Download, rate and subscribe here: iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher. “Intelligence Matters” is a weekly podcast about national security and policy hosted by former CIA acting director and CBS News national security contributor Michael Morell. Each week, users can listen to conversations between Morell and some of the world’s leading intelligence and national security officials and experts. The podcast|, which launched in 2017, was previously produced in partnership with The Cipher Brief, a website dedicated to national security topics.
China expert John Culver on Beijing’s military prowess – “Intelligence Matters”In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with John Culver, a career CIA analyst, former National Intelligence Officer for East Asia, and leading expert on the Chinese military. Culver and Morell discuss the decades-long modernization of the People’s Liberation Army and the prowess China has attained across multiple war-fighting arenas. Culver offers insights into Xi Jinping’s rise to and continued hold on power, and describes the many challenges of engaging Beijing in a multi-polar, interconnected global system.
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Intelligence Matters archiveJune 23 | Former Ambassador Dennis Ross on Israel’s Political Future
June 16 | “Best of” Intelligence Matters: Putin’s Russia
June 9 | Syd Seiler on the political priorities, preferences and fears of Kim Jong Un
June 2 | Author and CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward on Reporting from Conflict Zones
May 26 | Former CIA Analyst and Weapons Expert Maja Lehnus on Thwarting Syria’s Nuclear Program
May 19 | Military affairs author Wes Morgan on U.S. military in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley
May 12 | Top Counterintelligence Official Michael Orlando on Non-Traditional Collection and China Threats
May 5 | 9/11 Museum Executive Cliff Chanin on the 10th Anniversary of the Hunt for Bin Laden
Apr 28 | China Expert Chris Johnson on the Biden administration’s approach to Beijing
Apr 21 | Tech giant Eric Schmidt warns China is catching up to U.S. in A.I.
Apr 14 | Deputy homeland security adviser Russ Travers on terrorist threats
Apr 7 | Frances Townsend and Jim Stavridis on maintaining U.S. technological superiority
Mar 31 | Former envoy to global coalition against ISIS weighs in on future of Syrian conflict
Mar 25 | What a Seminal Survey Tells Us About the Views of Arab Youth: Sunil John
Mar 17 | The Need for Transparency from China on COVID-19 Origins: Geopolitical Expert Jamie Metzl
Mar 10 | What to expect from the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol
Mar 3 | Adam Schiff wants to “reset” the House Intelligence Committee
Feb 24 | Nick Warner’s life and career in the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
Feb 17 | Gayle Tzemach Lemmon: The women who fought against ISIS – an unusual experiment in women’s equality
Feb 10 | Past U.S. failures in dealing with Iran and how to approach a new nuclear deal
Feb 3 | Nonproliferation expert Lynn Rusten warns leaders aren’t focused on nuclear weapons threat
Jan 27 | Trump’s national security failures and successes: John Hannah and David Adesnik
Jan 20 | West Point biochemist Ken Wickiser warns about threat of bioweapons
Jan 13 | Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger on being in Capitol during rioting
Jan 6 | Will Wechsler: Biggest factor in U.S.-Middle East relations is perception that U.S. is withdrawing
Dec 30 | DECLASSIFIED: Former CIA Officer Marc Polymeropoulos on the Triple Agent
Dec 23 | Director Bryan Fogel discusses his new film on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing
Dec 16 |
Dec 9 | Intelligence Committee member Jim Himes expresses confidence in Biden national security team
Dec 2 | Pulling troops from Afghanistan has undermined Afghan confidence, says former ambassador
Nov 25 | Former CIA officer talks about first U.S. casualty in Afghanistan on anniversary of Mike Spann’s death
Nov 18 | Korea expert Sue Mi Terry discusses advancements in North Korea’s nuclear missile program
Nov 11 | National security analyst Graham Allison on second “mutually assured destruction”- a U.S.-China climate conflict
Oct 28 | Former FBI special agent Clint Watts analyzes election threat posed by Russia, China and Iran
Oct 21 | Former top CIA analyst Kristin Wood on al Qaeda, Iraq and 9/11
Oct 14 | “Blood and Oil” coauthors on Mohammed bin Salman and the future of Saudi Arabia
Oct 7 | Former CIA Director John Brennan on ethics of intelligence, challenges to democracy
Sep 30 | Lawfare Institute’s David Priess on the Presidential Daily Brief
Sep 23 | Biden foreign policy adviser Antony Blinken on top global challenges
Sep 16 | Retired Admiral Bill McRaven and Michael Morell on the Raid on Osama bin Laden’s Compound
Sep 9 | Historian Hal Brands on COVID-19’s effect on world order – transcript
Sep 2 | Former CIA analyst Rodney Faraon on transferring skills from CIA to Disney – transcript
Aug 26 | Former CIA senior Clandestine Services Officer Daniel Hoffman on pursuing the “Russian ten” – transcript
Aug 19 | NSA Cybersecurity Directorate’s Anne Neuberger on protecting the elections – transcript
Aug 12 | Environmentalist Bill McKibben on national security implications of climate change – transcript
Aug 05| Former FBI agent Bradley Garrett talks about global manhunt for Mir Aimal Kansi – Intelligence Matters DECLASSIFIED – transcript
July 29 | Author Robert Draper on what led the U.S. to war in Iraq – transcript
July 22 | Top epidemiologist Michael Osterholm on continuing challenges of COVID-19 – transcript
July 15 | The Tiananmen crisis and training CIA analysts – Martin Petersen transcript
July 08 | Russia, Afghanistan and prospects for peace: Ambassador James Cunningham – transcript
July 01 | 100 years of Russian electoral interference – David Shimer transcript
June 24 | Former CIA analyst talks about escaping war-torn Libya – transcript
June 17 | Former CIA museum curator highlights the agency’s most important artifacts – transcript
June 10 | Transcript: Franklin Foer – Putin and the the 2020 presidential election
June 3 | Transcript: Chris Krebs – Securing businesses and the 2020 elections amid COVID threat
May 27 | Transcript: Laura Rosenberger speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
May 20 | Transcript: Karim Sadjadpour speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
May 13 | Transcript: Dr. Michael Osterholm speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
May 8 | Bonus episode – Analysis: The national security implications of COVID-19
May 6 | Transcript: Chris Johnson speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Apr 29 | Transcript: Olivier Blanchard speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Apr 22 | Transcript: John McLaughlin speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Apr 15 | Transcript: Lisa Monaco speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Apr 8 | Transcript: Dr. David Agus speaks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Mar 18 | Transcript: Philip Breedlove, former NATO supreme allied commander, on “Intelligence Matters”
Mar 11 | Transcript: Former top defense official Robert Work on “Intelligence Matters”
Mar 2 | Transcript: David Ignatius talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Feb 26 | Transcript: Africa expert Judd Devermont talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Feb 21 | Transcript: Tech expert Ben Buchanan talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Feb 14 | Former No. 2 U.S. intel official Sue Gordon says of departure, “I didn’t want to be anyone’s agenda” | Transcript
Feb 12 | Transcript: Robert Worth talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Feb 5 | Transcript: Evelyn Farkas talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Jan 29 | Transcript: Tom Donilon and Stephen Hadley talk with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Jan 22 | Shelby Pierson: Top election security official details past, current and future threats | Transcript
Jan 15 | Transcript: Robert Ashley talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Jan 8 | Transcript: Samantha Power talks Iran with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Jan 1 | Transcript: Sean Roche talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Dec 25 | Transcript: Barbara Slavin on Tehran’s potential path forward
Dec 18 | Transcript: Susan Rice on her career, U.S. foreign policy and America’s role in the world
Dec 11 | Transcript: Adam Smith on the work of overseeing the U.S. military
Dec 4 | Transcript: James Stavridis on the value of alliances
Nov 27 | Transcript: Michael Bennet on foreign policy and national security priorities
Nov 20 | Transcript: Sue Mi Terry on North Korea update
Nov 13 | Transcript: Carl Ghattas on international and domestic terrorism
Nov 7 | Transcript: Chris Johnson talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Oct 30 |Transcript: Bill Priestap talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
Oct 23 | Transcript: James Mattis on Syria, leadership and top national security threats
Oct 15 |Transcript: Former senior CIA operations officer Marc Polymeropoulos on recruiting and running spies
Oct 08 | Transcript: Deep Dive with Experts Kurt Campbell and Jake Sullivan on U.S.-China Relations
Oct 01 | Transcript: William McCraven on leadership, living history and life of service
Sept 30 | Bonus pod: Michael Morell on the Whistleblower complaint and Ukraine call
Sept 25 | Transcript: Richard Haass on top U.S. foreign policy challenges
Sept 18 | Transcript: Todd Owen on CBP’s main mission and state of U.S. border
Sept 11 |Transcript: Garrett Graff on new oral history of 9/11 book
Sept 4 | Transcript: Kristin Wood: The process, substance and value of the agency’s analytic work
Aug 28 | Michael Vickers, on U.S. Afghanistan strategy | Transcript
Aug 21 | Jim Sciutto: “Shadow Wars” involving Russia and China: Transcript
Aug 14 | Juan Cruz: What’s next for Venezuela? Transcript
Aug 7 | Michael Allen: Office of the DNI: What it does: Transcript
July 30 | Preet Bharara, former U.S. attorney on takeaways from Mueller | Transcript
July 24 | Dennis Ross on prospects for Middle East peace | Transcript
July 17 |Sue Gordon: #2 U.S. intel official talks about how U.S. is preparing for 2020 election threats | Transcript
July 10 | Kim Jong-un believes Trump is “different,” State Dept’s intelligence arm assesses | Transcript
July 3 | Top counterterrorism official: U.S. must avoid returning to “pre-9/11 state” | Transcript
June 29 | Top cybersecurity official Chris Krebs: U.S. should employ “range of tools” against active adversaries | Transcript
June 21 | Bonus episode: Transcript: Bill Burns and Jim Miller talk with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
June 19 | Kim Jong-un’s surprising rise to power: Author Anna Fifield | Transcript
June 12 | Nada Bakos: Former CIA targeting officer talks about post-9/11 hunt for terrorists | Transcript
June 5 | CIA’s former chief of disguise Jonna Mendez on how to hide spies | Transcript
May 29 | Angela Stent: Here’s how Russia is advancing a “post-West” order, says foreign policy expert | Transcript
May 22 | Tamir Pardo: Ex-Mossad director says cyber poses biggest threat to free world | Transcript
May 15 | Transcript: David Sanger talks with Michael Morell on “Intelligence Matters”
May 8 | Chris Costa: Spy Museum to offer newly dimensional look into world of espionage | Transcript
Apr 30 | Mike Pompeo: Nuclear talks with North Korea will be “bumpy” | Transcript
Apr 24 | Chris Darby: On-Q-Tel (IQT), the strategic investment arm of the C.I.A. | Transcript
Apr 17 | Jamie Metzl: The “genetic revolution” could threaten national security | Transcript
Apr 10 | Meroe Park: Trump’s first visit to the CIA | Transcript
Apr 3 | Glenn Gerstell: Surveillance and new challenges coming with 5G network | Transcript
Mar 27 | Eliot Cohen: A Building Crisis in American Foreign Policy | Transcript
Mar 20 | David Petraeus: Five “big ideas” to combat Islamic extremism | Transcript
Mar 13 | William Burns: Trump administration has “hollowed out” U.S. diplomacy” former top U.S. envoy says | Transcript
Mar 6 | David Charney: Insider threat expert on why people spy | Transcript
Feb 27 | Laura Holgate: The most precarious proliferation challenges faced by U.S. | Transcript
Feb 20 | Sue Mi Terry: Trump’s rushed diplomacy with North Korea could trigger regional arms race | Transcript
Feb 13 | Jeh Johnson: There’s no security crisis near the southern border | Transcript
Feb 6 | Vicki Huddleston: The view from Havana | Transcript
Jan 30 | Michael Rogers: Advice on deterring cyber attacks | Transcript
Jan 23 | David Cohen and Avril Haines – weigh merits of speaking out for past, present CIA leaders | Transcript
Jan 16 | Robert Pape: For recruiting, ISIS steals Western ideas | Transcript
Jan 9 | Antony Blinken: Grading Trump’s foreign policy | Transcript
Jan 2 | Lisa Monaco: Terror threat is “getting worse” says former homeland security adviser | Transcript
Dec 26 | Gary Hufbauer: Trade policy and national security – an expert view
Dec 19 | Nadia Schadlow: The national security strategy’s lead author on its origins and impact | Transcript
Dec 12 | Glenn Gaffney: U.S. falling behind in new space race | Transcript
Dec 5 | John Miiller: NYPD counterterrorism chief on today’s threats | Transcript
Nov 28 | Phil Reilly: Leaving Afghanistan would cause a greater problem | Transcript
Nov 21 | Michael Vickers: U.S. and China battle to control “industries of the future” | Transcript
Nov 15 | Derek Maltz: Opioids and international crime
Nov 8 | Eric Edelman: U.S. might struggle to win or lose war with China | Transcript
Nov 1 | David Cohen: Singapore Summit was “serious misstep” | Transcript
Oct 24 | Norman Roule: Khashoggi case – former top U.S. intel official suggests it was a case of attempted rendition | Transcript
Oct 17 | Karim Sadjadpour: Tehran may seek to wait out Trump administration
Oct 10 | James Lankford: Other countries will “test out” Russia’s interference tactics | Transcript
Oct 3 | Chris Johnson on the future of the U.S.-China relationship
Sep 24 | Anthony Fauci on threats from epidemics
Sep 17 | Stephen Hadley: President Bush’s former national security adviser on rebuilding U.S.-Russia ties
Sep 10 | Jake Sullivan: Former top Clinton, Biden adviser on challenges facing America | Transcript
Sep 3 | William Evanina: Country’s top spy-catcher on espionage threats | Transcript
Aug 29 | Mark Warner on securing elections, combating disinformation: “We’re not there yet” | Transcript
Aug 22 | Tillerson ushered in period of “extraordinary destructiveness” says former U.S. ambassador to UAE, Barbara Leaf
Aug 15 | New head of “DARPA for spies” warns that China is attracting top research talent: Stacey Dixon
Aug 8 | Former Colombian defense minister warns of security “backslide”: Juan Carlos Pinzon
Aug 1 | Combating disinformation campaigns: Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly
Bonus: Michael Morell on why security clearances matter
Jul 24 | Pakistan’s former ambassador says his country must get out of the business of jihad: Husain Haqqani
Jul 17 | Adm. Winnefeld (Ret.) on top military threats the U.S. faces
Jul 10 | CIA’s top recruiter on how the agency finds its spies
Jul 3 | Rep. Mike Quigley on U.S. election security
Jun 26 | Ben Rhodes on the Obama administration’s wins, losses and legacy
Jun 19 | James Clapper on internal and external threats to the U.S.
Jun 12 | East Asia expert weighs in on Trump-Kim Jong Un summit outcome: Paul Heer
Jun 5 | Korea expert’s advice to Trump: Listen to your advisers: Sue Mi Terry
May 29 | John McLaughlin on helping families of the fallen
May 22 | Undercover spy to public official: Rep. Will Hurd on global threats and domestic challenges
May 15 | The Iran nuclear deal: What in the world happens next? James Jeffrey
May 8 | Negotiating with North Korea: The players, the stakes and the surprises: Joseph DeTrani
May 1 | The relaunch – with Gen. Michael Hayden