James Powell

About the author

was, until recently, an intelligence officer with the US government. During his time, Powell focused on full spectrum intelligence operations related to the Middle East, South America and Africa, as well as liaison duties with foreign and US intelligence partners. In a past life, Powell was a 10 year United States Marine, and also worked in the nuclear security industry. He currently holds a dual BA in History and Political Science, and despite being a world class IO, he failed miserably in his last mission to steal the secret recipe for KFC's 11 Herbs and Spices chicken. His posts are his own opinions and do NOT reflect those of, nor are they in any way endorsed by, the U.S. government.

The Void: Russia and China Set Sights On Afghanistan

The 23rd of October, 2014 marked the handover of the last U.S. Marine Corps base to Afghan control. During the ceremony, Camp Leatherneck, along with British-run Camp Bastion, were handed over to Afghan forces, marking the close of the NATO and allied mission in Regional Command Southwest, overseeing Helmand and Nimroz provinces. On 28 December, […]

Back to the Future: Egypt and a Renewed Relationship With Russia

“Thanks, Putin!” This might sound like the Russian version of the “Thanks, Obama” joke that is popular here in the U.S., but this is altogether different. The two words were seen on one of dozens of signs being held by Egyptians along the streets of Cairo on November 14, 2014. On that day, Russian officials […]

Book Review: “Mossad”

If one were to take a poll asking which of the world’s intelligence agencies would make the top-10 list, most, if not all respondents would include Israel’s HaMossad leModiʿin uleTafkidim Meyuḥadim—the Israeli Mossad. Shrouded in mystery, much of what is known about the Mossad is based on speculation and the occasional news story. But every once in a while, […]

Talk the Talk: Foreign Language and the Art of Intelligence

When working within a target country or diaspora, dialect is often the difference between getting the right information and having to go back and get it right. Claiming to be from one place but using the dialect of another area will land you in a world of “this sucks.”

Rising Sun Revisited: Does Japan Want to Re-Awaken the Empire?

By the time the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, the once-great nation had seen its empire, which once spanned across half of the Pacific, reduced to a defense of the home islands. Soon after the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, Emperor Hirohito gave […]

TIFU: The Cost of Intelligence Failures

The other day, my youngest daughter (age 17) walks in, looks at her phone, and mutters a phrase that I had never heard before. “TIFU” (pronounced tie – phoo). “What does that mean?” I asked, expecting (and getting) some acronym that kids have come up with as the next buzzword. She looked at me, shook her […]

Al Qaeda vs. ISIS: “Oh, That’s Just My Little Brother”

Since they first caught the attention of the world in late 2013, ISIS (or ISIL) seems to have taken over as the ones to hate in the world of terrorist organizations. Not to say that the others are not out there, but a combination of media attention and ruthless tactics have helped thrust ISIS into […]

The Bug: Ebola and the Potential Effect on Operational Readiness

According to a recent major news network report, experts are predicting that by January 2015, the number of Ebola-infected patients could reach between 550,000 and 1.4 million. The report also noted that these figures account for cases in Sierra Leone and Liberia alone, which should be a concern for policymakers, as well as military and […]

The Boots Already on the Ground

By now we have heard the term “boots on the ground” about a million times. From the early days following the attacks of September 11, 2001, to the current situation in Iraq and Syria, the term has been tossed about by both those who believe we need troops on the ground to stabilize violent situations, and those who […]