New Mossad Director May Be Exactly What Israel Needs

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on December 7th the appointment of his national security advisor, Yossi Cohen, as the new director of the Mossad—the well-known Israeli intelligence organization. He will be replacing Tamir Pardo, a former SF member of Sayeret Matkal and Shaldag. Yossi Cohen spent 30 years as an intelligence operative. His primary responsibilities, among many others throughout […]

Special Forces in Bolivia: Quiet Weapons, Silent Wars

The following is an excerpt from retired Special Forces Warrant Officer Jim “Smokey” West’s upcoming memoir.  Learn more about Jim by checking out his website, American Extension Fighting.  The village consisted of an adobe, clay, and dirt shanties surrounding the town square. The square had some restaurants around it, all featuring five-star dirt floors. There was […]

How Technology is Changing the Future of Espionage

In 2003, the CIA abducted Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr off the streets of Milan. He was suspected of recruiting foreign jihadist fighters and then facilitating their way to Iraq. With Hassan shipped off to Egypt for interrogation, the operation at first appeared to be a success. What happened over the following months and years demonstrated how technology may be the […]

A Historical View of Intelligence Gathering (Pt. 5): The Great War

After the June 18, 1914 assassination of Austria’s Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie at the hand of a Serb nationalist, the coming conflict forced nations such as Germany, Russia, Britain, and France to honor treaties and mutual-protection agreements that had been made. By the time Austria-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia on July 28, […]

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 […]