The Burn Bag – National Security and Foreign Policy Redefined Burn Bag Media

In this episode, A'ndre and Andrea welcome Jonna Mendez, a distinguished former Chief of Disguise in the CIA's Office of Technical Service, for an intriguing discussion on espionage, disguise, and Jonna's groundbreaking career. Known for her role that is sometimes akin to "Q" from the James Bond series, Jonna sheds light on her 27-year tenure at the CIA, where she specialized in clandestine photography and innovative disguise tactics in some of the most hostile theaters of the Cold War.  The conversation explores the art of disguise, examining what makes a good disguise, the contingency plans for disguise failures, and how these tactics differed from those of adversaries. Jonna also shares her perspective on how technological advancements impact modern clandestine operations.  Jonna also discusses the challenges of proving herself in a male-dominated field and the significance of mentorship in her success.

You can check out Jonna's book, In True Face, here.

This week, A'ndre is joined by Lindsay Gorman, the Managing Director & Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s GMF Tech, to delve into the controversies surrounding TikTok and its implications for national security. Lindsay sheds light on ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, and discusses the concerns surrounding its data storage practices. A'ndre and Lindsay explore the concept of data sovereignty and discuss whether China can access ByteDance's data at will, and why it's different from how the U.S. Government engages with U.S.-based social media companies. Lindsay outlines the types of user data TikTok gathers, and touches upon how China can exploit this collected data. The conversation extends to China's history of leveraging social media platforms for targeting dissenters and the workings of TikTok's algorithms in content recommendation -- particularly with regards to misinformation and polarization. Lindsay offers insights into the likelihood of a TikTok divestiture (and why it's not a ban), legal challenges it might face, and the possibility of a U.S.-based firm acquiring TikTok. The discussion concludes with an examination of China's reaction to the scrutiny, and what Lindsay sees as the biggest myths surrounding TikTok.

CORRECTION: A'ndre referenced a dispute between the FBI and Apple, incorrectly attributing it to the Boston Bombing investigation, when in actuality it was the 2015 San Bernardino Terror Attack

This week, Christina interviews Sophie Rutenbar (she/her), a visiting fellow in the Brookings Strobe Talbott Center and a Visiting Scholar at New York University's Center on International Cooperation, on the current crisis in Haiti and the emergence of gangs as leading political voices. With experience as the Planning Officer for the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), based in Port-au-Prince, Sophie has extensive experience on the ground in the first African Republic. Acknowledging the renewed wave of gang violence and the recent resignation of its prime minister Ariel Henry, Christina and Sophie discuss the many factors that have lead to this flashpoint in Haiti, and the unique political landscape of the country.

This week, A'ndre is joined by Javed Ali, a former counterterrorism official who served as Senior Director of Counterterrorism on the National Security Council, to discuss Friday's horrific ISIS terror attacks at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia. Javed and A'ndre discuss what ISIS-K is, and how the Afghan-based group is different from the 'core' ISIS that has operated in Iraq and Syria. Javed outlines how ISIS-K has grown in recent years and their abilities to plot attacks outside of their locality, citing the recent ISIS-K suicide bombings in Iran and foiled plots in Europe. A'ndre and Javed also chat about how U.S. Intelligence warned both Russia and Iran in the days preceding the respective ISIS-K attacks and how the Afghanistan withdrawal has affected intelligence gathering. Javed provides his take on the profiles of those who have conducted ISIS-K's attacks, and whether the tactics taken in Moscow bear parallels to the 2015 Paris Attacks or 2008's 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

This week, A'ndre chatted with former Secretary of Defense (and CIA Director, and Chief of Staff, and Congressman!) Leon Panetta on a litany of key national security and foreign policy topics relating to the Israel-Gaza War, Russia-Ukraine, the U.S.-China relationship, and the 2024 Presidential Election. A'ndre and Secretary Panetta spent a good chunk of the interview discussing the ongoing War in Gaza, his views on a ceasefire, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticism of the Biden Administration, and why the U.S. needs to take a more proactive role on a two-state solution. Secretary Panetta also provides his take on the potential conditioning of U.S. military aid to Israel, particularly if the IDF enters Rafah and civilian casualties continue to mount. Secretary Panetta reacts to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and answers if he is more pessimistic about the War in Ukraine today than he was a year ago. The former CIA Director also provides strong criticisms of congressional inaction on continued funding for Ukraine, and why polarization will damage U.S. credibility. A'ndre and Secretary Panetta close out with a brief conversation on China, and the Secretary 's thoughts on the intersections of foreign policy and the 2024 Presidential Election.

The Burn Bag will be covering the Israel-Gaza War over the course of several episodes, sourcing multiple perspectives on the conflict. The Burn Bag does not officially endorse any views expressed by our guests, but rather bring those perspectives to you, the audience. 

Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy returns to The Burn Bag to discuss his views and reactions to the ongoing War in Gaza, a potential ceasefire, a two-state solution, and Egypt's role in the conflict. A'ndre and Mr. Fahmy discuss Egypt's relationship with Israel and what Egypt's policy on Gaza has been since 2006, including the rationale behind Egypt's support for Israel's blockade on Gaza. Mr. Fahmy reacts to the news that the Biden Administration aims to build a port in Gaza for humanitarian aid, in addition to outlining why Egypt will not open its border near Rafah to Gazans. The two delve into Egypt's role in negotiating a ceasefire, the political goals of Hamas, and what political entity should represent the Palestinians given their fractured political landscape. Mr. Fahmy responds to suggestions that Arab Governments should 'govern' Gaza after the war, and also shares his view on media echo chambers.