Intelligence Matters: The Relaunch Beacon Global Strategies LLC

Andy talks with Steve Bowsher, Chief Executive Officer at In-Q-Tel, an intelligence and national security community venture capital non-profit. IQT says it is a strategic investor that accelerates the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to US government agencies. Steve discusses investing in startups, recognizing success, and doing business with the federal government, as well as with other countries, including Australia and the UK. Steve also discusses AI, biosecurity, and innovation.
 

Andy talks with retired General John W. 'Jay' Raymond, the first Chief of Space Operations of the U.S. Space Force. Gen. Raymond discusses leading space operations and commands, and the growing threats posed by China and Russia's counterspace weapons. Gen. Raymond also focuses on collaborating with commercial companies and partners to maintain space superiority, and how the Space Force has evolved into what it is today.

Andy talks with Arun Gupta, a venture capitalism lecturer at Stanford University and an adjunct entrepreneurship professor at Georgetown. Arun is also the CEO of the NobleReach Foundation, which focuses on catalyzing and inspiring a renewed spirit of national service through innovation. He is the author of "Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society." In their discussion, Arun shares insights from his experience and book on how to better partner entrepreneurs and the government to solve large problems through a renewed focus on outcomes-based collaboration, and to inspire young people to consider public service careers. Gupta advocates leveraging the optimism of entrepreneurs and the scale of government to address issues like national security, health tech, and climate change.

Michael talks with Asfandyar Mir, a South Asia senior expert at the United States Institute of Peace, about Pakistan. The two discuss the U.S. national security interest in Pakistan, relations between the two countries, the influence of China on Pakistan, and the Pakistani Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Michael talks with Beth Sanner, a career CIA analyst who concluded her tenure with the federal government as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration at the ODNI from April 2019 to March 2021. She discusses the risks and potential next steps in the Israel-Gaza conflict, Iran and the Middle East, Russia's war on Ukraine, and how she rose through the CIA's ranks to become a world-class analyst specializing in South Asia.

Michael talks with retired FBI Special Agent Peter Lapp about his new book, "Queen of Cuba: An FBI Agent's Insider Account of the Spy Who Evaded Detection for 17 Years." Peter unveils the remarkable case of Ana Montes, the Defense Intelligence Agency senior analyst who was arrested 10 days after 9/11 for spying for Cuba. Together, Michael and Peter delve into Montes's audacious activities for communist Cuba, the unraveling of her espionage work, her prosecution and current whereabouts.