With all of the “Noise” surrounding the Brussels Terror Attack, here is one interview with a Brit Spook that offers some useful intel and information. -SF The Cipher Brief: First Paris, then San Bernardino, then Brussels. How widespread are Islamic State networks in Europe, and can we expect these kind of attacks to continue? Quite…
Category: Tradecraft
Espionage Files: The Return of Wetwork
Putin’s Kremlin Employs assassination abroad as State Policy in a manner not seen in Moscow since Stalin By John R. Schindler This week’s announcement by a British court that Russian spies murdered Alexander Litvinenko in London in November 2006, made global headlines. Particularly because the massive report, based on a multi-year investigation, concluded that the…
Practical Skill-Sets: Brussels Attack Highlights Need For Civilian Trauma Training
Muslim terrorists attacked the Belgian capital of Brussels today in a series of attacks that seem to have used IEDs and may have used firearms as well. The attacks took place four days after the primary suspect in the November terrorist attacks in Paris, France was arrested in the city. News media are reporting at…
Crusader Corner: Tracking Down Salah Abdeslam
Man Hunting, The Sport of Security Forces Bottom Line Up Front Intelligence agencies must cooperate more rapidly and proactively to counter ISIS’ rapid and haphazard operational tempo. Clandestine operatives must rely on support networks that include overt members of the public. These networks are easily mapped out based on metadata available to nation state…
Survival Tips: How to Make Fire with a Lemon
Stay Alert, Stay Armed and Stay Dangerous!
How the Reagan-Era CIA Predicted Our Drone Dystopia
It is mind numbing how an agency with the resources and manpower like the CIA has can predict things like this but yet miss earth shaking Geo-Political events like the Soviets Invading Afghanistan in 1979 or the Soviet Union Collapse in 1991 or my favorite: being blindsided on 9/11. As a person who understands the…
Practical Skill-Sets: How to Remove Your Own Stitches
Watch former Special Forces operator Jeff Kirkham skilfully remove sutures from the face of MMA’s Josh Tyler. Sometimes being a man means getting punched or kicked in the face. If you find this keeps happening, you can either reevaluate your life choices, or learn how to cut your recovery time short like a boss. If…
Real World Example of Why Being Tech Dependent Is BAD
I said this some time back and I will keep saying it: MAKING MILITARY FORCES DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGY IS STUPID. Basic Courses on Navigation WITHOUT the use of GPS AIDS should still be taught. Compass and Map Skills should not be an archaic skill-set!! This goes for Civilians as well. GPS Units are great but…
The Espionage Files: The “Spider” James Jesus Angleton
Long before Game of Thrones dubbed its spymaster The Spider, James Jesus Angleton earned that name. His internal witch hunts still leave us wondering—madman, genius, or both? “Mr. Dickey? This is Jim Angleton.” I looked at the phone. I wasn’t sure what to say. This was 1978. I was a 26-year-old reporter on the Metro…
Real Training = Painful, Dangerous and Uncomfortable
By John Farnam This from a friend in Europe who just finished a week-long Pistol/Rifle Course in the high country. Good information: “I used a Colt AR (equipped with Aimpoint M4), and a G19. Orders were: low profile, no ‘camo,’ clothing, nor equipment. No chest rigs. Much concern here about ‘para-military’ training! We were located…