Two Top European Officials, Two Big Ukraine Storylines

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Edgars Rinkevics, Foreign Minister of Latvia, says Russian President Vladimir Putin is desperate over the war in Ukraine. Hanno Pevkur, Estonia's Minister of Defense, says allegations of Estonia "enriching itself" off of the Ukraine re-reimbursement fund is a "false" story.

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377 | A conversation with David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:10:00 -0400

Sundberg discusses the top threats facing Washington DC, including terrorism, espionage, and violent crime.

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376 | Jailed Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza suffering symptoms from of poisoning -again!

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 21:00:00 -0400

His trial, in Moscow, on treason charges started this week. His wife Evgenia tells Target USA he's recently started suffering symptoms again like those he suffered before when he was poisoned. We also hear from Vladimir himself (a prophetic 2020 interview).

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375 | China's Spy Balloon: What was it after?

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Nick Eftimiades, a retired U.S. intelligence expert on Chinese espionage breaks down what the balloon was likely doing.

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374 | The War in Ukraine; One year On

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, and John Kirby, Strategic Communications Advisor at the National Security Council discuss the state of the war.

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373 | The struggle in Turkey and Syria after devastating earthquakes

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Didem Demircan, Oxfam KEDV’s deputy executive director, and Kieren Barnes, Country Director for Mercy Corps talk about their organization's efforts to help survivors of the quakes that have killed 10s of thousands and left more than 1 million homeless.

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372 | How to Fight Disinformation and The MSU Mass Shooting

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Urve Eslas, a disinformation expert in the office of Strategic Communications Department of the Estonian Government Office, explains how they are fighting back against Russian disinformation. ALSO, Michigan State University Professor Shawn Turner joins us to share his experience during a mass shooting that left three students dead and five wounded.

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371 | Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Abby Maxman, President and C.E.O. of Oxfam America describes the tragic earthquakes that rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria and their efforts to help. Also, Dr. Hans-Jacob Schindler says ISIS fighters escaped prison during the earthquakes in a stunning fashion -using U.S. dollars to bribe prison officials.

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370 | EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Lt. General Scott Berrier, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:00:00 -0500

He discusses the war om Ukraine, Russia, Iran, North Korea and other intelligence concerns for the US.

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369 | Brazil's Capital Stormed: How and Why

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0500

Rodrigo Chia, a transparency activist from Brasilia explains how the riot was organized and what took place.

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368 | Tragedies in Ukraine: Dnipro missile strike and helicopter crash

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 15:30:00 -0500

A devastating Russian military missile strike on an apartment building on January 14th, killed 45, injured 80, and left two dozen missing. Four days later, a helicopter crashed near Kyiv killing the entire leadership of Ukraine's Interior Ministry.

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367 | New Year's Eve Times Square Terror Attack

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:22:19 -0500

What have authorities learned about the event? On this episode, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project, says it could’ve been much worse.

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366 |Ukraine War Update

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Yevheniia Kravchuk, a Member of Parliament in Ukraine discusses the power outages and new Russian attacks.

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365 |Ukraine: Battle for the Soul of Europe

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 18:00:00 -0500

A chronicle of the war from the beginning to the present day. Interviews with victims, reporters, officials, and elected representatives.

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364 | South Sudan on the Brink of war

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Abraham Awolich, head of the People's Coalition for Civil Action-South Sudan discusses problems looming in South Sudan.

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Ep. 363 | Two Big Stories: Iran Hangs Protesters & The Africa Leadership Summit

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the National Council of the Resistance of Iran discusses the turmoil going on inside Iran. Also, Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson from the State Department fills us in on the Biden Administration's Africa Leadership Summit.

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Ep. 362| German Authorities Disrupt Alleged Government Coup Plot

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 21:00:00 -0500

More than two dozen people were arrested in a massive raid that spanned 130 locations across Germany. Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project explains what happened.

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Ep. 361 | A warning from Estonia's Ambassador to the U.S. about Ukraine

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Kristjian Prik says, "This is War in Ukraine will define the future as we know it."

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Ep. 360 | France's Operation Barkhane Ends. Terrorism Concerns Begin -Again

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 21:00:00 -0500

France, after a decade, has ended its military counterterrorism operation in the Sahel. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project says it could lead to problems.

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Ep. 359 | World War 3 almost started in Poland this week

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Linas Linkevicious, Ambassador-at-Large from Lithuania suggests it was a matter of time before a stray missile in Russia war in Ukraine landed in another country. He indicates as well, it's also a matter of time before it happens again, with global implications.

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Ep. 358 | The Russian military pull out from Kherson "looks like a trap".

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Yevheniia Kravchuk, a Member of Ukraine's Parliament says "that's why we listen to our Minister of Defense and not Russia's". And Tuuli Duneton, Undersecretary of Defense Policy at Estonia's Ministry of Defense explains what Russian President Vladimir Putin's long-term goal is.

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Ep. 357 | How long will the war in Ukraine last? And, What's Vladimir Putin's ultimate objective?

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Dr. Nick Redman, Director of Analysis and Editor in Chief at Oxford Analytica talks about the trajectory of the war. Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital and Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign discusses Putin quest to capture him and Russia's performance in the war.

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Ep. 356 | The War in Ukraine: Canada, Estonia and Latvia speak out

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Tuuli Duneton, Undersecretary for Defence Policy at the Estonian Ministry of Defence, Einars Semanis, Latvia's Ambassador to Belarus, and Col. Vince Kirstein, commander of Canada's Task Force Latvia share unique, but unified perspectives about Russia's war against Ukraine.

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Ep. 355 | Iran Unrest: Uprising evolving into "revolution"

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0400

"This is no longer an uprising. It's a revolution", says Alireza Jafarzadeh, the Deputy Director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

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Ep. 354 | Ukraine's "wake up call", and a Daria Dugina assassination update

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, says he was awakened by a missile that flew over his apartment during Monday's massive missile barrage unleashed by Russia. And Robert Baer, says new revelations about the assassination of a prominent Russian woman have "terrified" Vladimir Putin.

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Ep. 353 | Russia's Mobilization and Nuclear Threats

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, says Ukraine is not fazed at all by Russia's moves and suggests Russia needs to beware.

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Ep. 352 | SPECIAL EPISODE: The Colin Powell Leadership Program

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Marcia Bernicat, the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent explains how the program works.

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Ep. 351 | Atrocities in Izyum

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Arman Soldin, Video Coordinator for Agence France-Presse went to Izyim, Ukraine; saw the mass graves and spoke with survivors of torture. And for Soldin, who was born in Sarajevo, what he saw was a shock, even for him.

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Ep. 350 | The 75th Anniversary of the Air Force and the road ahead

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 20:00:00 -0400

General C.Q. Brown Jr., Air Force Chief of Staff, talks about the USAF's critical future, diversity, the importance of allies, and more.

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Ep. 349 | Ukraine: Big developments. Good news and bad.

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Yevheniia Kravchuk, Ukrainian MP, talks about the danger at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant; and Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, discusses the lightning-fast counter offensive that has Russian troops running for cover.

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Ep. 348 |Another Putin critic dies. This time in Washington, D.C.

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Bill Browder, head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, says it looks "like a suspected murder".

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Ep. 347 | Zaphorizhzhia, "hanging by a thread" - Dugina Murder, "inside Job"

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Noted Nuclear non-proliferation expert Joe Cirincione says the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe is in danger of a possible meltdown. Also in this episode, former CIA covert operative, Robert Baer says Daria Dugina's killing may have been committed by the FSB.

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Ep. 346 | Who killed Daria Dugina, daughter of Valdimir Putin's "brain"?

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Former Estonian Diplomat Kalev Stoicescu says the FSB (Russian Intelligence) story doesn't add up.

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Ep. 345 | Va. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

The former CIA operative, now a member of Congress, joins us to discuss migration, Al-Qaida, Ukraine, and much more.

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Ep. 344 | Retired CIA Operative says the war in Ukraine is "our war"

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Douglas London, former Senior Operations Officer says, "Putin is not going to stop" with Ukraine.

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Ep. 343 | Ayman Al Zawahiri killed in a US drone strike

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 20:00:00 -0400

John Kirby, National Security Council Spokesman, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project and Shawn Turner, former Communications Director for the Director of National Intelligence, discuss what happened, how it happened and what it means.

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Ep. 342 | Russia having troubling finding people to fight in Ukraine

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Yuriy Sak, Advisor to Ukraine's Minister of Defense, details some of the unusual steps the Russian military is taking to find fighters.

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Ep. 341 | The Assassination of Japan’s former PM Abe exposes concerns for US politicians

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 20:00:00 -0400

A.T. Smith, former Deputy Director of the Secret Service says, "it's a new day" and there is significant concern for politicians and political candidates who don't have security details.

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Ep. 340 | The Fourth Man: The Hunt for a KGB Spy at the Top of the CIA and the Rise of Putin's Russia

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Author Robert Baer, former CIA case officer, discusses his new book

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Ep. 339 | Time to stop trying to figure out the Kremlin and take action

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. says we should stop trying to understand why the Russian government attacked Ukraine and all the other reprehensible things it's done and shut them down.

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Ep. 338 | What ordinary Russians think about the war in Ukraine; and then what everyone else thinks

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Alexey Levinson, a sociologist and senior researcher at the Levada Center, Russia’s leading polling organization, shares his research, and then former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicious explains how the West missed the signs of Russia's plan that started years ago.

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Ep. 337 | Nuclear test by North Korea, "imminent".

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joe Detrani, former Director of the National Counter-Proliferation Center, says this could be very serious.

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Ep. 336 | Ukraine vs Russia: A critical point in the war

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks and former US Ambassador Daniel Fried explain why this is perhaps the most critical conflict of our time.

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Ep. 335 | The War in Ukraine; An urgent bellwether for Europe

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Jonathan Vseviov, Secretary-General of Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discusses how critical it is for Ukraine to defeat Russia.

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Ep. 334 | Understanding why Russia can't defeat Ukraine

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Sofia Fedyna, a Member of Ukraine's Parliament says Vladimir Putin has succeeded in making all Ukrainians "hate him from the bottom of our hearts."

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Ep. 333 | How to build an anti-disinformation program

Wed, 25 May 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Kairi Saar-Isop, advisor in the Department of Strategic Communications for the Estonian government discusses their program and how it works.

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Ep. 332 | The Whelan Family's disappointment

Wed, 18 May 2022 20:00:00 -0400

The release of Trevor Reed was a bittersweet moment for the family of Paul Whelan. His sister Elizabeth explains.

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Ep. 331 | Despite Ukraine failure Putin still has "grand vision" to rebuild the USSR

Wed, 11 May 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Former U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says Russia is still an "existential threat" to the U.S because of President Vladimir Putin and its nuclear weapons.

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Ep. 330 | She warned us 3 years ago about Putin's plan to invade Ukraine.

Wed, 04 May 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze told us on Target USA in 2019, Russia was planning another invasion. On this episode she talks about what's next.

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Ep. 329 | Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza may face years in prison

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0400

His wife Evgenia Kara-Murza explains why a 15-day jail term over a bogus charge might end up being much, much longer.

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Ep. 328 | The UN puts pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0400

U.S. UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield talks about the historic suspension of Russia from the UN's Human Rights Council and efforts to isolate Russia.

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Ep. 327 | The role of U.S. intelligence in Ukraine's war with Russia

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:26:44 -0400

Amy Zegart, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University, talks about the unprecedented releases of intelligence, how it's impacted the war, and Vladimir Putin.

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Ep. 326 | Ukraine's War: Politician urges the world to "wake up"

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Yevheniya Kravchuk, a Ukrainian Parliament Member, journalist and communications expert says, Vladimir Putin is "not normal" and the world needs to start treating him like the criminal that he is.

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Ep. 325| What's going with Vladimir Putin?

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Andrei Soldatov, investigative journalist, author and Russian security services expert provides some answers

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Ep. 324| What do people living in Russia think about Putin's war against Ukraine?

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Sergei Utkin, head of strategic assessments at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences shares some candid thoughts, saying the war is a "catastrophe".

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Ep. 323| A new Iron Curtain descends around Russia

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Audra Plepyt, Lithuania's Ambassador to the US, says Russia's war in Ukraine is worrisome for NATO countries; and she discusses what it's like to live behind the Iron Curtain.

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Ep. 322 | The Sanctions of Putin and Lavrov and; On the run from Russian missiles in Ukraine

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Radek Sikorski, Member of the European Parliament and head of the EU Delegation to the U.S. talks about the stiff sanctions Russia's President and Foreign Minister face; and Vasil Miroshnychenko, Partner, CFC Big Ideas talks about life in Ukraine today

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Ep. 321 | Here's why Russia's invasion of Ukraine has stalled

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Malcolm Nance, Executive Director of Terror Asymmetrics Project on Strategy, Tactics and Radical Ideologies (TAPSTRI), and a retired Navy Cryptologist says Russian force can get to Kyiv, but they'll never take it.

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Ep. 320 | Russian Invasion of Ukraine would be met with fierce resistance

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Malcolm Nance, Malcolm W Nance, Terror Asymmetrics Project on Strategy, Tactics and Radical Ideologies lays out how Russia might invade and what kind of resistance they'll face.

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SPECIAL REPORT: Crisis in Ukraine Part 1

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:45:00 -0500

A conversation with Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's Ambassador to the US. She discusses Russia's aggression and Ukraine's resolve to fight it.

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Ep. 319 | The US flips the information warfare script on Russia's Ukraine invasion plans

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Jeff Prescott, Deputy to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN, explains how the US is using diplomacy and other tactics to try and stop Russia from invading Ukraine.

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Ep. 318 | Russia's military forces continues to grow on Ukraine's borders. So does suspicion it's an elaborate misdirection play.

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Kusti Salm, Permanent Secretary of Estonia's Ministry of Defense says," We are extremely worried about the situation". He says Ukraine is not the ultimate target Russia is after.

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Ep. 317 | The Pentagon moves 3,000 troops into Eastern Europe as Russian invasion of Ukraine looms.

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby discuss the threat and efforts to counter it.

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Ep. 316 | Former top National Security Council official says Russian invasion of Ukraine "all but certain".

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Alexander Vindman, former NSC Director for European Affairs says, "come February" the largest invasion in Europe since World War Two is poised to happen in Ukraine.

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Ep. 315 | Russian Invasion of Ukraine Looming

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 21:00:00 -0500

State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, discusses the "grave mistake" Russia would make if it invades Ukraine, again. He also talks about US diplomatic efforts to change Russia's calculus, Afghanistan, NATO relations, and the challenges that lie ahead.

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Ep. 314 | Security in the U.S. after the January 6th anniversary

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 21:00:00 -0500

Brian Murphy, former Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence Analysis at DHS, and A.T. Smith, former Deputy Director of the Secret Service discuss the lessons intelligence and law enforcement officials learned from January 6th.

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Ep. 313 | DHS Secretary talks about security a year after Capitol riot?

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 20:28:17 -0500

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas talks about security in the US a year after the January 6th riot, lessons learned, and foreign threats.

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Ep. 312 | The 3rd anniversary of Paul Whelan's wrongful imprisonment in Russia

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 21:00:00 -0500

David, Paul's twin brother, talks with Target USA about Paul's condition, the status of his incarceration, and what the U.S. is doing.

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Ep. 311 | The Suburban Women Problem is America's Problem

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 21:00:00 -0500

Rachel Vindman, co-host of The Suburban Women Problem Podcast discusses how her husband Alexander Vindman's unfair dismissal from the National Security Council and loss of his military career, led them to speak out against authoritarianism.

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Ep. 310 | The U.S. and France, "This Trust Has Been Damaged"

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 21:00:00 -0500

France's Ambassador to the U.S. Phillipe Etienne says the damage done during the AUKUS blunder has not been repaired and "there is more work to do." What will it take to assuage yet another U.S. ally that has been shoved aside? We explore it in this episode.

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Ep. 309 | "If Ukraine falls to Russia, Europe is over"

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 21:00:00 -0500

Kurt Volker, former US Special Representative for the Ukraine Negotiation tells Target USA, there is a very real chance that Russia invades Ukraine and other neighboring countries. And if that happens, it will fundamentally change Europe.

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Ep. 308 | Whistleblower exposes how DHS officials tried to keep intel on Russia secret

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 21:00:00 -0500

Brian Murphy blew the whistle three times while Acting as Undersecretary of Intelligence at DHS. He talks about widespread efforts to manipulate intelligence for political purposes. He says top officials were not bound by ethics, but loyalty to President Donald Trump.

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Ep. 307 | The U.S. is losing the new Cold War with Russia

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 07:40:16 -0500

Retired CIA case officer Robert Baer, perhaps one of the best US intelligence officers in modern times, says Russia is slowly establishing the Soviet empire. He says Ukraine, the Balkans, and the U.S. had better look out.

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Ep. 306 | The Belarus-Poland Migrant Standoff

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:00:00 -0500

How did it happen? What will happen to the migrants caught in the middle? Peter Stano, Spokesman for the European Commission explains how Belarus tricked migrants into coming there and what actions the EC is taking.

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Ep. 305 | How Long before Afghanistan collapses under the Taliban's control?

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 21:00:00 -0500

Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project says the country is in serious trouble. Should the West help the Taliban, which is supporting Al Qaida? He says the choices are "bad, worse, and ugly."

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Ep. 304 | Havana Syndrome, today. 40 Years ago it was "Moscow Eye".

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:00:00 -0400

New York Times, Pulitzer Prize-winning, writer Serge Schmemann developed what was called "Moscow Eye" as a young writer in the Soviet Union. Nerves or a weapon? He never found out. But he encourages us to be cautious about how we characterize "Havana Syndrome".

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Ep. 303 | What's behind the FBI's search of Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska's homes in the U.S.

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Craig Unger, author of American Kompromat thinks it has a lot to do with Deripaska's connections to the Kremlin and Russian intelligence. He indicates American politics and politicians may be caught up in this as well.

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Ep. 302 | The CIA's new China Mission Center: How will it work?

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joe Detrani, who was the Director of CIA East Asia Operations, joins us to talk about the threat from the PRC's aggressive actions, China's objectives, and how the center would benefit CIA activities.

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Ep. 301 | The Defense Intelligence Agency: ISIS-K could threaten the Homeland in 1-2 years.

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Director, Lt. General Scott Berrier sits down for a wide-ranging interview about threats to the U.S. and how DIA is staying ahead of them. In this exclusive interview, he delivers several stark warnings about the nation's adversaries.

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Ep. 300 | COVID Conspiracy Part 4: How to persuade reluctant people to get the COVID vaccine (Conclusion)

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Foreign disinformation is driving US vaccine resistance. This is part four of a four-part series of podcasts. Dr. Anthony Fauci counsels us on how to talk to people who are reluctant to get the vaccine. In this series, we connect the dots between a secret foreign influence campaign that recruited social media influencers to spread lies about U.S. COVID vaccines and Americans' resistance to getting vaccinated. This is a Target USA/COLORS Crossover Podcast. More at https://www.podcastone.com/pd/Colors-A-Dialogue-on-Race-in-America

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Ep. 299 | COVID Conspiracy Part 3: The NFL's Vaccine Challenge

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:30:00 -0400

Foreign disinformation is driving US vaccine resistance. This is part three of a four-part series of podcasts. DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director of the NFL Players Association explains how they've met the challenge of players' refusal to get vaccinated. In this series, we connect the dots between a secret foreign influence campaign that recruited social media influencers to spread lies about U.S. COVID vaccines and Americans' resistance to getting vaccinated. This is a Target USA/COLORS Crossover Podcast. More at https://www.podcastone.com/pd/Colors-A-Dialogue-on-Race-in-America

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Ep. 298 | COVID Conspiracy Part 2: How does Russian disinformation work?

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0400

Foreign disinformation is driving US vaccine resistance. This is part two of a four-part series of podcasts. Retired FBI Special Tom O’Connor explains how Russian disinformation works and what their objective is. We connect the dots between a secret foreign influence campaign that recruited social media influencers to spread lies about U.S. COVID vaccines and Americans' resistance to getting vaccinated. This is a Target USA/COLORS Crossover Podcast. More at https://www.podcastone.com/pd/Colors-A-Dialogue-on-Race-in-America

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Ep. 297 | COVID Conspiracy Part 1: Russian Disinfo fuels anti-vaxx movement.

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Foreign disinformation is driving US vaccine resistance. This is part one of a four-part series of podcasts. We'll connect the dots between a secret foreign influence campaign that recruited social media influencers to spread lies about U.S. COVID vaccines and Americans' resistance to getting vaccinated. This is a Target USA/COLORS Crossover Podcast. More at https://www.podcastone.com/pd/Colors-A-Dialogue-on-Race-in-America

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Ep. 296 | Fiona Hill discusses her new book, "There's Nothing For You Here"

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Fiona Hill became known worldwide when she testified during former President Donald Trump's first indictment. Until recently, what she went through to become a globally recognized expert on Russia and survive in sometimes hostile circles dominated by men, was not well known at all -until her book came along.

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Ep. 295 | Kusti Salm: Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:00:00 -0400

He discusses Estonia's outlook on national defense, ZAPAD, Russian aggression, Belarus's provocations, and migrant weaponization.

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Ep. 294 | NATO: One for all, All for one

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has raised serious doubts about the relationship between the US and NATO. It was a key topic at the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, Estonia September 3-6. We bring you a panel discussion that revealed just how concerned NATO allies are about the relationship.

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Ep. 293 | The National Reconnaissance Office turns 60

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

When the United States needs eyes and ears in critical places where no human can reach – be it over the most rugged terrain or through the most hostile territory – it turns to the National Reconnaissance Office. Director, Dr. Chris Scolese joins us to breakdown what they do.

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Ep. 292 | The Afghan Diaries: Part Two

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Douglas Dreyer describes himself as an ordinary American trying to do the right thing. What he's doing is trying to help several Afghan friends get out of Afghanistan. And it's not going so well.

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Ep. 291 | The Afghan Diaries: Harrowing tales of attempts to escape Afghanistan

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Personal stories about the difficulties Afghans face as they try to escape Afghanistan before U.S. troops leave. Afghan, Ahmadullah Sediqi, a former interpreter for the US military and retired Marine Thomas Praxades share their stories.

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Ep. 290 | The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan: The Human Cost

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Two Afghan brothers, NT and RT, former U.S. military interpreters have wives stuck in Afghanistan under death threats from the Taliban. They tell very personal stories.

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Target USA –SPECIAL REPORT | AFGHANISTAN FALLS TO THE TALIBAN

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 14:22:29 -0400

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani flees Afghanistan as the Taliban claims control of the government and the country. Follow us on twitter @TUSApodcast

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Ep. 289 | The U.S. "had a heart attack " during the Capitol Riot and the constant venom on social media may cause another -soon.

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Radek Sikorski, Chairman, of the EU-USA delegation in the European Parliament says disinformation and propaganda on social media platforms brought the US to it's knees on January 6th. But he says we still haven't learned our lesson -nor has the rest of the world.

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Ep. 288 | The U.S. faces daunting cyber security challenges

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Eric Goldstein, Executive Director of Cyber Security at CISA, and former National Security Council lawyer, John Dermody talk about the threats, challenges and solutions.

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Ep. 287 | The Pegasus Project: Dangerous spyware system revealed

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 21:00:58 -0400

Drew Sullivan, co-founder and publisher of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project says using the Pegasus software from the NSO Group, "corrupt and troubled regimes across the world can gain access to vast troves of personal information on just about anyone they want." Follow us on twitter @TUSAPodcast

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Ep. 286 | EXCLUSIVE: Masih Alinejad, targeted by Iran for abduction speaks out

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:06:37 -0400

When the FBI first warned her 8 months ago, she didn't take it seriously. After 5 Iranian regime operatives were indicted for a plot to kidnap her, that's all changed.

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Ep. 285 | Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 17:32:28 -0400

Retired Sr. Operations Officer Marc Polymeropoulos discusses his new book and surviving a microwave attack by Russian intelligence. He says the attacks are continuing and praises the CIA's handling of the problem. But he says the State Department's efforts to help diplomats, who've been attacked are falling short.

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Ep. 284 | Putin: The "Summit" injected new energy into his troubled presidency.

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Bill Browder, who says he has been chased around the world by Kremlin "assassins" dispatched by Vladimir Putin, urges the US to stop trying "to make nice with Putin. There's no nice to be made with Putin. He doesn't do nice". Follow us @TUSAPodcast on twitter for much more on this.

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Ep. 283 | The National Intelligence University makes a big move

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Some call it the school for spies. But ODNI C.O.O. Lora Shiao and University President Dr. Scott Cameron tell us, it's much more than that.

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Ep. 282 | Will the U.S. leave thousands of Afghan translators behind?

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:00:00 -0400

John, an Afghan translator, explains why he helped the U.S. military. James Miervaldes, Chairman of No One Left Behind, says the U.S. is failing John and tens of thousands of other Afghans who are being hunted down and killed by the Taliban. Learn more from @TUSAPodcast on twitter.

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Ep. 281 | Biden and Putin meet in Geneva

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Geneva, Switzerland to once again try to reset relations between the two nations. We hear from both of them. Also former Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper weighs in on the importance of the meeting. Follow us on twitter @TUSApodcast for more details that you'll only find there.

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SPECIAL REPORT | Paul Whelan speaks from a Russian prison; asks President Biden for help.

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 12:00:00 -0400

The family of Paul Whelan released an audio recording of him this afternoon. It's the first such release and is a clear signal of how much they are depending on President Biden bring him and other Americans being held in Russia, home.

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Ep. 280 | EXCLUSIVE: Paul Whelan and family anxiously await the Biden/Putin Summit.

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

How will the meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin impact Americans detained and jailed by the Kremlin. David Whelan says they're keeping their expectations low regarding the release of his brother Paul. Follow us on twitter @tusapodcast for exclusive details and content that you'll only find there.

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Target USA –Ep. 279 | Will President Biden meet with Kim Jong Un?

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Former Special Envoy to North Korea, Joe Detrani says there's a limited amount of time to get this done.

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Target USA –Ep. 278 | The Pentagon's new objectives

Wed, 26 May 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs John Kirby lays out the three key objectives; and discusses in detail the threats from adversaries and those that come from within the military itself -like extremism.

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Target USA –Ep. 277 | Who's attacking American officials with microwave weapons?

Wed, 19 May 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Former State Department Deputy Director of Counter Intelligence Robert Booth; and Michael Weiss, Director of Special Investigations at the Free Russia Foundation have some important information to share that will help us figure it out.

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Target USA –SPECIAL REPORT | DHS Terrorism ALERT

Fri, 14 May 2021 14:00:00 -0400

"The Homeland is facing threats that have evolved significantly and become increasingly complex and volatile in 2021."

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 276| Americans allegedly attacked by foreign agents on U.S. soil

Wed, 12 May 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Former CIA covert operative Robert Baer and current and former intelligence officials suspect Russian intelligence agents are attacking U.S. government officials with directed energy weapons inside the U.S.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 275| The Kremlin/Trump connection

Wed, 05 May 2021 20:00:00 -0400

There is a story about an event in Paris in 2016, a payment and a message that may have shaped the course of the Trump administration and U.S. history. Craig Unger, author of American Kompromat discusses the details.

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Title: Target USA -Ep. 274 | How the KGB approached Donald Trump

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Former KGB agent, Yuriy Shvets, who defected to the U.S., says a strange deal on television sets in the late 1970s started what's been a decades-long connection between Trump and Russian intelligence.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 273 | Russian Spies, the Presidency, U.S. Politics and the new Cold War

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Part two of our look at "American Kompromat: How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed and Power". Author Craig Unger, former KGB agent Yuri Shvets and Atlantic Council Sr. Fellow Anders Asland paint a stark picture of what's happening in the shadows inside the U.S.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 272 | Is Donald Trump a Russian intelligence asset?

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Yuri Shvets, former KGB agent and subject of Craig Unger's new book, American Kompromat: How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power, and Treachery, says yes! They discuss never before know details of Russian activity directed at Trump and other American politicians.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 271 | Washington Post Reporter Joby Warrick discusses his new book, "Red Line".

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

The Obama administration's warning not to Syria not use chemical weapons went unheeded. How close did we come to a global disaster? Joby Warrick details how Syria fell apart and ISIS almost got all of their weapons.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 270 | North Korea launching missiles and new threats

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joe Detrani, former Director of the National Counterproliferation Center, says there is a serious concern that North Korea could make a mistake when it launches missiles. That, he says, could lead to a disaster.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 269 | Electronic Surveillance: Looking beyond the cyber threat

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Scott Stewart of Torchstone Global and Bruce Alexander of Security One Solutions break down the threat from electronic surveillance and social engineering in 2021.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 268 | Bill Evanina Speaks

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 20:00:00 -0400

The recently retired Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center goes into detail about the threats, challenges and capabilities of the hostile nation states facing the U.S. We've waited several years for this, unrestrained interview. He doesn't disappoint.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 267 | The man whose team discovered the Microsoft Exchange hack drops the details on what happened.

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 21:00:00 -0500

Careful with your email. Steven Adair, President of Volexity says "this is literally as serious as it gets. There is no one who is really immune from it." And it's not over yet!

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 266 | Washington is on edge with Capitol security concerns as March 4th arrives

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 21:00:00 -0500

A Qanon conspiracy theory says former President Donald Trump will "triumphantly return" to Washington to become President again on March 4th. But that won't happen. Will rioters return? We look at the Intelligence and talk to former FBI Special Agent Tom O'Connor about why domestic terrorism is a "second tier" problem.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 265 | What if President Joe Biden can't restore America's reputation?

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Brett Bruen, former White House Global Engagement Director under President Barack Obama, and now President of the Global Situation Room, says it's something the Biden team needs to think seriously about.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 264 | Qanon floats conspiracy theory about March 4, 2021

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 08:45:00 -0500

It's a date conspiracy theorists say Donald Trump will return to Washington "to reclaim the Presidency". It won't happen, but former Deputy Director of the Secret Service, A.T. Smith says law enforcement are prepared.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 263 | Navalny's doctor dies suddenly. "He knew too much".

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Natalia Arno, President of the Free Russia Society says it was probably no accident that Dr. Sergei Maximishin died suddenly. He treated Vladimir Putin's nemesis Alexei Navalny, after he was poisoned in Russia last year.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 262 | Navalny goes back to prison; Putin caught off guard

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Anders Aslund, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, studies Russian politics, corruption and economic issues says Navalny has backed Putin into a corner and the world is watching what Putin does.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 261 | DHS warns more political violence may be coming

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project and A.T. Smith, former Deputy Director of the Secret Service examine what motivates those looking to engage in this violence and; we hear about international terror threats as well.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 260 | The Capitol Riot -an intelligence bonanza for America's adversaries

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Marc Polymeropoulos and Douglas London, two retired CIA clandestine officers discuss how the US's adversaries will try to use the imagery from the riot to disparage the U.S. They also talk about how to track down those responsible.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 259 | Investigating the Capitol Riot

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Who was behind the riot on Jan 6th that led to 5 deaths at the U.S. Capitol? What will the fallout be? Senator Mark Warner and former Deputy Director of the Secret Service A.T. Smith discuss a dark chapter in American history.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 258 | Inside the Chaos on Capitol Hill

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0500

An inside, up-close look at the violence, death, destruction and panic triggered by a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters at the US. Capitol and the what likely was happening at the White House. Mitchell Miller from WTOP and former White House Situation Room Director Larry Pfeiffer join us.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 257 | The Russia Hack according to Sue Gordon

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Former Deputy DNI Sue Gordon explains the danger and damage of a recent, massive cyber hack and why Russia is the likely culprit.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 256 | Democracy Under Duress

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

The U.S. is in the grips of Russian disinformation, dark money and "our own dishonest politics". Fiona Hill, Douglas London, Anders Asland, Senator Mark Warner, and others top national security experts put the threat into context.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 255 | America caught in the grips of Russian disinformation

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Dr. Christopher Paul, a senior social scientist at the Rand Corporation, explains how Russia's disinformation game has put the U.S. in a very tough spot.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 254 | A look at the new Far Right in America

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Author Cynthia Miller-Idriss discusses her new book "Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right."

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 253 | From Trump to Biden: National Security at a Crossroads

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Senator Mark Warner, Former DIA Deputy Director Douglas Wise and former presidential briefer David Priess discuss the transition, the challenges ahead and what the intelligence is saying about the future.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 252| DARPA's role in rapid COVID vaccine development

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 23:48:39 -0500

Victoria Coleman, DARPA's new director, talks about the agency's role in the historically rapid development of a COVID-19 vaccine. She says that's a part of what the agency was built to do, 62 years ago.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 251 | Al Qaida's No. 2 is killed

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah was the mastermind behind the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. He was killed on the streets of Tehran, Iran recently. Dr. Hans Jakob-Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project details how it happened and why it's significant.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 250 | Trump, Debt and the Many Secrets He Knows

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Larry Pfeiffer, former CIA Chief of Staff and White House Situation Room Director, worries that President Donald Trump's massive debt will make him a target for espionage after he leaves office. He also is concerned about people around Trump who may find it hard to find jobs after leaving the administration, being targeted as well.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 249 | Former DNI concerned about Russia's next move

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Even though the votes are all in, former DNI Jim Clapper says he's concerned that Russia still has another 2020 Election play left. 50 plus years of intelligence knowledge shouldn't be ignored.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 248 | C.I.A. officer targeted with sonic attack

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Marc Polymeropoulos was in Moscow in 2017 when he was hit, twice, with a debilitating sonic attack, just like American diplomats in Cuba and China. Guess who was behind it? Guess what the C.I.A. did? Listen and find out.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 247 | H.R. McMaster speaks out

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0400

The retired Army General and former National Security Advisor is blunt about his rocky tenure at the White House and insightful about the ecosystem of Russia's disinformation efforts as he discusses his new book "Battlegrounds".

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 246 | North Korea's "October Surprise"

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Over the weekend, North Korea delivered what some experts call an "October surprise" to the U.S. It's a massive, new, nuclear-capable missile, that could reach the whole of the U.S. What's Kim's Jong Un's end-game? Dr. Jung Pak, the CIA's former top analyst on North Korea and Kim Jong Un, and author of "Becoming Kim Jong Un" breaks it down.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 245 | How ready is the U.S. Army?

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Is the U.S. Army ready to fight tonight? General Michael X. Garrett, Commander of U.S. Forces Command (FORSCOM) says not only are they ready, but they would win overwhelmingly. But, U.S. adversaries are getting better each day. Is the U.S. Army maintaining its edge?

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 244 | EXCLUSIVE: Poisoned by the Kremlin -a Survivor's Story

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and VP of the Free Russia Foundation was poisoned twice by Russian intelligence. He tells us a chilling story of his ordeal. He also pulls back the covers on the Kremlin's assassins and their motives.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 243 Why is the CIA sitting on Russian interference intel

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Douglas London, former member of the CIA's Clandestine Service discusses the internal struggle at the Agency to keep certain intelligence... quiet. And you might be surprised by what you hear.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 242 American company in cross hairs of Belarus regime

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Mikita Mikado, CEO of Pandadoc is fighting to get four employees released from jail in Belarus. They were seized after he protested the Lukashenko regime's brutality.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 241 The poisoning of Alexei Navalny - New Details

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Natalia Arno, Founder and President of the Free Russia Foundation exposes new details about the plot to poison Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny; and pushes for an international investigation.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 240 Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the impact of COVID-19 on national security

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, talks with Target USA about the dangerous threat COVID-19 poses to national security and the threats he faces.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 239 Svetlana Tikhanovskaya speaks out about Belarus

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is the house wife, who sparked a rebellion against Belarusian dictator Aleksander Lukashenko. She had to flee to Lithuania because of it. She tells Target USA Lukashenko's days as leader of the country are coming to an end.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 238 The Senate's Final report on Russia's 2016 meddling

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 18:16:50 -0400

Va. Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and former CIA clandestine service member Douglas London discuss the surprising and concerning findings of the years-long investigation. They also look at new troubles that lay ahead.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 237 Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos discusses the endgame for Russian intelligence

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Why did Russia interfere in the 2016 election? Why are they at it again in 2020? Marc Polymeropoulos spent the last years of his CIA career digging into why Russia is trying to destroy the U.S. He shares his thoughts with Target USA. Some of what he says may surprise you.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 236 Former DNI Jim Clapper says he's concerned Russia is hiding something

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:00:00 -0400

U.S. intelligence has shown evidence Russia is trying to interfere in the 2020 election. Former Director of National Security Jim Clapper says this time Russia, having learned from its mistakes in 2016, has become better at hiding its activities. He explains how.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 235 | Confrontation with an identity thief

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Identity thieves are becoming more and more bold. Listen to this encounter; and learn how recognize them and how to stop them.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 234 | The US China confrontation has arrived

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 22:00:00 -0400

China has had a really bad week and former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers says, this is likely the beginning of a very rough patch. Economic espionage, 5G, the Houston consulate closure, extradition treaties and trade limits are all facing China as the West shuts down its quest to dominate the world.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 233 | The Trump/Putin relationship "uncomfortable" to the U.S. Intelligence Community

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Douglas London, a retired CIA officer tells Target USA, it's "uncomfortable" watching the interaction between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, because it's "clearly a rather co-dependent, denial and deception campaign."

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 232 | John Bolton discusses his book "Room with a View ' and working for President Donald Trump

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 22:53:00 -0400

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton joins Target USA to reveal details about his book, working in the Trump Administration, Russian bounties to kill US troops, Venezuela, Iran and North Korea. Also former Deputy National Security Advisor Mark Pfeifle discusses what the National Security Council should be doing to deal with the Russia “bounty” situation.

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Title: Target USA –Ep. 231 | North Korea blows up chances for peace with South Korea

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 22:00:00 -0400

On June 16, North Korea destroyed the joint liaison office it operated with South Korea. Ambassador Joseph Detrani, former U. S. Special Envoy to North Korea, says that was significant and dangerous because the building was a symbol of peace between North Korea and South Korea.

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Target USA –Ep. 230 | Russia's nuclear weapons are still a existential threat

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 22:00:00 -0400

The US started nuclear talks with Russia this week in Vienna. They’ve concluded one round of discussions on one of the weightiest issues of our time -what to do with their weapons. Steve Andreasen, a consultant with the Nuclear Threat Initiative reminds us that Russia is still an existential threat to the US.

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Target USA –Ep. 229 | Russia sentences Paul Whelan to 16 years hard labor

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 22:00:55 -0400

American Paul Whelan, arrested and tried for what his family believes was a "set up", was sentenced to a long prison term this week. They say their only hope now is the U.S. government -which hasn't done anything to help -so far. But that may be changing now.

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Target USA –Ep. 228 | New technology exposes Beijing's spies

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 22:00:00 -0400

For decades, law enforcement and intelligence officials in the US have been trying to figure out and stop the PRC from stealing intellectual property from the U.S. Now, it may be game over for Beijing's IP thieves. Former Seal Team 6 member and CEO of Data Tribe, Mike Janke explains.

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Target USA –Ep. 227 | The Death of George Floyd

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:00:00 -0400

46 year old George Floyd died on a street in Minneapolis, with a police officer's knee on his neck. His brutal, gut-wrenching death was viewed around the world and may have ignited a new era of racial dialogue.

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Target USA –Ep. 226 | Fiona Hill speaks truth to power about Russia

Wed, 27 May 2020 22:00:00 -0400

It was Nov 21, 2019, when a voice that will echo in the halls of American power for decades issued a stark warning to U.S. legislators and the millions that watched on television. Dr. Fiona Hill’s distinctive voice and profound, curated knowledge of Russian intelligence activities and tactics set the record straight during President Donald Trump’s impeachment hearing. She joins Target USA to sound the alarm again –this time about ourselves.

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Target USA –Ep. 225 | New horizons for US Air and Space Forces

Wed, 20 May 2020 22:00:00 -0400

For almost a decade, the only way for Americans to get into space was to buy a seat on a Russian rocket. That changes today. In her first broadcast interview USAF Secretary Barbara Barrett discusses the future of the US Space Force plus hostile actors in space, modernization of the Air Force and more.

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Target USA –Ep. 224 | Was COVID-19 in the US last fall?

Wed, 13 May 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Is it possible the COVID-19 virus was already circulating in the U.S. in November? Noted pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek says, "It's not just possible, it's likely."

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Target USA –Ep. 223 | US/China confrontation looming

Wed, 06 May 2020 22:00:00 -0400

The US and China are on a collision course. It’s been taking shape for decades, but COVID-19 has brought this all to a head a lot sooner than most people imagined. We investigate it on this episode.

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Target USA –Ep. 222 | Kim Jong Un - Dead or Alive?

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

For weeks now, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been out of sight, prompting many to believe he's dead or very ill. In this episode, Ambassador Joe Detrani, one of the world's preeminent experts on North Korea tells Target USA, Kim has been planning for this day.

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Target USA –Ep. 221 | COVID-19 Questions Linger

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Former CIA covert operative Robert Baer says US intelligence still doesn't know exactly where the COVID 19 virus came from. Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, a scholar and epidemiologist from John's Hopkins University says considering the dangerous nature of the virus, opening the country up to general activity too soon, could be a big mistake.

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Target USA –Ep. 220 | COVID-19 Suspicion

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

With each passing day, the number of questions about the origin of the COVID-19 virus grows. First we heard it came from a snake, then we heard it came from a bat. So where did it come from? Former CIA officer and Chinese expert Nicholas Eftimiades points us in the right direction.

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Target USA –Ep. 219 | COVID-19 A New Reality

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

The whole world is waiting for the day that everything goes back to normal after this corona virus scare is in the rear view. Well, that’s not going to happen for a while. But after Russia and China, made grand plays for power during this crisis, David Kilcullen, a former soldier, military strategist and professor at Arizona State University tells Target USA, what could happen soon is a war; and the global order could be changing as well.

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Target USA –Ep. 218 | COVID-19 Playing Catch up

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0400

The leaders of the White House Coronavirus Task Force say as many as 240 thousand or more people in the US could die from this outbreak. On this episode, we talk with Beth Cameron, PhD, VP of Global Biological Policy and Programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. She’s the former senior director for global health security and bio defense on the White House National Security Council staff. She discusses what the world needs to do get ahead of this coronavirus and what lessons have been learned.

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Target USA --Ep. 217 | COVID-19 Pandemic

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 22:00:00 -0400

As the corona virus, known as COVID-19 sweeps the world, Target USA speaks with Robin Simcox, from Britain, Lao Petrilli of Italy and Eeva Eek Pajuste of Estonia to hear how they are impacted, and what the U.S. should expect. We also spoke to cyber security experts Rachel Tobac of Social Proof Security and Adam Meyers of Crowdstrike about measures teleworkers can take to protect themselves and their homes.

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Target USA --Ep. 216 | EXCLUSIVE: Estonia’s President Kersti Kaljulaid

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 23:00:00 -0400

In 2007 Estonia was on its knees, the victim of a vicious Russian cyber-attack. Since that time Estonia has risen to its feet, dusted itself off and, in 2020, is now teaching the world how to deal with Russian aggression. Target USA sat down with the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid to hear firsthand how they do it, about the Three Seas Initiative and much more.

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Target USA --Ep. 215 | EXCLUSIVE: Family of American hostage Tomeu Vadell speaks out

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 22:00:00 -0400

Tomeu Vadell has been held in Venezuela -- along with four other Americans and one permanent U.S. resident -- by the government of Venezuela for 2 years and 112 days. In a sometimes emotional interview, Tomeu Vadell's wife Dennysse and his daughter Cristina opened up to Target USA about his detention, the harsh conditions and their pleas for help from the U.S. government.

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Target USA -- Episode 214 | EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 23:00:00 -0500

From coronavirus to Russian aggression, the U.S. military is facing a lot of problems. The No. two official at the Pentagon sat down with Target USA to discuss the challenges and threat the military faces and the solutions.

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Target USA – Episode 213 | SPECIAL REPORT | Turmoil in the U.S. Intelligence Community

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Since the sudden resignation of Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, on February 21, 2020, the U.S. Intelligence Community has struggled to figure out what's next. This short episode provides some background on what happened, how we got here and what's next. There will be more extensive coverage.

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Target USA -- Episode 212: Disinformation contributes to Dow plunge

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Something weird happened with the stock market this week: It dropped about 1,800 points in two days. That's not the weird part, though. What's strange is that a software company called Blackbird AI, which uses artificial intelligence to track disinformation, discovered a sinister effort to manipulate and distort information about the spread of coronavirus. Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird AI, joins us to explain what they learned and why this is a serious national security risk.

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Target USA -- Episode 211: Nukes, malware and bots: US intelligence races to stay ahead of adversaries

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Imminent nation-state threats to U.S. national security, pernicious cyberattacks and looming global health crises, like the 2019 novel coronavirus, are but a small fraction of the burgeoning front-line intelligence challenges facing the nation. On this episode, Deirdre Walsh, Chief Operating Officer in the Office of the Director National, identifies the threats and details the plan for dealing with them.

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Target USA -- Episode 210: The importance of Croatia to US national security

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Croatia recently took over the presidency of the European Union. Croatia has its work cut out for it because the EU is facing a lot of challenges, not the least of which is the uncertainty looming because of the now-complete Brexit. Also there’s the big question of what Russia is doing in the region, something the U.S. constantly frets about. Pjer Simunovic, Croatia's ambassador to the U.S., joins Target USA to discuss the challenges that lie ahead.

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Target USA -- Episode 209: The Davos Plot

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 23:00:00 -0500

You might remember hearing in recent weeks about Russian intelligence agents allegedly plotting to bug the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. There also may have been an assassination plot involved. Bill Browder, a British businessman, author and the self-described public enemy No. 1 for Russian President Vladimir Putin, was the alleged target. He joins us on this episode of Target USA to tell us exactly what happened.

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Target USA -- Episode 208: Election Security

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:00:00 -0500

We know that Russia, China, Iran, non-nation state hacktivists and even domestic activists are actively attempting to interfere in the U.S. 2020 Presidential election. But what's not well known is that altering the election results may not be their ultimate goal. Shelby Pierson, the election threats executive from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, joins us to talk about the threats and what her team is doing to stop them.

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Target USA -- Episode 207: Cyber Trouble in 2020

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 23:00:00 -0500

The U.S. government is worried that China’s intelligence services may get into the 5G networks of its global partners and harm U.S. national security interests. On this episode, we learn they are already in many networks including our own personal ones. Command Sergeant Major William Rinehart talks about the steps the U.S. military is taking to protect the nation from these threats.

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Target USA -- Episode 206: The downing of Ukrainian Airlines flight 752

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 23:00:00 -0500

This episode deals with one overarching question: Was the crew of UIA 752 -- which likely was asleep during Iran's bombing campaign of U.S. forces in Iraq -- know it was too dangerous to fly the morning they took off from Tehran? Information we’ve obtained and experts we spoke to suggest they may have never known.

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Target USA -- Episode 205: The US vs. Iran

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 23:00:00 -0500

During a week of high drama between the U.S. and Iran, a top Iranian general was assassinated by the U.S. Americans on military bases in Iraq had to run for cover from Iranian launched ballistic missiles, and the leaders of both nations have warned that more attacks could be coming. But what kind of attacks could Iran be planning? Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and Adam Meyers of Crowdstrike break down the threat for us.

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Target USA -- Episode 204 | SPECIAL REPORT | US airstrike kills Soleimani

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In a stunning and devastating airstrike, on January 2nd, the US military killed General Qasem Soleimani, leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corp and Quds Force. This special report lays out what we've learned about it and what's next.

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Target USA -- Episode 203: The Best of 2019

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500

As we start 2020, we take a look back at one of best episodes of 2019 -Episode 190. It's part three of a four part series called "The Fog of Espionage". More in-depth coverage of espionage is coming in 2020. This episode provides the backstory.

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Target USA -- Episode 202: Radek Sikorski on the US and EU

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500

On this edition of Target USA Radek Sikorski, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the United States in the European Parliament discusses the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead -including China.

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Target USA -- Episode 201: National security implications of impeachment

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 23:00:00 -0500

For the fourth time in U.S. history, a sitting president has gone through the impeachment process. What are the national security implications of impeachment? Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson joins us to lay them out.

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Target USA -- Episode 200: NATO has a problem

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 23:00:00 -0500

The shocking public displays of animosity and aggression among NATO allies at the London Summit in November suggests NATO really is falling apart -- just as Russia had hoped. On this episode of Target USA, Jonathan Vseviov, Estonia’s ambassador to the U.S., tells us that public appearances say a lot about the state of affairs inside NATO, but they don’t tell the whole story.

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Target USA -- Episode 199: Countries are scared to reveal cyber attacks

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:05:00 -0500

Few if any leaders of nation-states will publicly acknowledge they've been hacked, and what's worse, they won't share intelligence, even with their allies. In this episode Col. Jaak Terian, director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence, explains why. Also Col. Andrew Hall, director of the Army's Cyber Institute, talks about how the U.S. Army is preparing for the future fight against cyber threats.

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Target USA -- Episode 198: African Lion 2020

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 23:00:00 -0500

Earlier this year we traveled to Morocco to observe Exercise African Lion. It is an annually scheduled, multinational military exercise, with the U.S. and Morocco playing the leading roles. It's designed to improve interoperability, mutual understanding and prepare for the possibility that the two countries and other allies would need to collaborate in a real-time military operation. In this episode, we explore plans for African Lion 2020, with Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, Commanding General of U.S. Army Africa

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Target USA -- Episode 197: The dangerous business of investigating Russia

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:55:00 -0500

Have you ever heard of the Dossier Center or Bellingcat? They're two of the preeminent online investigative journalism groups in the world. Quite often Russian corruption is their target. On this edition of Target USA, we'll take a look at exactly what they do, what the risks are, and how they're trying to get at their targets -- which often include close friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Target USA -- Episode 196: Robert Levinson -- Hostage, 4,633 days in Iran

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 23:00:00 -0500

Former FBI Agent Robert Levinson was last seen on Kish Island in Iran in 2007. His family has been begging and pleading with the Iranian government to let him go. Iran has always denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. But now there’s new hope for his return home. Hear his story from 2007 up to the latest developments on this edition of Target USA.

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Target USA -- Ep. 195: Anatomy a presidential phone call

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 23:00:00 -0500

For weeks the nation has been preoccupied with a phone call President Donald Trump made to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. What was said has resulted in an impeachment inquiry against Trump. Also at issue is the transcript of the call and who had access to it. In this episode, we examine how a presidential call is set up, monitored, and, most of all, documented. You may be surprised about what we found.

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Target USA -- Ep. 194 | EXCLUSIVE The “wife” of Jamal Kashoggi speaks Part 2

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 22:00:00 -0400

In part one of our chat with Ms. El-Atr she detailed how they met and got married. In this episode, she details her struggles to get her marriage recognized.

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Target USA -- Ep. 193 | SPECIAL REPORT ISIS leader killed

Sat, 26 Oct 2019 23:00:00 -0400

URGENT: ISIS leader Abakr al Baghdadi is was targeted in a US military raid in northwestern Syria and he's believed to be dead.

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Target USA -- Ep. 192 | EXCLUSIVE The “wife” of Jamal Kashoggi speaks Part 1

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 23:00:00 -0400

You probably haven’t heard of her before, because Hana El Atr, has for the first time revealed her identity and her marriage to journalist Jamal Kashoggi. She says it happened months before he was allegedly killed in Turkey in 2018. While it's not your typical national security story, it looms large because he worked for an influential US company. El Atr tells her story only to Target USA.

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Target USA -- Ep. 191 | The Fog of Espionage Part 4: Conclusion

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 22:00:00 -0400

In this series we've learned that there are more than three million spies around the world eyeing the U.S. We've examined who they are and the tactics they use. A former U.S. agent gave us a glimpse into a day in the life of American spies. Now, in the conclusion, what should we expect in the future? What tactics are coming? Where will the spies originate from? And can the U.S. handle the threat?

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Target USA – Episode 190 | The Fog of Espionage Part 3: A day in the life of a spy

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 22:00:00 -0400

What's it like to be an American spy? There are two scenarios: an American who is spying for the U.S. government, and an American overseas who’s running spies. Either way, it’s a complicated, dangerous and nerve-wracking experience. On this episode we take you deep into the murky world of American spies.

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Target USA -- Episode 189 | The Fog of Espionage Part 2: Cuba -- small country, perhaps the most dangerous spies

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Russia and China are espionage powerhouses, but a tiny nation may be the most dangerous of all. Cuba has run an extensive spying operation inside the U.S. for decades and, according to sources, continues to this day. One of its spies was Ana Montes, who according to some, is one of the most damaging U.S. spies -- ever. FBI Special Agent Pete Lapp breaks down her case and the danger.

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Target USA -- Episode 188 | The Fog of Espionage Part 1: Dragons and poisonous snakes

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Peering through the still lingering haze of the Cold War, U.S. intelligence officials and their allies have detected murky, ominous crisis sweeping the planet. As the mist of an uncertain future, driven by new “Great Power” conflicts, roll in, they have determined that a potent new strain of espionage is now their No. 1 1 threat, one that eclipses terrorism. This four-part series will look deep into the threats and the actors, and examine what the U.S. is doing about them. Part one sets the scene for what is a new existential threat, much like the former Soviet Union — but smaller, more diverse and equally as lethal.

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Target USA -- Episode 187: Congress gets involved in attempts to free an American from a Russian prison

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 22:00:00 -0400

On the prior episode, we got news that Paul Whelan -- who's being held in a Russian prison on espionage charges -- had been injured and had complained about rough treatment by guards. Since news from his family about his worsening condition has gained widespread attention, it seems as though Congress has taken a deeper interest in getting him out of there. Elizabeth Whelan, Paul Whelan’s sister, joins us for an unvarnished, candid interview about the hard road to get America to sit up and take notice of his case.

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Target USA Episode 186 -- American held in Russian custody on espionage charges suffers injury

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 -0400

Paul Whelan has been held in Russia’s notorious KGB-era prison, Lefortovo, since December of 2018. He’s allegedly committed espionage. No evidence has been presented. No indictment has been handed up and despite public ridicule, Russia’s intelligence service, the FSB, continues holding him. Recently he was injured and complained about rough treatment by guards. His twin brother David updates Target USA.

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Target USA Episode 185 -- DHS intensifies efforts to prevent mass attacks and fear in communities

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 22:00:00 -0400

There have been four mass shootings since July. Forty four people have died. Brian Harrell, assistant director of the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency, tells Target USA they're taking action.

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Target USA -- Episode 184: Islamic State group faces a big hurdle as it tries to reconstitute

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Since its so-called "caliphate" collapsed in October 2018, the Islamic State group has remained a threat. It’s killed more than 400 people in worldwide terror attacks. Colonel Scott Rawlinson, spokesman for U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve, joins Target USA from Baghdad to discuss the continued fight to neutralize the group and how it’s being done.

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Target USA -- Episode 182: Interview with Philip Mudd, author of 'Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World'

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:00:00 -0400

During an event recorded in front of a live audience at D.C.'s Politics and Prose bookstore and punctuated by light moments and difficult questions from the audience, host JJ Green interviewed author Philip Mudd about the hours and days after the 9/11 attacks and the decisions the CIA made to try to extract information from people it believed could lead them to the perpetrators of the attacks.

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Target USA -- Episode 181: North Korea launches more missiles, warns US and South Korea

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 22:00:00 -0400

North Korea has launched more than a half-dozen missiles in the past few weeks. Many of them are new variants, which suggests that North Korea is continuing to march toward building nuclear weapons. At the same time, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has all but demanded the U.S. to return to negotiations. What's North Korea’s objective? What will the U.S. likely do? Former U.S. Special Envoy Joe Detrani talks with Target USA about the options.

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Target USA -- Episode 180: A new generation of cyber warfare is here

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Every country on the planet is thinking about one thing: the next step in the progression of cyber warfare and what the weapons of the future will look like. Tanel Sepp, cyber policy director for Estonia’s Ministry of Defense, tells us what to expect on this episode of Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 179: The dangers of FaceApp and others like it

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Have you tried the new appearance-altering computer applications? Suddenly, the technology has become a national security concern. On this episode, we hear what people think and a warning from the former director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

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Target USA -- Episode 178: Cyber vulnerabilities may be world's No. 1 security threat

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Leaders from NATO, the FBI, and cyber security firms Crowd Strike and Fire Eye all agree securing personal, government, military and corporate data is among the most daunting challenges of the modern era -- and it's high time all people wake up to the danger the face from cyber insecurity.

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Target USA -- Episode 177: The Huawei 5G dilemma -- why the US and its allies are so nervous

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 22:00:00 -0400

The next generation of cellular network technology is about to hit markets around the world. But there's a big problem: The main producer of the technology is Huawei, and the company allegedly has built backdoors into more than 50% of the equipment. That raises serious national security issues for every country on the planet. Raul Rikk, Estonia's national cyber security policy director, William Evanina, director of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Cyber Security Center, and Joel Brenner, former U.S. national counterintelligence executive explain the problem and address the solutions.

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Target USA -- Episode 176: Game changing development in Cyber crime

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 23:00:00 -0400

Criminals, terrorists and other bad actors now have a powerful new tool to help them. It’s the dark web’s cybercrime market place. Wil Van Gemert, Deputy Executive Director of Operations at Europol discusses how that new marketplace works.

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Target USA -- Episode 175: An interview with Elizabeth Horst, chargé d’affaires, US Embassy Tallinn, Estonia

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Elizabeth Horst has been posted to some of the toughest places on earth, including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Moscow. And speaking of Russia, Estonia is the frontline in the Western defense against Russian aggression. Horst tells Target USA what it’s like working there.

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Target USA -- Episode 174: There are more than 10,000 spies lurking in DC

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Brian Dugan, assistant special agent in charge of counterintelligence at the Washington Field Office of the FBI, joins Target USA to put the problem into context and explain how they’re dealing with it.

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Target USA -- Episode 173: Rules for war in cyberspace

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 22:00:00 -0400

The world has recently seen the devastation that can be caused by the amorphous realm that is cyber. Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Estonia's ambassador at-large for cybersecurity, discusses how diplomats are going about putting rules in place, how they are going to be enforced and where they are in the process.

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Target USA -- Episode 172: Jonna Mendez, former CIA chief of disguise talks about her book, 'The Moscow Rules'

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 22:00:00 -0400

The legendary woman, who created some of the CIA's most ingenious disguises, talks about the rules of the road for U.S. spies in Moscow, her career and her famous husband, the late Tony Mendez of "Argo" fame.

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Target USA -- Episode 171: EUCOM's fight against cyber threats

Wed, 29 May 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Brigadier Gen. Maria Biank talks with Target USA about the U.S. European Command's efforts to defend against cyber threats.

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Target USA -- Episode 170: A conversation with Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan

Wed, 22 May 2019 22:00:00 -0400

The Pakistani government says it's "cleansed" the tribal areas of terrorism and that there's no organized terrorist activity happening inside Pakistan. Also on this episode, Pakistani Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan discusses the fact that Pakistan is Iran’s official representative here in Washington.

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Target USA -- Episode 169: The real story behind the new International Spy Museum

Wed, 15 May 2019 22:00:00 -0400

More than 10,000 spies are believed to be residing in Washington, D.C., living among a population of about 700,000 people. That means one in every 70 people you run into in D.C. is likely a spy. How do you tell? What are they up to? How do they do their work? Many of the answers and the profound history of espionage lie inside a new glass and steel structure called the International Spy Museum.

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Target USA -- Episode 168: Surviving after the Mueller Report

Wed, 08 May 2019 22:00:00 -0400

The report is in. The investigation is over. There will be no more indictments, arrests or trials. Now, the nation is locked in a battle over impeachment and executive privilege. How did we get here and how will we get out? Answers on this edition of Target USA.

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Target USA EXTRA -- North Korea missile launch was 'foolhardy'

Sun, 05 May 2019 23:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Joe Detrani is the former U.S. Special Envoy for the Six Party Talks with North Korea. He tells Target USA that Kim Jong Un’s decision to launch a short-range ballistic missile over the weekend was dangerous and shortsighted. It could signal the end any meaningful chance to achieve denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.

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Target USA -- Episode 167: Iranian spies in the US

Wed, 01 May 2019 22:00:00 -0400

In August 2018, Alireza Jafarzadeh was eating in a Los Angeles restaurant. He noticed a very friendly waiter offering exceptional service, free food and a lot of attention. He later learned from the FBI, the waiter was a part of a "capture and kill" scheme cooked up by Iranian intelligence. Listen as Jafarzadeh explains what happened on this episode of Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 166: The Sri Lanka Easter Sunday massacre

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0400

More than 350 died and more than 500 were wounded after a series of coordinated blasts rocked the island-nation of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler Sr., the director of the Counter Extremism Project, says this shocking attack was the Islamic State group’s way of announcing that its new reign of terror is underway.

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Target USA Extra -- Early takeaways from the Mueller Report

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0400

As we learn more from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on "The investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election," it's clear the Russian government and its key intelligence agencies ran a long-term, sophisticated interference operation that we're just beginning to understand. Target USA host JJ Green details some of the early takeaways from the report.

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Target USA -- Episode 165: The National Harbor plot

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 22:00:00 -0400

A Maryland man plotted to run over people using a stolen U-Haul. FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Moore, Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski and WTOP Reporter Megan Cloherty join us to explain what happened and what’s next in the war against terrorism.

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Target USA -- Extra: Assange Arrested

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0400

Target USA host JJ Green discussed the arrested of Julian Assange and explains what led up to it.

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Target USA – Episode 164: Exercise African Lion 2019

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, commanding general of U.S. Army Africa, breaks down Exercise African Lion 2019, which took place in Morocco. He discusses what happened, why it was important and what it means for the future of the U.S. military, and its military partners in Africa and beyond.

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Target USA -- Episode 163: The future of terrorism

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Terrorism experts Tricia Bacon, Douglas Wise and Bruce Alexander join us to lay out their views on terror groups, tactics and the future of terrorism.

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Target USA -- Episode 162: Philip Mudd discusses moving on after the Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 election

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 22:00:00 -0400

Philip Mudd was the deputy director of the FBI’s National Security Division. He was appointed to that position by Robert Mueller. In this episode, he talks about Mueller's report and how to deal with Moscow in the future.

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Target USA Extra -- March 22, 2019

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 23:00:00 -0400

Target USA -- Episode 161: Russia is allegedly planning to annex another part Ukraine

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 22:00:00 -0400

It's been five years since Russian annexed Ukrainian territory. Now Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze tells Target USA they're about to do it again.

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Target -- Episode 159: Exclusive interview with DIA Director Robert P. Ashley Jr.

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 23:00:00 -0500

In a world that seems to be careening out of control, what keeps the intelligence official whose job it is to provide the U.S. government with "decision advantage" up at night? You might be surprised by his answer.

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Target USA -- Episode 158: The Trump-Kim Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 23:00:00 -0500

President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un are meeting for the second time to try to put an end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Former Special Envoy Joseph Detrani and the Nuclear Threat Initiative's Richard Johnson -- who've both worked on shutting down North Korea's nuclear program -- join us to tell us what needs to be done.

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Target USA -- Episode 157 | Munich Security Conference: Global discord highlighted at critical security gathering

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 23:00:00 -0500

More than 600 high-level international decision makers from politics, business, academia and civil society along with throngs of media gathered in Munich for what was arguably the most important gathering in the 55-year history of the Munich Security Conference. But instead of harmony, conflict was center stage. NATO, defense cooperation, Russian aggression, cyber and climate change were just some of the many urgent problems discussed. What was accomplished? And will those accomplishments make a difference in the quest to resolve those problems? A chorus of powerful and candid voices join us on Target USA to assess this pivotal conference.

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Target USA -- Episode 156: Robert Cardillo's last interview as National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency director

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 23:00:00 -0500

On Feb. 7 Robert Cardillo retired as director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. But, the day before he did that, he sat down with Target USA for a final time. And something he said was quite troubling -- true, but troubling.

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Target USA -- Episode 155: The impact of the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 23:00:00 -0500

On Feb. 1, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the U.S. was going to withdraw from the historic Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), negotiated in 1987 by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. This came after years of discussions, technical meetings and intelligence sharing by U.S. officials to show the Putin regime that it was breaking the rules of the treaty, that the U.S. knew about it, and that it would be best for all if Russia came back into compliance. Andrea Thompson, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security affairs, has led the State Department's efforts and joined Target USA to discuss the impact of the withdrawal and what's next.

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Target USA -- Episode 154: Russia denies jailed American access to US assistance

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0500

Paul Whelan is an American who was arrested on Dec. 28 in Moscow. The Russian government says he was caught red-handed committing espionage. But they've never said what he was doing -- except that he received a USB flash drive from someone in a hotel that allegedly contained classified information. And what's worse for the family is that the Kremlin is denying him the ability to get the help he needs from the U.S. government. Whelan's twin brother David Whelan returns to Target USA to explain the latest concerning developments. Among them is the Russian government’s continued refusal to explain the charges.

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Target USA -- Episode 153: The FBI and the impact of the government shutdown

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0500

Nancy McNamara is assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. We continue the conversation we started with her in Episode 150. But in addition to the challenging work the FBI faces, its employees now have to face it all with no pay checks. The stark and grim reality of the impact of the federal government shutdown on U.S. national security and FBI employees is presented in a conversation with Tom O'Connor, president of the FBI Agents Association, on this program.

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Target USA -- Episode 151: David Whelan speaks out about his brother's arrest on espionage charges in Russia

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0500

On Dec. 28, former U.S. Marine and citizen of the U.S. citizen Paul Whelan disappeared in Russia. Since then, his story has captivated the world. Three days later he turned up in a Russian prison, arrested for allegedly committing espionage. What was he doing there? What’s the basis for the charges? Is he a "pawn" in a political tug of war between the U.S. and Russia? In an extensive interview, Target USA spoke with Whelan's twin brother David Whelan, and got answers to all those questions and many more. Some of the answers may surprise you, and after you listen there'll be no doubt about just how serious this situation is.

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Target USA -- Episode 150: Interview with Nancy McNamara, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office

Wed, 02 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0500

Russian and Chinese espionage operations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the international headaches the FBI has to deal with. The Washington Field Office of the FBI is in the eye of those storms and many others, from violent crime to terrorism and the opioid crisis. Nancy McNamara, assistant director in charge of the Washington Field Office, sits down with Target USA for an extended look at the threats, challenges and actors it's facing.

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Target USA -- Episode 149: The best of Target USA 2018

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Russia's trolls, Kremlin linked assassinations, spies in the U.S., North Korea's missiles, the Skripal poisonings and the 25th anniversary of the World Trade Center bombing were all stories that dominated our coverage in 2018. And as we look back, we’ll review those stories and others that made big headlines this year.

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Target USA -- Episode 148: Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky discusses the disturbing evolution of Russia

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Melvyn Levitsky is a retired State Department foreign service officer. He served, among other posts, as the U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria from 1984 to 1987, and as the political officer at the US Embassy in Moscow from 1972 to 1975. During those years he curated an astounding amount of intelligence about Soviet government oppression, corruption and other activities. Curiously, as Vladimir Putin's "regime" has been implicated in a blatant attempt to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and, again, in the 2018 midterm elections, Levitsky's historical knowledge provides a clever and perceptive blueprint for how to confront a new Cold War.

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Target USA -- Episode 147: Interview with Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, commander of US Army Africa

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Africa has a serious terrorism problem from the Islamic State group, al-Qaida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram and numerous other small groups that seek constantly to take advantage of the instability on the continent. The U.S. has for many years sought to help African nations develop their own capacities to better secure themselves. But longstanding problems reaching back to Africa's colonial era, when the land was carved up at the Berlin Conference in the late 1800s, and later corruption, foreign meddling, natural and human disasters has kept the continent, as a whole, in a constant state of instability. The U.S. military plays a major role in helping Africa help itself. Major Gen. Roger Cloutier, commanding general of U.S. Army Africa, joins us on this episode of Target USA, to bring some context to its mission.

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Target USA -- Episode 146: The George HW Bush funeral

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 23:00:00 -0500

George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States, passed away on Nov., 30, 2018 at the age of 94. He lived a big life. He was a naval war hero, Congressman, UN Ambassador, Ambassador to China, director of the CIA, Vice President, President, global statesman and a very kind person. He accomplished a lot. His friends and family say he was smart, fearless and funny, but, perhaps, his greatest attribute was his compassion for others. On this episode, we look back at his life and at a very special state funeral.

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Target USA -- Episode 145: Russia's eyes and ears in the UK and the US

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 23:00:00 -0500

The Kremlin is believed to have as many as 75,000 informants in London alone. They are allegedly being handled by hundreds of Russian spies inside the United Kingdom. Dr. Andrew Foxhall breaks down the numbers in a new report from the Henry Jackson Society. In the U.S., Russia has been dramatically increasing its spy population, as well. Former CIA officer John Sipher paints a picture of the Kremlin's spy activity in Washington and beyond.

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Target USA -- Episode 144 | Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin's Secret Squad of Killers -- Epilogue

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Our series, Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin's Secret Squad of Killers, featured four episodes about people who were murdered, were victims of attempted murders or were the family members of those targeted -- all incidents that were allegedly connected to the Kremlin. The objective was to take a closer look at what appeared to be network of people and organizations that were active in locations from central Asia to Washington and many major cities in between and beyond. In this final segment of the series, we discuss the burning question -- would the Kremlin order the killing of Americans in the U.S.?

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Target USA -- Episode 143 | Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin's secret squad of killers -- Part four

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko spoke out against the Kremlin and, like many others, was marked for death. But he managed to elude and expose those who sought to kill him. He faked his own death. In this episode, an exclusive interview, he details how it all happened, moment by moment.

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Target USA -- Ep 62: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn talks about Russia -- an exclusive, never broadcast interview

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 17:01:00 -0500

In 2016, Mike Flynn burst on the national stage with his famous "lock her up" comments at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, in reference to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. He eventually became President Donald Trump's national security adviser but was fired 24 days into the job after suspicions about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russians came to light. Target USA digs deeper into who Flynn is, partly through a never-before broadcast interview from 2015 that sheds some light on his military career and his views on Russia.

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Target USA – Episode 142 | Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin's secret squad of killers -- Part three

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 23:00:00 -0500

On this program Marina Litvinenko, widow of Alexander Litvinenko, tells the difficult story of the moment she learned he was poisoned, his brave battle before he died and her ongoing fight for justice. On this episode, she warns U.S. law enforcement officials about Russia's assassins. Previously on episode 141, we told you the story of Paul Joyal, who was shot in his driveway in Adelphi, Maryland on March 1, 2007. Police originally said it was a robbery. But nothing -- not even money, a car or a computer -- was stolen. The case was never solved. Joyal and many experts believe it was a contract hit, carried out because Joyal accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing his friend Alexander Litvinenko.

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Target USA -- Episode 141 | Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin’s secret squad of killers -- Part two

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Previously on episode 140, we started our series, "Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin's secret squad of killers," by presenting our investigation, which began in March 2016. The objective was then -- and is now -- to use the stories and words of victims to illustrate that the many suspicious and, in some cases, "accidental" deaths of Russians and others were more than just suspicious and accidental. They are incidents that deserve a closer look. The story of Paul Joyal, who was shot in his driveway in Adelphi, Maryland in on March 1, 2007 -- a case that has never been solved -- is highlighted in this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 140 | Assassins Incorporated: The Kremlin’s secret squad of killers — Part one

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 22:00:00 -0400

In March 2016, Target USA began investigating the suspicious deaths of Russian diplomats and others around the world linked, in some way, to the Kremlin. Some of them died in the U.S. — in New York and D.C. The deaths of some were deemed “natural.” Others were obviously murdered. The investigation, which also examined failed assassination attempts, revealed a persistent pattern and a recurrent scheme involving money, power and revenge. Starting with this episode, we’re bringing you a series of four podcasts examining this critical issue. We interviewed dozens of people, including victims, their family members, diplomats, journalists, U.S. intelligence, U.S. law enforcement officials and sources, members of Congress, and experts in order to gain a better understanding of how this deadly ring of killers operates.

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Target USA -- Episode 139: Special report preview -- The US-Russia enigma

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 04:35:00 -0400

This is a special preview program designed to set the stage for a series of podcasts that will be the culmination of more than a year and a half of research and preparation. The series will focus on the U.S.-Russia enigma, and the life and death struggle underway in the shadows. A number of outspoken voices have faced this struggle head on. Some have won and some have lost. Each day the struggle grows more and more critical.

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Target USA -- Episode: 138: Trump, Israel and the PLO

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The Trump administration has ordered the Palestine Liberation Organization delegation office in Washington to close on Oct. 10. Maen Areikat, former chief representative of the General Delegation of the PLO Delegation, told Target USA that the Trump administration is shortsighted. But Kenneth Bricker, a spokesman for The Israel Project, said the PLO provoked the action. We hear both sides on this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 137: Lessons learned from Estonia about Russian meddling

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The U.S. is struggling with the effects of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the upcoming 2018 midterm elections. This isn't the first time such an operation has taken place. Estonia found itself the victim of a similar attack in 2007. On this episode, Jonatan Vseviov, Estonia's U.S. ambassador, explains how the U.S. can recover and become resilient to such attacks.

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Target USA -- Episode 136: Update on the Senate Intelligence Committee probe into Russian election interference

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., spoke exclusively with Target USA and confirmed that four of the five key phases of the probe are finished. The fifth and the most potentially explosive -- the question of whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin -- is now in progress. During the interview, Warner revealed his belief that Kremlin meddling is not just limited to cyber-attacks and disinformation, but that it may involve people working inside the U.S.

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Target USA -- Episode 135: Tale of a troll

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 15:30:00 -0400

Marat Mindiyarov worked in the nerve center of Russia's infamous St. Petersburg troll house. He saw the plan, reluctantly participated in the plot and played a key role in the Internet Research Agency. The organization conducted an operation to trick Americans on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms into believing a Kremlin-backed disinformation campaign -- until he could no longer put up with the hours, the drudgery and diabolical plot. So he quit and began sounding alarm. Shortly afterward he was arrested. We have all the details on this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 134: Is North Korea really serious about denuclearization?

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 22:00:00 -0400

In March, Pyongyang said it would suspend its nuclear and missile testing programs if the U.S. would sit down and discuss how to improve relations. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did just that. At that time Pyongyang said it would completely give up its nuclear program if it were to get security guarantees. Skeptics found that hard to believe. But on this program, Ambassador Joe Detrani, a former U.S. official who has sat across the negotiating table from North Korean representatives, tells us that making a nuclear deal is going to be difficult, but it can be done.

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Target USA -- Episode 133: Al-Baghdadi's 'last-ditch' effort to save IS

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 07:24:00 -0400

After almost a year of silence and three years since he was last seen in public, Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released an audio message on Aug. 22 ostensibly admitting that the brutal terror group had been defeated by the U.S.-led coalition. But in that same message, the crafty, self-appointed caliph tried to rally his troops, the total number of which is disputed. He called on them to launch an insurgency -- something U.S. military officials say will not succeed. In this episode, Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, and Pentagon Press Secretary Dana White join Target USA to talk about the status of the mission to defeat IS and the size of the organization, and to deliver a prognosis for the fight.

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Target USA -- Episode 132: Former CIA director's security clearance revocation ignites intel community firestorm

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 22:00:00 -0400

When President Donald Trump announced that former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance was revoked for being too critical of the president, former intelligence community members erupted, fervently defending Brennan. While making it clear that some of them disagreed with Brennan's comments and tone, they were clear. They were firmly behind his right to speak. David Priess, retired CIA officer and former presidential briefer, discussed the impact of the revocation with Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 131: A conversation with Khemaies Jhinaoui, foreign minister of Tunisia

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Tunisia considers itself the U.S.' oldest friend. But in recent years, that friendship has been tested. Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui came to the U.S. in July to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other U.S. officials to talk things over. Before his meeting with Pompeo, he sat down with Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 130: Bill Browder says Kremlin tried a 6th time to kidnap him

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Bill Browder says he's Russian President Vladimir Putin No. 1 enemy. The reason is the Magnitsky Act, which punishes Russia for corruption. Browder says the Russian government has spent millions of dollars to capture him. He believes they're trying to kill him. In early June, a bizarre episode played out in Madrid that seems to confirm that claim. Browder spoke to Target USA about what happened.

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Target USA -- Episode 129 | Putin's 'wish list': Kyle Parker, one of 11 Americans in danger, speaks out

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 22:00:00 -0400

After President Donald Trump's historic summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on July 16, Putin suggested a trade of sorts. It involved the 12 people indicted in the U.S. on election interference charges and 11 Americans whom Russian authorities would like turned over for "questioning." Some security experts have suggested the Americans might be in danger if such a swap were allowed. Kyle Parker, chief of staff of the Helsinki Commission, is one of those people. And while calm about it all, he's very concerned. And he told Target USA why.

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Target USA -- Episode 128: Maria Butina was arrested for being a Russian agent. Here’s a look at her life in Washington

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:00:00 -0400

When she was arrested on July 15, Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian woman, was portrayed in an online profile as a recent graduate of the American University's Kogod School of Business. She was well-known in conservative political circles around Washington as being pro-gun rights, pro-Russia and pro-Trump. But the FBI thought she was up to something more. In this episode we talk to a classmate, two journalists who got to know her and her attorney about who Maria Butina really is.

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Target USA -- Episode 127: The Helsinki Summit with White House reporter Jeff Mason, former CIA operative Robert Baer

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 22:00:00 -0400

What happened between President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin during their one-on-one meeting July 16 in Helsinki may not be fully known for a long time -- if ever. But on this episode, we look at the historic press conference between the two and the fallout afterward. Reuters White House Correspondent Jeff Mason explains what it was like to be in the room. And Robert Baer, who worked almost a decade on Russia issues for the CIA, explains the disgust his former colleagues felt watching the press conference, during which Trump seemed to side with Putin against them.

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Target USA -- Episode 126: Plot to kill prominent Americans and Iranians in Paris foiled

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 22:00:00 -0400

On June 30 and July 1, four people were arrested by Belgian, French and German authorities. They allegedly had planned to bomb a massive gathering of people who oppose the Iranian regime. Among them were current high-profile officials from the U.S government, military and national security communities. The group that put the event together is the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Maryam Rajavi. The operation to attack the event was allegedly being plotted by a sleeper cell. One of the members that were arrested was carrying TATP, a very volatile explosive that could've caused tremendous damage. Joining is on this program is Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of National Council of Resistance of Iran, to explain in detail what happened.

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Target USA -- Episode 125: Moscow accuses American of killing former Russian spy, alleges CIA connection

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Alexander Goldfarb was close friends with Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian intelligence officer, who was poisoned to death in London in 2006. Two Russian intelligence operatives were behind it. But after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, another former Russian spy, and his daughter Yulia in March of this year, Russian government-linked media outlets began accusing Goldfarb of killing his friend. Then things turned bizarre. He got a visit from the FBI and his friend’s father began accusing him of killing Litvinenko. Now Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko, the widow of Alexander Litvinenko, have decided to take action. We have exclusive details on this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 124: Moldovan Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi discusses difficult relationship with Russia

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Many of Russia's neighbors are concerned about its revanchist intentions. They are worried about the mixed and confusing messages coming from Russia. On one hand, Kremlin officials say they support the independence and free will of neighboring countries, as long as that free will doesn't lead to an alliance with the EU. That's part of the problem going on in Moldova. Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi was in Washington on June 25 to along with Prime Minister Pavel Filip. Ulianovschi talked about the situation while visiting with Target USA.

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Target USA - Episode 123: Kremlin intensifies efforts to arrest Putin nemesis

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:00:00 -0400

On June 20, 2018, Russia’s state run news outlet, Interfax, reported that the government had issued its seventh Red notice seeking the arrest of hedge fund manager Bill Browder. Browder, founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, joined Target USA to talk about the intensified efforts to capture him and, in his words, eventually… kill him.

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Target USA — Episode 122: EU military officials warn Russia to stop its aggressive behavior

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The 2018 NATO Summit is coming up in July in Brussels. Three of the top agenda items are improving the speed of decision making, refining the readiness of NATO forces and enhancing the mobility of NATO forces. Russia is the main reason for this urgency. Three top officials from the EU spoke to Target USA about it.

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Target USA — Episode 121: Former DNI James Clapper discusses new book and ‘truth’ about Russia’s meddling in 2016 election

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 22:00:00 -0400

James Clapper spent more than 50 years in the U.S. intelligence community. His last posting was director of national intelligence, serving under President Barack Obama. He’s written a book about his career called “Facts and Fears.” He spoke with Target USA, and candidly discussed “the truth about Russia’s role in the presidential election,” the Osama bin Laden raid, the Benghazi attack, and the Edward Snowden leaks.

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Target USA — Episode 120 | Rethinking the illnesses of US diplomats in Havana: A new theory

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 22:00:00 -0400

On Aug. 9, 2017, CBS correspondent Steve Dorsey broke the story that U.S. diplomats in Havana had been sickened by a mysterious illness, the cause of which no one could put their finger on. At the time no one had any answers about what happened. Doctors determined they were likely suffering from some kind of ultrasonic device. But since then other possibilities have arisen. Chris Simmons, a retired supervisory counterintelligence officer from the Defense Intelligence Agency with deep experience related to Cuba, has a theory and supporting evidence that makes perfect sense and is very plausible.

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Target USA — Episode 119: Lithuanian foreign minister warns the West to stand up to Russia

Wed, 30 May 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The U.S. continues grappling with the effects of the Russian government’s meddling before, during and after the 2016 presidential election. The Kremlin’s main goal of creating a climate of distrust and chaos was largely successful. And in the process, U.S. officials, experts and average citizens are pointing fingers — blaming each other for allowing it to happen. Lithuania, which has had a long and difficult history in Russia’s shadow and has been victimized by Russia’s “alternative” views of truth for many years, has some advice for U.S. officials. Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius visited Washington on May 16 to meet with U.S. officials and counseled against trying to compromise with Russia because, he said, that would be a sign of weakness to the Kremlin.

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Target USA — Episode 118: The Cipher Brief

Wed, 23 May 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Two-and-a-half years ago, Suzanne Kelly, one of the top intelligence reporters in the U.S., took a leap. She started an online national security, intelligence publication to offer news consumers in-depth news, analysis and well-qualified experts on those topics. What she got in return far exceeded that. “Our biggest accomplishment to date has been that we very quickly became 'must read' material within the IC (Intelligence Community),” Kelly said. “We're read within the FBI, ODNI, White House and Pentagon. What has surprised me a little bit is how large of a loyal audience we've been able to grow outside of the IC and national security apparatus.” In fact, Microsoft and McDonald’s are among the global private sector companies that depend on The Cipher Brief. Kelly joined us on Target USA to discuss the venture.

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Target USA -- Episode 117: US-Pakistan relations hit a rough patch

Wed, 16 May 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The United States and Pakistan have had a steady relationship for 70 years. But in that period, the affiliation has been beset by ups and downs, including the Osama bin Laden saga. Now, yet another “misunderstanding,” as characterized on this episode by Aizaz Chaudhry, Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., threatens to derail this critical relationship. And interestingly enough, new information related to the bin Laden story surfaces in this podcast.

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Target USA -- Episode 116 | Trump meets Kim: Planning the US-North Korea summit

Wed, 09 May 2018 22:00:00 -0400

The U.S. and North Korea are moving ahead with plans for President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet. But what happens after the meeting? Is there enough trust between the two to facilitate a nuclear deal? It’s a big question, especially considering the U.S. has just pulled out of a similar deal with Iran.

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Target USA -- Episode 115: Deepening distrust between US and Russia

Wed, 02 May 2018 22:00:00 -0400

On the previous episode, retired U.S. spy John Sipher told Target USA that Russia possibly has as many as 225 spies inside the U.S. -- even after 60 were kicked out in March. Bitterly complaining about it, Russia's ambassador grumbled that no U.S. officials would meet with him. One congressman tells us why. And we hear why the U.S. gets the short end of the stick when it comes to tit-for-tat expulsions.

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Target USA -- Episode 114: Former CIA officer John Sipher discusses Russian spy strength in the US

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Russia has more spies in the U.S. than it did during the Cold War. The man who knows all about Russian espionage joins Target USA to break down exactly what the spies are doing and how many are likely at work inside the U.S. during this very tense and dangerous time.

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Target USA -- Episode 110: American businessman Bill Browder says the Kremlin is trying to kill him, too

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:00:00 -0400

In the wake of the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in the United Kingdom, Hermitage Capital Management CEO Bill Browder tells Target USA, "The Russians are doing everything they can try to get me, to try to kill me, to try to stop me, to try to intimidate me." Browder, the architect of the Magnitsky Act, says "there are probably 250 people working full time inside the Russian government at any given moment trying to destroy my life." Browder says he's the number one enemy of the Russian government and, specifically, Russian President Vladimir Putin. All the details are available on this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 109: Poisoning of former double agent in Britain triggers new Cold War

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 22:00:00 -0400

A new and bitter schism between Russia and the west over the poisoning of a former double agent has opened up, and it could have lethal consequences. On this episode, British Prime Minister Theresa May, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and former weapons inspector Dr. David Kay put the potentially deadly situation into context.

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Target USA -- Episode 108: The next generation of terrorism, it's coming. So, how is the State Department preparing?

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 22:00:00 -0400

Terrorism is shifting into a new phase. U.S. Department of State Counterterrorism Coordinator Nathan Sales says terrorists are getting smarter -- using previous attacks as blueprints. But with the Islamic State group waning, al-Qaida- and Iran-backed terrorism are in resurgent trajectories. Sales says military efforts to fight terrorism are going to wind down, and sophisticated law enforcement and advanced screening measures are going to take precedence.

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Target USA -- Episode 107: 25 years after the first World Trade Center attack, why soft targets are still a problem?

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 23:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we hear the survival stories from the day in 1993 when "the earth shook" and thick black smoke filled New York's iconic World Trade Center. Six people died and more than a thousand were injured during an attack that many believe set the stage for an even more disastrous attack in 2001. Survivors' audio was provided by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

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Target USA -- Episode 106: Putin's motivation for election meddling

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 23:00:00 -0500

What's Russian President Vladimir Putin’s motivation for interfering in U.S. elections? U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., a senior member of the Senate foreign relations committee, tells Target USA that Putin is, perhaps, the richest man in the world and corruption is his business model. And that, according to Cardin, is driving his obsession to sow seeds of chaos in the U.

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Target USA -- Episode 105 | Russian election interference: Version 2018

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers tells Target USA that in the 1960s Russian intelligence used leaflets and pamphlets to try to interfere in U.S. affairs. But in 2016, the internet, bots, trolls and Americans' anger toward each other made it a lot easier. And in 2018, Rogers says, we should prepare for an even more advanced attack that’s based on the same simple principle.

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Target USA -- Episode 104: Former CIA director Mike Hayden takes us inside the Russian threat to the US

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Having served as a four-star Air Force General and as director of the National Security Agency and the CIA , very few people know more about how Russia's new Cold War-like behavior will impact the U.S. Former CIA director Mike Hayden shares deep insight with Target USA about what to expect in 2018 and beyond.

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Target USA -- Episode 103: Interview with David Pekoske, administrator of the TSA

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 23:00:00 -0500

Two things keep David Pekoske, head of the Transportation Security Administration, awake at night. Worrying about the 60,000-plus men and women on the front lines of the TSA is one. The other, Pekoske says, is "people that we don’t know about " -- meaning terrorists and other criminals who pose a threat to aviation and other modes of transportation security. He talks exclusively to Target USA about those issues, how terrorists are changing their tactics to more effectively attack airplanes, and how the TSA is dealing with the threat.

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Target USA -- Episode 102: North Korea's Olympic motives spark suspicion

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 02:01:00 -0500

Grace Jo escaped from North Korea in 2006, but not before her grandmother, father and four siblings died of starvation or simply disappeared while out searching for food. Now with the start of the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea coming up on Feb. 9, Jo says she is suspicious of North Korea's interest in participating and cozying up to South Korea and she tells Target USA that we may soon find out that the warming of relations is what not it seems to be.

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Target USA -- Episode 101 | 'Thrilling and terrifying': Part 2 of interview with former CIA officer Mark Kelton

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 02:01:00 -0500

This is a continuation of what we started in episode 100 of Target USA. In a rare interview, retired CIA officer Mark Kelton reveals details about his days behind the Iron Curtain and why Russia is a foe that is just as dangerous today as it was at the height of the Cold War. In this episode, Kelton tells us about his work helping Pakistan track down Osama bin Laden and how he contracted a mysterious, yet-to-be-explained illness during that process. He also issues a warning to U.S. officials leading the fight against terrorists today.

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Target USA -- Episode 100: 'Thrilling and terrifying'

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 02:01:00 -0500

On our 100th episode of Target USA, we bring you a very special interview with a retired CIA officer. Mark Kelton reveals the details of a remarkable career, including a harrowing day behind the Iron Curtain in the former Czechoslovakia, the devastating impact of a CIA turncoat, and why he says Edward Snowden is "a liar and traitor." His story is robust, incisive, revealing and timely.

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Target USA -- Episode 99: Russian agents still meddling in US affairs

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 02:01:00 -0500

Nine months after the historic investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections, Target USA speaks with Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Among the stunning developments he shares are that Russia has not stopped trying to interfere in U.S. affairs, that the Steve Bannon revelations in the book "Fire and Fury" contributed to several new threads that will likely extend the investigation, and that some of those who've already testified may have to come back.

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Target USA -- Episode 98: The consequences of Trump's Pakistan 'lying and deceit' tweets

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 02:01:00 -0500

During a stream of New Year's Day tweets, President Donald Trump insulted Pakistan leaders, calling them liars and deceitful while taking billions in U.S. aid over a 15-year period. Target USA spoke with Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., who called the allegations "hurtful and disappointing." Also boiling over right now are longstanding trust issues between the U.S. and Pakistan that stem from the location and killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Chaudhry has a cloaked warning for the U.S. and some advice on moving forward. Note: We extended an invitation to the White House to respond but did not receive a reply.

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Episode 97: 2017 in review

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 03:01:00 -0500

North Korea, attacks on US diplomats in Cuba, terror attacks in the U.S. and Europe were among the biggest stories of the year, but the undisputed top story of the year was Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. Target USA takes a look back.

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Episode 96: Top TSA officials lose sleep, but gain ground as terrorists plot new attacks

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:01:00 -0500

As of Dec. 20, the very same instructions that Akayed Ullah used to learn how to build the bomb he detonated in the New York subway attack on Dec. 11 allegedly remains online and available to clever terrorists able to find them. That, along with numerous other clearly stated threats from terror groups to U.S. aviation, rail and other surface transportation systems, commands a growing amount of precious time from Transportation Security Administration officials, who are working day and night to stay ahead of the threat. Stacey Fitzmaurice, deputy assistant administrator at the TSA's Office of Security Operations, and Bob Melan, a security specialist at the surface division of the Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement, sat down with Target USA to lay out the threat, some of their counter measures, and how it all impacts TSA's plans to protect the traveling public. Also, Philip Mudd, former CIA and FBI executive, explains what the latest terrorist tactics mean for the future.

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Episode 95: New York Port Authority Suicide Bomber & US Intelligence Community's Crown Jewel

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:01:00 -0500

On Monday, Dec. 11, a 27-year-old man triggered a strapped-on suicide vest inside a crowded pedestrian tunnel under New York's Port Authority. He was allegedly upset about Christmas posters and other geopolitical issues inside the corridor he targeted. For some reason, the bomb didn't work the way Akayed Ullah, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, had intended it to. It granted everyone around him and brought to the forefront again the general danger that terrorists pose, the specific dreadful nature of a suicide bomber, and the Justice Department's urgent concern about a key tool to fight terrorists that is set to expire on Dec. 31 unless reauthorized by Congress. Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand joined Target USA to explain why Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is so important. Former CIA case officer Robert Baer and counterterrorism expert Fred Burton, vice president of intelligence at Stratfor, also joined us describe the evolving terrorism landscape.

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Target USA -- Episode 94: North Korea marches closer to closer to nuclear weapons

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 02:01:00 -0500

Many think that it's just a matter of time before North Korea is an existential threat to the U. S. "As Kim Jong Un said a few months ago, North Korea's determined to build on their nuclear and missile capabilities," Joeseph DeTrani, former director of the National Counterproliferation Center, says on this episode of Target USA. He says the U.S. and its allies have to stop it from happening. But, is it too late? Retired Lt. Col. Dan Davis, senior fellow at Defense Priorities, raises a key question on the program: "Is there a high chance that one day we'll see a mushroom cloud over Seattle?" The two experts breakdown the latest threat, the U.S.' options and what it all means for you.

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Target USA -- Episode 93: Kirkuk, Iraq is the scene of yet another human catastrophe

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 02:01:00 -0500

On the heels of the announcement that the Islamic State group had essentially been ousted from Iraq in September 2017, the Iraqi military along with Iranian-backed militias launched an incursion into Kirkuk in northern Iraq. Almost 200,000 people have been displaced, hundreds have been killed and Kurdish officials say "ethnic cleansing" is taking place. Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government to the U.S., shared the details with us. We also spoke with Lt. Gen. Paul Funk II, commander of the Operation Joint Task Force -- Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) coalition in the region, about how all of this is impacting the fight against IS.

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Target USA -- Episode 92: NSA still battling to regain its edge years after the Snowden leaks

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 02:01:00 -0500

Four and a half years after contractor Edward Snowden abruptly left the U.S. with a trove of highly classified secrets, the National Security Agency and its counterparts in the U.S. intelligence community continue to struggle under the crushing impact of his actions. Terrorists, spies and other NSA targets have retreated to the safety of encrypted apps and the deep web. While it's made progress, it will take years before NSA regains its edge. In the meantime, some very nasty things may happen because bad actors are able to hide almost completely. In this episode, NSA Deputy Director George Barnes says Snowden did much more than steal and leak highly classified documents, he opened a window into the NSA's thought process. Although the agency is rebounding very quickly, it's a difficult process.

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Target USA -- Episode 91: Anatomy of a Russian Attack: The next time could be worse

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 00:01:00 -0500

If you've followed the Target USA podcast, you are familiar with our series of reports called the Anatomy of a Russian Attack. In episodes 83 through 86, we unveiled a nearly yearlong investigation into Russia's meddling, and its attack on the U.S. election in 2016 and American democracy. On this week's episode, we continue the investigation by digging deeper into Russia's operation, why it appeared to be successful and the reality that what we've seen is possibly only the beginning. Former Office of the Director of National Intelligence general counsel Robert Litt, Dr. Christopher Paul with Rand Corporation and Time.com journalist Massimo Calabresi join us with expert context on this episode.

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Target USA -- Episode 90: The New York City terror attack and what was known months ahead of time

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 02:01:00 -0500

Six months prior to the attack on a New York City bike path, top intelligence officials had an idea something like it was coming. In this episode of Target USA, we revisit a conversation with Nick Rasmussen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who talks about it. Also, the alleged New York attacker said Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was his inspiration. Lt. Gen. Paul Funk II, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force -- Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), updates us on the search for Baghdadi; and European Union commissioner Sir Julian King discusses how IS is changing its tactics.

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Target USA -- Episode 89: Tamer Elnoury -- Interview with an undercover Muslim FBI agent

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 02:01:00 -0400

In the wake of the New York City bike path terror incident on Halloween, many are asking how authorities can stop extremists like the man who ran over innocent people with a truck in the name of IS. One way is an undercover FBI agent -- or more specifically, an undercover Muslim agent like Tamer Elnoury. Still active in the FBI, Elnoury disguises his voice to tell us a vivid story about his book "American Radical," and the tough job that he and his colleagues do. He also shares the way he moves between his real and undercover lives.

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Target USA -- Episode 88: Exclusive interview with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Leaks in Washington, terrorism, Russian meddling in the 2016 election, cyber threats to the electric grid and the opioid crisis all are serious concerns for the No. 2 official at the Department of Justice. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discusses them all in an exclusive interview with Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 87: An update on the US diplomats sickened in Cuba

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 02:01:00 -0400

We told you the story on Episode 78 of how "official" Washington was rattled on Aug. 9, when news broke that U.S. diplomats in Havana had been sickened a mysterious illness that no one could put their finger on. Target USA has continued digging into the story, and, in this episode, we now have a better idea of what happened and where. Russia may emerge as key suspect. Retired Ambassador Deborah Jones lays out the risks diplomats face there and beyond.

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Target USA -- Special Report | Anatomy of a Russian Attack Part 4: A look at Russia's objective and what's coming

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 03:01:00 -0400

This is the final installment of our four-part Target USA series "Anatomy of a Russian Attack on the U.S." In this episode, Robert Cardillo, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, details how Russia's activities have impacted the U.S. intelligence community. Also, Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general at the Justice Department, discusses how they are going to deal with Russia's efforts. And also, a former Russian spy tells us what we should expect in the coming weeks, months and years. As we've told you, the U.S. intelligence community concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered operatives to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. A Target USA investigation that began in November 2016 examined how the attack happened, when it started, who was involved and what will lie ahead. We conducted dozens of interviews, in the U.S. and abroad, with current and former U.S. intelligence officials, members of Congress, cyber security and intelligence experts, foreign government officials, Russian nationals and American victims.

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Target USA -- Anatomy of a Russian Attack Part 3: Troll farms, IMSI catchers

Tue, 03 Oct 2017 02:01:00 -0400

This is part three of our four-part Target USA series "Anatomy of a Russian Attack on the U.S." In this episode, former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers pulls back the curtain on Russia's troll farm operation, and intelligence expert Aaron Turner of Gravwell talks about how Russian operatives spied on mobile phones in Washington. As we've told you, the U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered operatives to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. This Target USA investigation, which began in November 2016, examines how the attack happened, when it started, who was involved and what will lay ahead. We conducted dozens of interviews -- in the U.S. and abroad -- with current and former U.S. intelligence officials, members of Congress, cyber security and intelligence experts, foreign government officials, Russian nationals, and American victims.

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Target USA -- Episode 84: Anatomy of a Russian Attack Part 2: Inside the Russian operation

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 00:59:00 -0400

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered operatives to interfere in the 2016 Presidential election. A Target USA investigation that began in November 2016 examined how the attack happened, when it started, who was involved and what lay ahead. In part two of our four-part Target USA series, "Anatomy of a Russian Attack," we explore the mindset of the Russian operatives behind the meddling and the early origins of the operations.

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Target USA -- Episode 83: Anatomy of a Russian Attack Part 1

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 22:01:00 -0400

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered operatives to interfere in the 2016 Presidential election. A Target USA investigation that began in November 2016 examined how the attack happened, when it started, who was involved and what lay ahead. Dozens of interviews were conducted in the U.S. and abroad with current and former U.S. intelligence officials, members of Congress, cybersecurity and intelligence experts, foreign government officials, Russian nationals and American victims.

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Target USA Episode 82 -- 16 years after the 9/11 attacks, worries of new attacks grow

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Sixteen years after the worst terror attack in U.S. history, a former senior operations officer with the CIA says, "the situation is even worse." Mike Maness was overseas when the 9/11 attacks took place. But now he says: "As a country, we tend to have a very short memory. The average citizen seems to have forgotten, or is choosing to ignore, the fact that terrorism is still a very real threat." On this episode, experts Tara Maller with the Counter Extremism Project and Robin Simcox of The Heritage Foundation put the lessons learned and the new threats into perspective.

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Target USA -- Episode 81: After 6th nuclear test and more possible, who controls North Korea's nukes?

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 02:01:00 -0400

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, said on Sept. 5 that the country's recent nuclear and missile tests "are a gift package addressed to none other than the U.S." The same day, U.S. Ambassador U.N. Nikki Haley said, "Enough is enough," indicating that it's time for more drastic measures to stop North Korea's provocative and dangerous actions. Nuclear weapons in an unstable North Korea raise a range of concerns, including, as Dr. James Turner, former Department of Energy director of the Office of Nuclear Weapons Surety, asks, who's in control of North Korea's nukes?

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Target USA -- Episode 80: Houston hammered by Hurricane Harvey

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Eleven trillion gallons of water have fallen in the Houston area. Veteran first responders and globally seasoned journalists stand in awe of the scope of the devastation. The damage is unprecedented, according to Texas National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Travis Walters. On this episode we set the scene, examine the rescue efforts and look at how you can help.

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Target USA -- Episode 79: The safety of US diplomats around the world is on the line

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 02:01:00 -0400

John Eustace retired from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security in late July. On Target USA, he warns that unless the "leadership" wakes up, a tragedy like the one in Benghazi that left a U.S. ambassador and three others dead is going to happen. Money is the issue. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is being asked to trim its budget at the worst possible time. "The world is on fire, " Fred Burton, former deputy secretary for counterterrorism at the Diplomatic Security Service, told Target USA, and diplomats are the first line of defense.

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Target USA -- Episode 78: US diplomats sickened, forced to leave Cuba after invisible attacker struck

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 02:01:00 -0400

"Official" Washington was rattled on Aug. 9 when news broke that U.S. diplomats in Havana had been sickened a mysterious illness that no one could put their finger on. It was so bad that several had to be sent home or reassigned. It had been going on for months. But no one had any answers until doctors determined they were likely suffering from some kind of ultrasonic device. It is a weapon that authorities struggled to define. CBS correspondent Steve Dorsey broke the story. He tells Target USA what he's learned. Also, former State Department counterintelligence official Robert Booth tells us he believes he's figured out what happened.

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Target USA -- Episode 77: 'Alarming rise' in global crises triggers urgent action in the US intelligence community

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 02:01:00 -0400

The Defense Intelligence Agency is bracing and preparing for "alarming" global changes, which include more frequent and more destructive wars, increasingly damaging cyberattacks, progressively belligerent and hostile nation-states, more clever and deceptive terrorists, and natural disasters that dwarf the scale of those in previous years. This podcast, featuring Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, examines the agency's plan to stay ahead of those threats.

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Target USA -- Episode 76: Terrorism in 2017 -- New terrorism tactics, trends and threats

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 02:01:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism has released its latest report on terrorism. The news is good and bad. Acting Coordinator Justin Siberell gave Target USA the most engaging and forthcoming assessment on terrorism to date. Islamic State group, al-Qaida, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations are using technology to elevate their aptitudes to plan and execute sophisticated attacks and, at the same time, incite sympathizers worldwide to support them. Siberell discusses, in depth, the report, examines state sponsors of terrorism, terrorist safe havens, foreign terrorist organizations, and the global challenge of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorism.

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Target USA -- Episode 75: North Korea will have a nuclear capable ICBM within a year

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 02:01:00 -0400

The Defense Intelligence Agency has produced a new assessment that indicates the North Korean regime, led by Kim Jong Un, will have an intercontinental ballistic missile that can carry a nuclear weapon as early as 2018. Joby Warrick from The Washington Post, who broke the story, joins us with the details about what he and his team learned. Also, Ambassador Joe Detrani, the former U.S. Special Envoy on North Korea, joins us to put North Korea's threat to the U.S. into context.

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Target USA -- Ep 74: Robert Young Pelton: The future of terrorism, private armies and tracking Joseph Kony

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Robert Young Pelton's book "Licensed to Kill" chronicled his time with a team of government-hired guns in the war on terror in 2003. Since then, he's found himself at the heart of numerous major news events -- from U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl's walking away from his unit into captivity by the Taliban, to the migrant crisis, the IS group's "caliphate" and notorious terrorist Joseph Kony of the Lord's Resistance Army. Pelton is a smart, well-connected individual who knows how to navigate the shadowy world of terrorism and is able to make sense of disparate details that even the authorities who should know, don't. He talks to Target USA about IS group's new "expansion" model.

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Target USA -- Ep 73: Is IS group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead or alive? What's next?

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 02:01:00 -0400

This week the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had confirmation that IS group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was dead. It never produced any proof, but it is the first "credible " organization to go that far. On this program we examine what 's known about al-Baghdadi's status, his elusiveness and what happens after he and his so-called caliphate pass from the scene. Brett Velicovich, who chased al-Baghdadi for years in the U.S. Army, and Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior Iran analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, join us on the program to break it all down.

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Target USA -- Ep 72: US Central Command facing tough challenges

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Responsible for U.S. military activity in 20 countries, U.S. Central Command is faced with multiple difficult, generational challenges. The Taliban is surging in Afghanistan. The Islamic State group 's so-called "caliphate" is crumbling in Iraq and Syria. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) continues to make deceptively clever and elusive bombs, while engaged in a brutal fight to taken over Yemen. CENTCOM spokesman Col. John Thomas paints a stark picture for Target USA of the incredibly complex and dangerous challenges facing the U.S.

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Target USA: Episode 71 -- Exclusive interview with National Counterterrorism Center Director Nick Rasmussen

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 15:01:00 -0400

If the momentum of U.S.-led coalition is any indicator, the black flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) may be completely eradicated from Syria and Iraq in a matter of months. But Nick Rasmussen, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, warns that the black cloud of IS group terrorism will not dissipate the day after the caliphate falls.

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Target USA -- Episode 70: Stopping the Taliban surge

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:01:00 -0400

Defense Secretary James Mattis said on June 13 that the Taliban is surging. Whats driving the resurgence and what will the U.S. strategy to fight the Taliban look like? We dig into those questions, plus we get a look at the state of IS and al-Qaida from Hans-Jakob Schindler on this weeks episode of Target USA.

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Target USA -- Episode 69: ISIS' 'caliphate' crumbles

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 02:01:00 -0400

ISIS is running out of territory, money, fighters and time. Some experts fear the damage has already been done. However, on this episode of Target USA, Operation for Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Ryan Dillon says, "There is absolutely nowhere that they can go. They have two choices: They can surrender or they can die."

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Target USA -- Episode 68: Terror on London Bridge

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 22:01:00 -0400

This riveting episode features the tense moments during the attacks in London, analysis of what happened, what Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre's chief is doing about it, and the U.S. role in tackling a growing terrorism problem.

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Target USA -- Bugles Across America, making sure America's fallen military personnel are treated with dignity

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 02:01:00 -0400

Often times people who served this country, some of whom who gave their lives, are laid to rest without a live rendition of taps. They end up with a prerecorded version. It was especially bad in the early-to-mid 2000s, when hundreds of deceased veterans came home from Iraq and Afghanistan during the height of those wars. Tom Day was offended, so he started Bugles Across America and began playing by himself at as many funerals as he could. The organization now has 5,000 buglers and a remarkable story. We present it here on Target USA.

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Target USA -- Ep 66: Terror in Manchester, England

Thu, 25 May 2017 02:01:00 -0400

The suicide bombing at pop star Ariana Grande's concert on May 22 literally shook the ground all around Europe's second largest indoor arena. But it also sent shockwaves around the world because the attack on a concert where very young children were attending left no doubt that terrorists today have no limits. On this program, we get the details about what happened. Philip Mudd, one of the world's best counterterrorism analysts, puts the event in perspective. Also, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official tells us what we can expect in terms of security changes here in the U.S.

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TargetUSA -- Ep 65: Growing fallout of Trump's intel sharing with Russia

Thu, 18 May 2017 02:01:00 -0400

President Donald Trump's decision to share classified intelligence with Russia sparked yet another media firestorm. It also created serious concerns for U.S. allies. Those concerns are critical to the war against terrorism. We dig into the fallout on this episode.

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Target USA - Ep 64: The deepening mystery over Russia's alleged meddling investigation

Mon, 15 May 2017 17:01:00 -0400

The firing of FBI director Jim Comey by President Donald Trump has intensified an already raging, powerful international drama playing out in Washington and Moscow. The U.S. Congress and the intelligence community are trying to get to the heart of a strange story that connects President Trump, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and a cast of Russian and American characters in a plot that some say rivals Watergate. On this episode of Target USA, J.J. Green connects the dots.

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US Intelligence Sees New Threats as Result of Snowden Leaks

Wed, 03 May 2017 22:01:00 -0400

Bill Evanina is the national counterintelligence executive and director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. In an exclusive interview, he speaks candidly about the damage that Edward Snowden's leaks continue to cause. From terrorists to hostile nation-states to hackers, Snowden's guidance has shown them how to avoid being detected by the U.S. intelligence community. This week's episode of Target USA examines why that's a serious threat to the nation and you.

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Target USA -- Ep 61: Tensions escalate with North Korea

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 00:01:00 -0400

The U.S. and North Korea, according to some observers, were on the brink of war on the weekend of April 15. Was it posturing? What's at stake? What does this situation mean for those innocent people struggling to survive in North Korea? We'll hear a gut-wrenching story from a young North Korean woman who knows what it's like to suffer inside of North Korea. Also in this episode, two experts -- Ambassador Joe Detrani, who is a former U.S. North Korea mission manager, and Greg Scarlatoiu, who is the executive director of The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea -- discuss the prospect of war with North Korea and what Kim Jong Un's main objective is.

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Target USA -- Ep 60: Terror threats to US airports and cargo planes

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 22:01:00 -0400

Not only are terrorists trying to attack passenger planes, they're targeting cargo planes and airports, too. On this program, we continue our discussion with former Transportation Security Administration administrator Peter Neffenger, who candidly talks about screening problems in airports. We also hear from Brandon Fried, executive director of the Air Forwarders Association. He said the printer cartridge plot by al-Qaida in 2010 opened everyone's eyes -- including other terrorists.

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Target USA - Ep 59: Peter Neffenger, former head of TSA, bluntly describes terror threats to US aviation

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 00:01:00 -0400

After liquid and laptop bans were put in place on planes in 2017, a new twist on a very dangerous threat has emerged. Terrorists are competing for supremacy in aviation terror attacks. Whether it's ISIS, AQAP or other up-and-coming terror groups, they all have master bomb makers and access to extensive knowledge bases that make the terrorist threat to airplanes -- specifically those flying to the U.S. -- more dangerous than ever. Peter Neffenger, former head of the Transportation Security Administration, tells Target USA that terrorist groups never sleep. There are more potential threats out there than ever before.

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Target USA - Ep 58: Cyberspace -- Breaking down the impact it has on your data and your safety

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 00:01:00 -0400

There are no real boundaries in cyberspace. But the laws that govern it are limited. Joining Target USA to talk about the maddening difficulty of chasing criminals in cyberspace is Alexander Seger, who is the executive secretary of the Committee of the Parties to the Budapest and is the head of the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe in Bucharest, Romania. Seger also explains why harassment and bullying are so prevalent.

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Target USA - Ep 57: Robert Levinson disappeared 10 years ago in Iran. His family is turning up the heat to force his release.

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:01:00 -0400

In this episode, David Levinson -- the second son of Robert Levinson and Christine Levinson -- says his family is turning to President Donald Trump in what they believe is their best hope yet to bring Robert Levinson home. And they've also filed a lawsuit against Iran.

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Target USA - Ep 56: Are the US and Russia headed toward nuclear missile mistake?

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:01:00 -0400

In this episode, Robert Berls, senior adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, says the U.S. and Russia have not sat down and engaged comprehensively on nuclear weapons since the signing of a Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty in 2011. Berls said he is worried that the lack of dialogue could lead to a devastating mistake in this breathless age of terrorism and elevated threats from rogue governments.

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Target USA - Ep 55: Terrorist training camps

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 22:01:00 -0500

In this week's episode of Target USA, WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green looks at the impact of terrorist training camps. With three experts, we examine how the camps are set up, how spy agencies track their activities and the impact of terrorist training camps on broader populations in Europe. U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, Iraq; Pascal Legai, Director of the European Union Satellite Center in Madrid, Spain; and Robin Simcox, Margaret Thatcher Fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., break down what has become a very serious, almost intractable problem.

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Target USA - Ep 54: Russian trolls 'harass' American scholar after comments at conference

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 00:01:00 -0500

Annoyed by a Russian scholar's derogatory comments during a security conference, David Pollock, a Kaufman Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, took the podium to set the record straight about the U.S. role in the war against terrorism. The stinging exchanges appeared to end with the conference, but when Pollock he returned home he realized he'd been targeted for what he called "harassment."

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Target USA - Ep 53: U.S.-Russia showdown in North Africa

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 03:01:00 -0500

In February, at a security conference in Morocco dealing with terrorism, a Russian scholar took to the podium and launched into a blistering critique of the U.S. war on terror, calling it a fiasco and blaming the U.S. for an increase in terrorism. The tirade upset some Americans in the audience, one of whom stood up and struck back. The episode was an unmistakable snapshot of the deteriorating nature of U.S.-Russian relations.

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Target USA - Ep 52: The Council of Europe's Plan to Deal with Terrorism

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 00:01:00 -0500

Terror groups are utilizing gang tactics as they try to extend their influence, and prisons are a "hotbed" for recruiting. Kristian Bartholin, Deputy Head of Counter Terrorism at the Council of Europe, explains how ISIS is recruiting and surviving, and what must be done to stop them.

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Target USA - Ep 51: Why the US Might Lose the Messaging War with Terrorists

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 00:01:00 -0500

In this week's Target USA, J.J. Green talks to Martha Crenshaw, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University and co-author of the new book "Countering Terrorism." Crenshaw says part of the country's messaging problem is cumbersome U.S. bureaucracy, which is not agile enough to keep up with rapidly changing terrorist activity. She also says many American policy actions feed into the terrorist narrative that "the U.S. hates Muslims."

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Target USA - Ep 50: Should the US Torture Terrorists?

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 00:01:00 -0500

The U.S. government is considering a return to torturing terrorists and using black sites abroad to house those operations. U.S. law says it is illegal, but some argue that terrorists do much worse. Former CIA analyst Philip Mudd explains why it's not a good idea.

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Target USA - Ep 49: Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman - ISIL recruiting children in attempt to save group

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:01:00 -0500

There are 200,000 buildings in Mosul. ISIL fighters are using rooftops, internal spaces and subterranean elements of those buildings to launch attacks against Iraqi forces. U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, says the effort is designed to put off its inevitable defeat. But that's only a part of the diabolical activity they are engaged in -- they're using children.

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Target USA - Ep 48: Inauguration Security - Unprecedented Threats

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 00:01:00 -0500

The Inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States may be a significant security challenge for the Secret Service and its partners. Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy sits down with Target USA to talk about the threats and what is being done to shut them down.

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Target USA - Ep 47: North Korea's Threat to Test Launch an ICBM is Credible

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 00:01:00 -0500

The reclusive regime of Kim Jong Un is close to test-launching an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Multiple sources tell Target USA the KNO8, as it is known, can reach the whole of the United States. Our sources and many other credible international observers say North Korea already has nuclear weapons. So, the question is: how long before they are able to mate a missile with a miniaturized nuclear weapon?

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Target USA - Ep 46: The Terrorism Picture for 2017

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 00:01:00 -0500

The Berlin Christmas market attack and the Istanbul nightclub attack on New Year's Eve have established that 2017 will be no less dangerous than the previous year. Dr. Tricia Bacon, a counterterrorism expert with American University in D.C., tells Target USA what we might expect in the year ahead.

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Target USA - Ep 45: The Best of Target USA 2016

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 00:01:00 -0500

Whether it was ISIL, Russia or North Korea, Target USA interviewed some of the most influential national security and international affairs figures from around the world about key issues in 2016. This week's episode is a round-up of those conversations and more.

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Target USA - Ep 44: Attack in Berlin and NATO's Plans

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 00:01:00 -0500

On Dec. 19, a large truck plowed into a Christmas market in Berlin. At the time, German journalist Marc Etzold was at the movies with his mobile phone offline. When he emerged from the cinema, he - like many in Germany and around the world - was stunned by the attack. Twelve people were killed and 48 wounded, 30 of them seriously. ISIL claimed responsibility. Etzold shares his story with Target USA. Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is watching the evolution of terror groups very carefully, as it prepares to deal more effectively with it. Also on this episode of Target USA, we hear from Manfred Nielson, Deputy Supreme Allied commander of NATO ACT, and Lt. Col. Andrew Atkinson, also of NATO ACT, about how NATO will adjust.

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Target USA - Ep 43 - ISIL 2.0: Coming Soon

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 00:01:00 -0500

ISIL is under pressure all around the world, but former CIA counterterrorism executive Phil Mudd says the group is re-inventing itself and the threat of attack could be greater than ever before. He warns that the group is headed to ungoverned or weakly-governed spaces in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Mudd says one of the biggest enablers of the threat is irresponsible, western media activity. In the meantime, a U.S. precision airstrike conducted on Dec. 4 in Raqqa, Syria, resulted in the deaths of three ISIL leaders directly involved in facilitating external terror operations and recruiting foreign fighters. Two of those targeted - Salah Gourmat, and Sammy Djedou - were involved in facilitating the Nov. 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.

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Target USA - Ep 42 - Russia secretly targets the U.S.

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 00:01:00 -0500

Russia has made it very clear since the fall of the USSR that it would get revenge against the West and the U.S. for what happened. For years, many U.S. officials have said the Cold War is over. However, in Sofia, Bulgaria, in mid-November 2016, during a NATO conference, David Kilcullen, Lt. Col. in the Australian military (RES), former chief strategist in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the U.S. State Department and senior counter-insurgency advisor to General David Petraeus in 2007 and 2008, laid out why the Russian government thinks the Cold War never ended and, through a series of secret operations, they may have the upper hand on the U.S. now.

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Target USA - Ep 41 - NATO: Confronting the Future

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 22:01:00 -0500

Since its inception in 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has helped member countries rest easy in the face of threats. But with the resurgence of Russian aggression, hybrid warfare, cyber warfare and many other global threats, NATO's leaders are doubling down on their mission. Admiral Manfred Nielson, NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, joins Target USA to talk about the threats, the challenges, the vision and the security reality for NATO and the world.

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Target USA - Ep 40 - Escape from North Korea: The Dramatic Story of Grace Jo

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:01:00 -0500

We often hear about the harsh life North Koreans live under the Kim regime, from Kim Il Sung, to Kim Jong Il and now Kim Jong Un. It's the most reclusive and closed off country on the planet. Close to 25 million people live there; many have little or no food, no money, no water, no firewood to keep warm in winter and no way to get any of it. On this episode of Target USA, you'll hear the raw story of Grace Jo, who was one of those people. By the time she was 15, she had tried to escape three times - failing each time, until she got help from an unlikely source.

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Target USA - Ep 39 - President-Elect Trump and the Intelligence Community

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:01:00 -0500

During a raucous presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada in October, then-candidate Donald Trump indicated he had doubts about the U.S. intelligence community's assessment that Russia was behind many of the cyberattacks that they believed were launched to interfere with the election. Many in the intelligence community were upset about that, but now, former CIA Director Michael Hayden says the time has come to mend fences. He talks to Target USA about what needs to happen.

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Target USA - Ep 38 - The Fight for Mosul

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:01:00 -0500

Two years after ISIL - or D'aesh, as Iraqis call it - blasted into power, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, taking over the country's second largest city, killing tens of thousands of people and injecting fear into the fabric of a country still traumatized after al-Qaida's reign in the 2000s - the U.S. is leading an effort to end the nightmare. But while this is going on, there is no Iraqi Ambassador serving in the United States. The most recent, former Ambassador Lukman Faily, joins Target USA to explain why and how the U.S. bears part of the blame for Iraq's current problem with ISIL.

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Target USA - Ep 37 - The Rise of Female Terrorists

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 22:01:00 -0400

Female terrorists are not a new idea, but the Islamic State terror group has initiated a dramatic increase in their numbers. Irfan Saeed, Director of the State Department's Countering Violent Extremism Office, Tara Maller, Spokesperson & Senior Policy Adviser at the Counter Extremism Project, and Ed Gabriel, Chairman of the Moroccan American Center, explain what's driving recruitment of female terrorists, why they're choosing to do it and what's being done to counter it.

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Target USA - Ep 36 - The Epic Battle for Mosul

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:01:00 -0400

An apocalyptic scene is unfolding in Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Large sulfur fires and huge pits of oil are burning. Buildings are booby trapped, hundreds of suicide bombers are on the loose. Hundreds of thousands of people in Mosul may be displaced and many run the risk of being used as human shields as ISIL fighters try to repel Iraqi forces. Those forces are leading the charge to retake Mosul. Colonel John Dorrian, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, discusses the threat, the attack plan the status of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and U.S. involvement in the fight.

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Target USA - Ep 35 - Understanding How Terrorists Use Social Media

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 22:01:00 -0400

Seamus Hughes is among a growing number of terrorism experts that have realized today's terrorists are far more savvy at using social media to support their activities than counter-terrorism authorities are at using social media to disrupt them. He lays out the problem in captivating detail and delivers a potential solution.

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Target USA - Ep 34 - Running Out of Time to Stop N. Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 00:01:00 -0400

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) recently published a report about a grave, worsening global threat - the North Korean nuclear and missile programs. The bottom line: North Korea is rapidly becoming an existential threat to the U.S., and leaders can no longer wait for North Korea to meet conditions of sanctions designed to stop their nuclear program. On this episode of Target USA, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, CFR Project Director Adam Mount and former U.S. North Korea Mission manager Joseph DeTrani outline in detail the gravity of situation that worsens with each month.

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Target USA - Ep 33 - She Saw Something, So She Said Something

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:01:00 -0400

The Department of Homeland Security campaign urging people to report suspicious activities and packages really does work. Jane Schreibman, who discovered a bomb in New York's Chelsea neighborhood on Sept. 17, probably saved a lot of lives because something about a pressure cooker sitting on a street bugged her. She tells Target USA the "See Something, Say Something" campaign slogan stuck in her head, and drove her to report what she saw.

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Target USA - Ep 32 - Online and Undercover: The FBI Chasing Terrorists in Cyberspace

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 00:01:00 -0400

Paul Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office (WFO), is losing a lot of sleep over what he's seeing now. In the last two years, 15 terrorism cases have been brought in the National Capitol Region, according to U.S. Department of Justice officials. There have been at least seven cases this year: a college student, a former transit police officer, a former National Guard member, a young mother with a 7-year-old child, and a man who made it all the way to Syria and actually fought with ISIL. All are part of a growing terrorism threat that seems to cut across gender, demographics and social status in the D.C. area. The common denominator for all of them is online activity. Abbate discusses the threat and the plan to neutralize it.

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Target USA - Ep 31 - Fragile, Ambitious and Nuclear

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:01:00 -0400

There is a laundry list of threats facing the U.S. Some are more urgent than others. In this episode of Target USA, two of the most trusted former intelligence officials in Washington lay out the problems - from North Korea to China to Russia to terrorism - and tell us how they should be dealt with.

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Target USA - Ep 30 - The Terrorism Loophole in the U.S. Postal Service

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 22:01:00 -0400

The gut-wrenching events of the September 11 attacks triggered an unprecedented effort to insulate the U.S. homeland from foreign terrorists and prevent attacks like those from ever happening again. The Department of Homeland Security was set up, strict anti-terrorism laws were passed and immigration gaps were closed. All of the weak links in the nation's security chain were tightened - except for one big one. Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, a Republican, and Juliette Kayyem, a Democrat and former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, have joined together in a new national security project called Americans for Securing all Packages (ASAP). They explain what the problem is.

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Target USA - Ep 29 - Terrorism is Being Crowdsourced

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 22:01:00 -0400

On this episode of Target USA, former CIA Director Michael Hayden explains why the problem of finding terrorists is getting worse in the United States. In the 2000s, Hayden says the U.S. intelligence community essentially knew what the terrorists were going to do before they did. This is a new day in the counterterrorism world. Terrorists have a distinct advantage, thanks to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. But Hayden says there is a way to win the battle.

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Target USA - Ep 28 - ISIL Suffers a Near Fatal Blow

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:01:00 -0400

Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, architect of ISIL's external operations and its spokesman, was killed in a U.S. airstrike on Aug. 30. His death represents the biggest setback to the organization since it launched its murderous rampage in June of 2014. U.S. military officials tell Target USA that ISIL is losing money, territory, fighters and of course leaders, and the U.S.-led coalition is preparing for two epic battles in Mosul and Raqqa that would end ISIL as we know it. In this episode, the head of U.S. Central Command General Joseph Votel tells Target USA, "we're now into the heart of the caliphate." He and other U.S. military officials reveal details that make it clear ISIL is preparing for an apocalyptic, end of days fight.

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Target USA - Ep 27 - DC Cops are Targets

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 00:01:00 -0400

You've no doubt heard about the attacks on police and other law enforcement officers across the country. What seems like a wave of police-related killings has swept the nation, and as D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier prepares to step down and become the NFL's top security official, she worries that the constant negative narratives saturating U.S. society will draw out more threats. Lanier tells Target USA what she's trying to do prepare officers for what may be ahead.

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Target USA - Ep 26 - New Intelligence Warns: DC Targets Top Terrorists Lists

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 00:01:00 -0400

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier sat down with Target USA to talk about the serious and growing terror threats. She details what's being done to prepare for and neutralize the threats.

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Target USA - Ep 25 - A Warning for ISIL After the Yazidi Genocide

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 00:01:00 -0400

Two years after the genocide, the region is still blanketed with millions of shattered and interrupted lives. One of those lives belongs to Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government to the U.S. She tells her emotional story to J.J. Green and sends a strong message to Da'esh.

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Target USA - Ep 24 - The Sinjar Massacre - Two Years Later

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 00:01:00 -0400

Two years after 5,000 Yazidi men were killed and more than 5,000 women and children were kidnapped and turned into sex slaves during a genocidal bloodbath carried out by ISIL in Northern Iraq, many are still unaccounted for, and 3,200 women and children are still in the hands of ISIL. What's been done to stop the carnage and help the victims? David Saperstein, US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom explains on Target USA.

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Target USA - Ep 23 - Blame-and-Claim Terror Cycle Drives New Attacks

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 00:01:00 -0400

What's behind ISIL's wave of attacks in Europe? Is the U.S. next? The attacks are mostly conducted by radicalized individuals. Where are they finding these people? Why is ISIL's call being answered by so many people that are not followers of their ideology? How is it the media is actually driving ISIL's success? What is the one question we should ask before calling an attack terrorism? We discuss this and more on this week's program with former CIA and FBI executive Philip Mudd and Robin Simcox, Margaret Thatcher Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

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Target USA - Ep 22 - Police in the US Under Fire

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 00:01:00 -0400

As of July 20, 31 law enforcement officers have been shot to death in the U.S. this year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. That's a 72 percent increase over last year at this time. Former policeman and top State Department Counterterrorism agent Fred Burton says history may be repeating itself; but history may be the answer to a looming crisis.

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Target USA - Ep 21 - Secret Service Prepares for Trouble at Political Conventions

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 22:01:00 -0400

The 2016 U.S. presidential campaign has been a tense and sometimes dangerous string of events. On June 18, the Secret Service and Las Vegas police thwarted an attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. The Secret Service is bracing for the possibility of other attempts that may take place against a range of targets at the political conventions and beyond. In an exclusive interview, Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy tells Target USA, "We've had over 1,200 events in this campaign, 2.5 million people have gone through magnetometers," and each event is the potential for something to go wrong.

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Target USA - Ep 20 - Security Implications of Brexit

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 03:01:00 -0400

David O'Sullivan, European Union Ambassador to the U.S., says Britain's exit from the European Union will complicate the fight against terrorism. Patrick Skinner, a former CIA case officer, tells Target USA why this is the worst possible time for the exit to happen.

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Target USA - Ep 19 - Blueprint for Defeating ISIL

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 00:01:00 -0400

Former FBI agent and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says, "Al Qaida got the snot kicked out of 'em," and ISIL needs to get the same treatment. But, he says, it's not happening. In this episode of Target USA, he details what exactly needs to be done to neutralize the Islamic State group. Not only has ISIL demonstrated great skill at plotting terror attacks, but it's also very good at inspiring lone wolves to launch attacks that are just as deadly.

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Target USA - Ep 18 - A Terrorism Wake-Up Call for the US

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 00:01:00 -0400

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12 reflects a new direction for terror attacks on the U.S. Former House Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers says the attack was done exactly as ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi wanted it. He warns Americans need to wake up and make some changes before the next one comes along.

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Target USA - Ep 17 - Orlando Massacre: An Interview with DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:01:00 -0400

On Sunday morning, June 12, a delegation of Department of Homeland Security staffers and other U.S. government officials were waiting at Joint Base Andrews for Secretary Jeh Johnson, for a trip to China. But he never showed. The Orlando night club massacre had not only shocked the U.S. population and set off fear and uncertainty about terrorists possibly in our midst, but U.S. officials were scrambling as well to figure out what was going on. Secretary Johnson sat down with Target USA to explain what happened in Orlando and what's next for U.S. homeland security.

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Target USA - Ep 16 - Quiet Killer: Secrets of a US Military Drone Pilot

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 00:01:00 -0400

The U.S. has launched more than 400 drone strikes since 2004. More than 3,100 people have been killed - most of them terrorists. The U.S. military announced more than 120 ISIL leaders, operatives and other so-called, high-value individuals have been killed so far in 2016. Rarely do U.S. officials talk about the program, but the man who commanded some of the most high-profile operations is talking to WTOP. T. Mark McCurley, a retired Lt. Colonel in the US Air Force, commanded the mission that killed Anwar al Awlaki, the former leader of Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. He's even stared right into the eyes of a terrorist, through the camera of a drone, before a Hellfire missile turned out the lights for that terrorist.

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Target USA - Ep 15 - Trouble in the Skies Part 2

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:01:00 -0400

What would happen if a person walked into a U.S. airport strapped with explosives? Would there be time to stop what would be almost certain death and destruction? WTOP National Security Correspondent JJ Green put that question, called "The Scenario" in inner circles, to TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger.

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Target USA - Ep 14 - Trouble in the Skies Part 1

Wed, 01 Jun 2016 22:01:00 -0400

A half dozen aviation incidents in the last year, bribes of airport security personnel overseas and long security screening lines in the U.S. are keeping Transportation Security Administration Chief Peter Neffenger up at night. But when he sat down with WTOP National Security Correspondent JJ Green for an extended interview, Neffenger told JJ exactly how he's going to keep U.S. airports and travelers safe.

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Target USA - Ep 13 - Eyewitness to an Airport Bribe

Wed, 25 May 2016 22:01:00 -0400

It happened on February 14, 2016 in Casablanca, Morocco. A strange sequence of events began unfolding in the early morning hours and spanned two airports and hundreds of miles, linked by a solitary transaction that took less than 30 seconds. The impact of that transaction may never be known, but without a doubt just the existence of the practice is wreaking havoc on aviation security around the world.

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Target USA - Ep 12 - US Government Officials Hacked

Wed, 18 May 2016 22:01:00 -0400

Millions of American citizens, dozens of U.S. companies and even top intelligence officials are victims of aggressive cyber intrusions. Target USA has learned that foreign intelligence agencies, cyber criminals and terrorists are robbing the U.S. blind - taking everything from large sums of money to ideas. Bill Evanina, Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), says 90 percent of the intrusions originate with spear phishing emails and more than 50 percent of the attacks originate in China. He says U.S. security, national secrets and your bank account are all at risk.

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Target USA - Ep 11 - Tunisia Asks for US Help to Fight ISIL

Wed, 11 May 2016 22:01:00 -0400

Faycal Gouia, Tunisia's Ambassador to the US, tells Target USA that Tunisia has built a 100-mile wall along its border with Libya. It's also installing a sophisticated, partially U.S.-funded surveillance system to keep terrorists out. Robert Baer, a former CIA covert operative, who is very familiar with those borders, tells Target USA he's not sure that's enough.

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Target USA - Ep 10 - US Facing Urgent Challenges and Unprecedented Threats

Thu, 05 May 2016 00:01:00 -0400

David Cohen, the deputy director of the CIA, says his agency "is working day and night to understand how ISIL's external operations network operates: who's involved, where they are, how they operate and how we can disrupt their operations." At the same time, the agency, which calls itself the "nation's first line of defense," is being stretched by other threats that are bigger, stronger, faster and smarter than any others they've ever seen.

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Target USA - Ep 09 - Terrorists in Possession of NSA Secrets and Taking Action

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 22:01:00 -0400

The information that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and others leaked has created what a top U.S. intelligence official calls a "virtual university" for terrorists, spies, hackers, smugglers and many others seeking to attack or exploit the U.S. Rick Ledgett, deputy director of the NSA, says those nefarious people and the organizations they represent have made adjustments "in order to avoid being detected by NSA." Ledgett said Snowden's leaks alone caused "significant" risk to the safety of Americans everywhere.

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Target USA - Ep 08 - Belgium Pushes Back After Terror Attack

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 00:01:00 -0400

32 people were killed in Brussels on March 22, 2016. Four Americans were among the dead. Belgian officials say they knew something was coming, but couldn't pinpoint when. For that and other shortcomings, they've been heavily criticized in the press and by intelligence experts. But, on this program, Belgium's Ambassador to the U.S. Johan Verbeke gives Target USA a detailed explanation for how the attacks happened and why intelligence missed the attackers. He makes no excuses but he strongly pushes back against allegations intelligence mistakes led to the attacks.

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Target USA - Ep 07 - The Eye of the Terrorism Storm

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 11:15:00 -0400

Europe has been in the eye of a terrorism storm that many say is just beginning. The Islamic State group has launched sophisticated attacks in Paris and Belgium already and is threatening more. Trying to figure out what's next has pushed Europe's intelligence services to extremes they've not been faced with in more than a decade. The man leading the charge for the European Union, Rob Wainwright, breaks down the strategy.

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Target USA - Ep 06 - How many Americans are fighting for ISIL?

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 22:01:00 -0400

The world has been preoccupied with the size of the so-called Islamic State terror organization since it sprang up in 2014. But, for all of that preoccupation, there has been precious little certainty about just how big ISIL is, who's actually on the ground fighting and how it all impacts U.S. national security. In part two of our exclusive interview, National Counterterrorism Director Nicholas Rasmussen breaks down the composition of ISIL, including participation by Americans.

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Target USA - Ep 05 - Growing Number of Terrorists

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 00:01:00 -0400

The growing number of stealthy terrorists roaming the planet are keeping Nicholas Rasmussen, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, up at night. In part one of an exclusive interview, he says the agency is stretched more "thinly now than they were five or six years ago." He says it's impossible to keep up with every terrorist and outlines the main challenge that ISIL poses in the aftermath of major terror attacks in Europe and the U.S.

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Target USA - Ep 04 - ISIS Attacks In Brussels

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 03:01:00 -0400

The surprise attack by ISIS in Brussels, again stunned the world and demonstrated how hard it is to stop them. As a result, the FBI and other U.S. intelligence officials are redoubling efforts to make sure security is air tight - especially in Washington.

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Target USA - Ep 03 - The North Korean Threat

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 03:01:00 -0400

A chilling examination of the North Korean regime and what's at stake for the U.S. Former Ambassador Joseph Detrani sat across the table from North Korea trying to talk the country down from its nuclear program. He tells host J.J. Green why North Korea is such a big threat to the region and the U.S.

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Target USA - Ep 02 - Russia Re-Emerges

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 23:01:00 -0500

Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper says in an exclusive interview that he is concerned with Russia's renewed aggressiveness toward the U.S. And, he says, the situation is getting more alarming.

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Target USA - Ep 01 - Dark Threats

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 03:01:00 -0500

Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper opens up in an exclusive interview about the dark threats and dangerous enemies the U.S. faces. Clapper breaks down in vivid detail the sophisticated nature of the groups and nation-states that want to attack.

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