Rational Security
544 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1.9K ratingsA weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy matters featuring Lawfare senior editors Scott R. Anderson, Quinta Jurecic, and Alan Rozenshtein.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodes
The "Fond Fair Wells" Edition
October 16, 2015 00:19 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBQuinta Jurecic joins Shane and Ben for the podcast. This week: A new leak shows us more about the inner workings of drones strikes. FBI Director Jim Comey concedes defeat in the encryption wars. And Obama’s moral muse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "He Said, Xi Said" Edition
October 07, 2015 00:56 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBHas the Obama administration outplayed China on cyber spying? The Taliban is on the march in Afghanistan. What does this mean for the future of U.S. troops in that country? And the new movie Sicario is one of the sharpest criticisms yet of the war on drugs. Plus, in Object Lessons—GODZILLA! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "It’s Putin’s World and We Just Live In It" Edition
October 01, 2015 23:15 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBRussia launches airstrikes in Syria, changing the political calculus in the Middle East. U.S.-backed rebels in Syria are also coming under attack. Is the U.S. abandoning them? And Edward Snowden is tweeting and Edward Scissorhands is trending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "It’s Putin’s World and We Just Live In It" Edition
October 01, 2015 23:15 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBRussia launches airstrikes in Syria, changing the political calculus in the Middle East. U.S.-backed rebels in Syria are also coming under attack. Is the U.S. abandoning them? And Edward Snowden is tweeting and Edward Scissorhands is trending.
The "Je Suis Francis" Edition
September 23, 2015 20:26 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBRussia is about to intervene in Syria. Good luck with that. The U.S. and China are contemplating a “cyber arms treaty.” And the New York Times editorial board has a plan for closing Guantanamo. Plus, in Object Lessons, Edward Snowden has a new look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Let's Ignore the Debate" Edition
September 17, 2015 03:39 - 46 minutes - 43 MBIs the Obama administration's hand-wringing over Chinese cyber spying making the U.S. look like chumps? Two new books chart the meteoric rise of ISIS. And a former U.S. ambassador highlights the importance of international partnerships to U.S. counterterrorism. Plus, in Object Lessons, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson wants you to chill out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Abu Bakr Bicker Backer Whatever" Edition
September 12, 2015 00:55 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBDonald Trump reveals that he doesn’t know the names of the heads of the world’s biggest terrorist organizations. Does that disqualify him to be commander-in-chief? Turns out killing Anwar Al-Alawki was an “easy” decision for President Obama. And can the House sue the president over the Iran deal? Plus, in Object Lessons, how our lives would be different had 9/11 never happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Abu Bakr Bicker Backer Whatever" Edition
September 12, 2015 00:55 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBDonald Trump reveals that he doesn’t know the names of the heads of the world’s biggest terrorist organizations. Does that disqualify him to be commander-in-chief? Turns out killing Anwar Al-Alawki was an “easy” decision for President Obama. And can the House sue the president over the Iran deal? Plus, in Object Lessons, how our lives would be different had 9/11 never happened.
"The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend" Edition
September 02, 2015 23:56 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBGen. David Petraeus has a new plan for fighting ISIS. Is it smart or utterly nuts? A new article takes us deep inside the mind and menace of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-declared “caliph” of the Islamic State. And a new book takes us deep inside the operation to kill an American Al Qaeda fighter. Plus, in Object Lessons, ancient art and modern icons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Don't Check Your 401(k)" Edition
August 26, 2015 23:41 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBThis week on the podcast: How could China's economic free fall affect U.S. national security? What does international law have to say about Russia's invasion of Ukraine? And the Secret Service gets upset when a drone flies near President Obama while he's playing golf. Plus, in Object Lessons, countering violent extremism...with BBQ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Rested But By No Means Ready" Edition
August 20, 2015 01:48 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBThe top ISIS fighter in U.S. custody is being transferred to Iraq. What’s it mean for the U.S. justice system and the future of detainee policy in the war with ISIS? Two years after the first Snowden leaks, are we over the idea of the idealistic whistleblower? And a photo essay on strategic Jerusalem. Plus, in Object Lessons, drones, shades, and summer reading. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Empty Chair" Edition
August 06, 2015 02:11 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBShane goes on vacation, abandoning the gang to its fate. Brookings scholar Dan Byman steps in and brings a National Counterterrorism Center Calendar, which sparks a discussion of how to categorize terrorist acts that take place within warfare. Ben talks about a recent U.S. court decision that found the war in Afghanistan isn't really over—no matter what the president says. And Tamara talks about the president's Iran speech. In our Object Lessons segment, Dan shows off a large Yemeni dagger. T...
The What Happens in Aspen Edition
July 29, 2015 18:32 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBIs notorious Taliban leader Mullah Omar dead—again? And then, Tamara and her very important friends at the Aspen Security Forum were discussing the threat of ISIS and the real truth about encryption. Plus in Object Lessons, Shane is heading off to paradise, and Tamara brought back some primo swag. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Chinese Cookie Monster" Edition
July 25, 2015 18:25 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBThis week, Ben and Shane are joined by special guests Wells Bennett of Lawfare and Quinta Jurecic, national security intern at Brookings. On the agenda: Obama has a plan to close Guantanamo, and it may be dead or alive. An Iraqi businessman wants to mount a private Sunni army to fight ISIS. And someone near and dear to us has a new plan to fix the encryption problem. Plus, in our Object Lessons, Ben is going to cut someone, and we’ll explain the title of this week’s show. Hosted on Acast....
The "Historic" Edition
July 16, 2015 01:15 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MBThe Iran deal is finally here. This week on the podcast, Shane, Tamara, and special guest Wells Bennett look at what’s in the deal, what it does, and what it doesn’t do. Also, a closer look at which sanctions are being relieved and whom that will help. Plus, do we need an AUMF for...Russia? And in our Object Lesson, sideburns and Peanut Brigaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Let's All Go Dark" Edition
July 09, 2015 01:22 - 41 minutes - 38 MBThis week on the podcast: FBI Director James Comey goes to the Hill to talk about "going dark." Former officials are expressing concern about the Iran deal. And the Office of Personnel Management put people who had no experience in computer security in charge of...computer security! Plus, in Object Lessons, Ben and Tamara survive a shipwreck. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "War on the War on Terrorism" Edition
July 01, 2015 22:09 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBThis week on the show: Senators call for hearings on domestic terrorism in the wake of the Charleston shootings. Do we need a new National Commission on the War on Terrorism? And a cat fight between the FISA court and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Plus, in Object Lessons, are you “e-QIPped?” The Chinese are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Schake and Awe" Edition
June 26, 2015 02:09 - 41 minutes - 38 MBThis week on the podcast, Kori Schake joins the gang to discuss the week’s big stories. Was the shooting of nine people in Charleston, SC, an act of terrorism? Chinese spies now know the secret sex lives of U.S. government employees. And the U.N. has a new report on Gaza. Plus, in our object lessons, bitter memoirs and piggy banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Am I an Iranian Agent?" Edition
June 16, 2015 21:12 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBThis week on the show, Shane exposes the Iranian propagandists who tried to recruit him. Plus, the gang looks at how the military pays for war and at a new "manual" that lays out the rules for fighting them. Then, in Object Lessons: Are hackers trying to take over your spin cycle? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Robot Samurai Overlord Edition
June 12, 2015 02:14 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a major speech at the Herzliya Conference on national security, but he spends a lot of time talking about the economy. The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its ruling on passports and Israel. How important is it to Middle East policy? And is it a big win for John Yoo and David Addington? And just when you thought the fight over government surveillance was over, along comes Patriot Act 2.0 Plus, in our object lesson, how many lemons can a samurai r...
The Robot Samurai Overlord Edition
June 12, 2015 02:14 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a major speech at the Herzliya Conference on national security, but he spends a lot of time talking about the economy. The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its ruling on passports and Israel. How important is it to Middle East policy? And is it a big win for John Yoo and David Addington? And just when you thought the fight over government surveillance was over, along comes Patriot Act 2.0 Plus, in our object lesson, how many lemons can a samurai ro...
"The Anthrax is in the Mail" Edition
June 05, 2015 16:23 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBThis week on the show, special guest Nancy Youssef of the Daily Beast joins Ben and Shane to discuss the Senate's passage of the USA Freedom Act. Also, why do Americans hate government surveillance but tolerate big corporate data aggregators? And there's anthrax in the Pentagon! Later, in our Object Lesson, we mourn the passing a screen icon (of sorts) and celebrate a new day in national security publishing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "How Much is a Copy of Orgasm" Edition
May 29, 2015 01:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBThis week on the show, Ben and Shane are flying solo (duo?) while Tamara is away. They ask, is everything we think we know about privacy wrong? And the guys discuss a novel proposal for easing the tensions between the press and the government when journalists disclose sensitive national security information. Plus, in our Object Lesson, very tiny robots. They’re here. Buzzing in your ear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "How Much is a Copy of Orgasm" Edition
May 29, 2015 01:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBThis week on the show, Ben and Shane are flying solo (duo?) while Tamara is away. They ask, is everything we think we know about privacy wrong? And the guys discuss a novel proposal for easing the tensions between the press and the government when journalists disclose sensitive national security information. Plus, in our Object Lesson, very tiny robots. They’re here. Buzzing in your ear.
The "Awkward Segue" Edition
May 21, 2015 01:14 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBThis week on the show: The FBI is interrogating the wife of a senior ISIS official about Western hostages. The Justice Department hands down indictments against Chinese nationals for spying on the U.S. And the Tunisian president comes to Washington. Plus, in our object lesson, we’re going back to the movies again, sort of. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Worst Way to Die" Edition
May 14, 2015 01:24 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBThis week on the show: The FBI rules out terrorism in the awful train crash in Pennsylvania. But why are we so quick these days to ask whether every accident was caused by terrorists? Congress is poised to pass new legislation on surveillance. And what does a new report on Iranian hackers tell us about the standards of intelligence in the age of cyber war? Plus in our object lesson, we go to the movies with an Ethan Hawke film on drones, and in North Korea, death by very, very big firing squa...
The "Triple Entente Beer Summit" Edition
May 09, 2015 11:06 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBThe Triple Entente Beer Summit was a great success, with an audience that filled the Washington Firehouse loft and a cast that mashed up Lawfare, Rational Security, and the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast. We attribute the podcast’s freewheeling interchange to the engaged audience, our profound respect for each other, and, mostly, the beer. After a discussion of between the combined panels, we throw the event over to the audience, which demonstrates that we could have produced almost as good a pro...
The "Drones Who Cannot Be Named" Edition
April 30, 2015 00:11 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBThis week on the show: The New York Times names the senior CIA officials who have run the agency’s drone program. Were they right or wrong to do it? Speaking of drones, it turns out the CIA’s program in Pakistan was given an unusually long leash. And Bashar al-Assad may be losing in Syria. Plus, in our Object Lesson, spy fashion. You, too, can dress like a spook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Hell in a Yemeni Handbasket" Edition
April 24, 2015 23:15 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBSpecial guest Wells Bennett joins Shane and Tamara to talk about the U.S. strategy in Yemen. What is it? And just how big a nightmare? Also, Washington takes the cyber wars West, to Silicon Valley. Plus, spy gardens and swashbuckling pilots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Crusader Air Strikes" Edition
April 18, 2015 18:46 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBThis week on the podcast, the gang discusses Congress weighing in on the Iran nuclear deal. Sunni, Shia, let’s call the whole thing off. And a key Al Qaeda leader who was once held in Guantanamo is killed in a U.S. drone strike. Plus, Ben joins the surveillance state, and Shane solves a mystery from last week's episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Who Am I and What is Jonathan Rauch Doing Here in Our Studio?" Edition
April 09, 2015 01:45 - 36 minutes - 33 MBThis week on the show, the gang welcomes special guest Jonathan Rauch, Brookings fellow, journalist, and longtime friend. On the agenda: Cyber attacks are way more damaging than we previously thought. Saudi Arabia’s Shiites fear a backlash in the Yemen war. And Congress is up to...absolutely nothing on surveillance reform and the new AUMF. Plus, in our Object Lesson segment, you too can take down a mugger while wearing high-heeled shoes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
The "Kick the Centrifuge Down the Road" Edition
April 03, 2015 01:53 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBThe talks over Iran's nuclear program are hurtling towards some vague, yet-to-be-defined conclusion. President Obama opens a new front in the cyber wars. And Rashomon comes to Egypt. Plus, "Wild Tales," and birthday cakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Voting in Droves" Edition
March 26, 2015 02:16 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBThe gang unravels the Israeli election results and the unpleasant White House-Israel tensions they have sparked. Tamara talks about Yemen's ongoing disintegration. And Shane discusses China's admission, at long last, that it really does offensive cyber operations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The "Where's Vlado?" Edition
March 17, 2015 11:45 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBThis week, Ben handicaps the Israeli election. Special guest Merritt Baer considers how our increasingly "interoperable" world may put security at risk (or enhance it). And Shane looks at how the FBI is using surveillance tools to catch child predators. Plus, in our Object Lessons segment, an only-in-Washington tchotchke, and an appeal to our audience to help find Shane's grandfather's war buddies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Code Word Stuff Edition
March 11, 2015 01:28 - 40 minutes - 37 MBThis week, the gang dissects David Petraeus' plea deal for giving highly classified information to his mistress. CIA Director John Brennan proposes big changes in the way the spy agency runs. And a new census of ISIS’ social media campaign. Plus, in our Object Lessons segment, gargoyles and the Rational Security chainsaw massacre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Homebrew Edition
March 04, 2015 23:51 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBThis week on the show: National Security Adviser Susan Rice speaks to AIPAC and makes the administration's case for negotiating with Iran on nukes. A Guantanamo detainee raises questions about whether the war in Afghanistan is really, officially over. And Hillary Clinton used her own "homebrew" email system while she was Secretary of State, possibly running afoul of federal record-keeping rules and making her more vulnerable to hackers. Plus, Shane shows us the business card of a Russian spy....
The Float Like a Tweet Sting Like a Ray Edition
February 26, 2015 01:23 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBThis week on the podcast, Shane and Ben welcome back Jen Daskal to talk terrorism and technology. Police phone surveillance becomes a thorny legal issue in a Florida case. The Justice Department says it will prosecute people who proliferate ISIS social media. And Ben offers a peek of his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on a new authorization to use military force against ISIS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The All Security is Local Edition
February 19, 2015 02:14 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBThis week, Ben and Shane are joined by special guest Jen Daskal. The gang debates Eric Holder's recent remarks on press leaks, asks whether ISIS is morphing into a true global terrorist movement, and hears some frank tweets on Russia from the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Plus, Jen shares a treasured memory from Cameroon, and Shane declares war on icy sidewalks—and the scofflaws who don't clean them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Men Behaving Badly Edition
February 13, 2015 16:06 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBThis week, the gang discusses Kayla Mueller, the last American hostage held by ISIS, who was confirmed this week to have died. Plus, President Obama asks Congress for a new authorization to use military force against ISIS. And why is the venerable Aspen Security Forum—so far—booking only men as its featured speakers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Until We Run Out of Fuel and Bullets
February 05, 2015 03:33 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBThis week, Shane, Ben, and Tamara and the gang discuss the latest ISIS video showing the death of a Jordanian pilot, and what it means for the future of the U.S.-led coalition to destroy ISIS, as well as public opinion in Jordan and the United States. Plus, a deeper look at post-Snowden surveillance reforms, and whether they're meaningful or mostly for show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Cold War is Hot
January 29, 2015 02:52 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBThe gang talks about a ring of Russian spies broken up in New York City, plus drones falling on the White House lawn and a new report on the links between democracy and terrorism. Plus, Ben has an update on the speech so sensitive the NSA won't let him see it, even though he wrote it, and Tamara throws down a challenge to "House of Cards" president Frank Underwood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The State of the Union is Boring
January 22, 2015 16:00 - 1 hour - 57 MBThe gang ignores the State of the Union and speculates about how Ali Saleh Al-Marri got sprung from federal prison. Shane takes on FBI Director Jim Comey with a new encrypted phone and a defense of granting anonymity to AQAP sources. Tamara talks about why moderate Arab states are unreliable partners in a war on radical Islam and talks about the great exception to this rule, the United Arab Emirates. And Ben shows up with a virus and an Anonymous mask. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
The "I have Marshall McLuhan Right Here" Edition
January 15, 2015 04:00 - 52 minutes - 121 MBShane, Tamara, and Ben talk condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo attack and how much outrage is enough, our fear over foreign fighters, and the expanding vocabulary of cyber "attacks." Plus, Ben investigates the Pakistani incursion into the NSA's gift shop, Tamara wonders whether Iran is like a Pandora's Box, and Shane shares a personal story about a long-sought stash of Army records. Bonus feature: The gang welcomes special guest (our first!) Jeremy Shapiro. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
What is Rational Security?
January 07, 2015 18:08 - 1 hour - 142 MBShane Harris introduces the show and introduces Benjamin and Tamara Wittes. The gang talks Egypt and Tunisia, torture and sanctions. Ben talks about the medal he got from NSA, which hasn't yet declassified his speech. And Shane pines after a strange cybersecurity machine. Welcome to Rational Security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.