60 acast.com <![CDATA[John Kiriakou's Dead Drop]]> https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop en spies,spying,espionage,secrets,CIA,torture,Travel,Heroism,secret agents What Makes A Spy Tick

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]]> true info+68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13@mg-eu.acast.com 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 john-kiriakous-dead-drop serial https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1759941899317-186901d5-69b8-40c5-9a84-1671d66f0c9c.jpeg https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop <![CDATA[John Kiriakou's Dead Drop]]> S1E22 The Good, The Bad, The Ugly S1E22 The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:07:30 GMT 25:38 69c2ea847878605e11fa280c true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e22-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly 69c2ea847878605e11fa280c 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e22-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 20 full 1 22 THE BLURB: John finds that working in the private sector (doing corporate intel at Deloitte and Touche) for big money, perks and benefits has its advantages over working a lot more for a lot less at the agency. Then one day - when everything's going gangbusters for John, he gets a call from Brian Ross at ABC News. And everything changes. But, how did Ross find John? And why was the news media so slow to take up and believe the torture story? By the time reporters like Ross found their way to John, they were in a feeding frenzy. In this episode, we'll tell you why that happened and how it contributed to what happened to John.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: John finds that working in the private sector (doing corporate intel at Deloitte and Touche) for big money, perks and benefits has its advantages over working a lot more for a lot less at the agency. Then one day - when everything's going gangbusters for John, he gets a call from Brian Ross at ABC News. And everything changes. But, how did Ross find John? And why was the news media so slow to take up and believe the torture story? By the time reporters like Ross found their way to John, they were in a feeding frenzy. In this episode, we'll tell you why that happened and how it contributed to what happened to John.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E21 End Of Times S1E21 End Of Times Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT 34:43 69c1bb941a160b44dbc6ad12 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e21-end-of-times 69c1bb941a160b44dbc6ad12 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e21-end-of-times What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 19 full 1 21 THE BLURB: Everything must end - including a CIA career. While John had planned to make a lifetime career of the agency, circumstances dictated otherwise. So, to a large degree, did his new immediate boss-from-hell. In this episode, John begins to suss out a new, post-CIA life just over the horizon. The problem will be getting out of the CIA in one piece.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: Everything must end - including a CIA career. While John had planned to make a lifetime career of the agency, circumstances dictated otherwise. So, to a large degree, did his new immediate boss-from-hell. In this episode, John begins to suss out a new, post-CIA life just over the horizon. The problem will be getting out of the CIA in one piece.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E20 Changes S1E20 Changes Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT 54:14 69c0933b1a160b44db6cd910 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e20-changes 69c0933b1a160b44db6cd910 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e20-changes What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 18 full 1 20 THE BLURB: Returning from the mission in Pakistan, John decided his kids needed him to stay closer to home for a whie. He applied for and got a domestic assignment. The problem? His new boss, a pencil-pusher named Mary Margaret hated him and did everything she could think of to prove it.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: Returning from the mission in Pakistan, John decided his kids needed him to stay closer to home for a whie. He applied for and got a domestic assignment. The problem? His new boss, a pencil-pusher named Mary Margaret hated him and did everything she could think of to prove it.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E19 Torture S1E19 Torture Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT 26:27 69b2005cbba705d7aa461cda true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e19-torture 69b2005cbba705d7aa461cda 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e19-torture What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 17 full 1 19 THE BLURB: If this story has a heart of darkness, this is it. How did American policy find its way to legitimizing torture? In this episode, we'll take you down that terrible road. America became a torturer because certain people - including then Vice President Dick Cheney - wanted us to be that thing. We'll also describe how the Bush Administration's wordplay, dancing around the word "torture", made torture inevitable.

SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: If this story has a heart of darkness, this is it. How did American policy find its way to legitimizing torture? In this episode, we'll take you down that terrible road. America became a torturer because certain people - including then Vice President Dick Cheney - wanted us to be that thing. We'll also describe how the Bush Administration's wordplay, dancing around the word "torture", made torture inevitable.

SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> S1E18 Cross Currents S1E18 Cross Currents Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT 32:14 69aa34797036d73902d55972 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e18-cross-currents 69aa34797036d73902d55972 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e18-cross-currents What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 16 full 1 18 THE BLURB: After John watched Abu Zubaydah's plane rendition him to what turned out to be a black site in Thailad, he still had lots of other terrorists to interrogate. He felt contrite after getting overly physical with a detainee - but no one else in the chain of command felt John had been out of line. Returning stateside, John is approached by the agency. They want to know if he's interested in learning enhanced interrogation techniques. He wasn't. And, so began the fracture that would ultimately set John apart.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: After John watched Abu Zubaydah's plane rendition him to what turned out to be a black site in Thailad, he still had lots of other terrorists to interrogate. He felt contrite after getting overly physical with a detainee - but no one else in the chain of command felt John had been out of line. Returning stateside, John is approached by the agency. They want to know if he's interested in learning enhanced interrogation techniques. He wasn't. And, so began the fracture that would ultimately set John apart.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E17 Zain S1E17 Zain Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT 28:26 699e511e123f9740820fec2f true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e17-zain 699e511e123f9740820fec2f 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e17-zain What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 15 full 1 17 THE BLURB: For 70 hours, almost three days, John was responsible for handling Abu Zubaydah, the terrorist the agency believed was Al Qaeda's number three. Though their time togeter was relatively short - and Zain (Abu Zubaydah's actual name) spent much of it unconscious - John did manage to build a human connection with him and began to appreciate the person inside the nom de guerre. Zain is renditioned elsewhere. John goes back to work interrogating all the other terrorists they'd grabbed alongside Abu Zubaydah while Abu Zubaydah begins to encounter the treatment that would ultimately lead to torture.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: For 70 hours, almost three days, John was responsible for handling Abu Zubaydah, the terrorist the agency believed was Al Qaeda's number three. Though their time togeter was relatively short - and Zain (Abu Zubaydah's actual name) spent much of it unconscious - John did manage to build a human connection with him and began to appreciate the person inside the nom de guerre. Zain is renditioned elsewhere. John goes back to work interrogating all the other terrorists they'd grabbed alongside Abu Zubaydah while Abu Zubaydah begins to encounter the treatment that would ultimately lead to torture.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E16 Captured S1E16 Captured Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT 44:16 698a608241bb4de4911a8235 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e16-captured 698a608241bb4de4911a8235 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e16-captured What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 14 full 1 16 THE BLURB: The hunt for Al Qaeda's number three, an elusive terrorist with the nom de guerre Abu Zubaydah, intensifies but seems to go nowhere. The team scoops up lots of smaller prey, but can never seem to pin down Abu Zubaydah himself. And then an anonymous walk-in tip leads to a (literal) phone line which leads to... Abu Zubaydah?


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: The hunt for Al Qaeda's number three, an elusive terrorist with the nom de guerre Abu Zubaydah, intensifies but seems to go nowhere. The team scoops up lots of smaller prey, but can never seem to pin down Abu Zubaydah himself. And then an anonymous walk-in tip leads to a (literal) phone line which leads to... Abu Zubaydah?


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E15 The Hunt Begins S1E15 The Hunt Begins Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT 36:39 698a5c6df6349d3c6e3f350a true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e15-the-hunt-begins 698a5c6df6349d3c6e3f350a 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e15-the-hunt-begins What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 13 full 1 15 THE BLURB: John lands in Pakistan where the hunt for Al Qaeda's leadership begins with the hunt for the perfect safe house. John also begins to coordinate his team with Pakistani intelligence (not a very trusting relationship). And then a tip comes in: Al Qaeda's number three, a terrorist with the nom de guerre Abu Zubaydah, has been spotted in Pakistan. John is tasked with coming up with the plan to capture Abu Zubaydah.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: John lands in Pakistan where the hunt for Al Qaeda's leadership begins with the hunt for the perfect safe house. John also begins to coordinate his team with Pakistani intelligence (not a very trusting relationship). And then a tip comes in: Al Qaeda's number three, a terrorist with the nom de guerre Abu Zubaydah, has been spotted in Pakistan. John is tasked with coming up with the plan to capture Abu Zubaydah.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> Mini Episode 5 Betrayal Mini Episode 5 Betrayal Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT 13:07 698a64aad2345f67c3234536 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/mini-episode-5-betrayal 698a64aad2345f67c3234536 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 mini-episode-5-betrayal full 1 THE BLURB: Aldrich Ames was a CIA counterintelligence officer who was convicted of espionage on behalf of the soviet Union and Russia in 1994. Ames was responsible for the arrest and eventual execution of numerous Soviet and Russian officials secretly working on behalf of US intellifence, and had compromised more highly classified CIA assets than any other intelligence officer at the time of his arrest. What caused Rich Ames to betray his craft and his country? Why does any spy go rogue?



SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: Aldrich Ames was a CIA counterintelligence officer who was convicted of espionage on behalf of the soviet Union and Russia in 1994. Ames was responsible for the arrest and eventual execution of numerous Soviet and Russian officials secretly working on behalf of US intellifence, and had compromised more highly classified CIA assets than any other intelligence officer at the time of his arrest. What caused Rich Ames to betray his craft and his country? Why does any spy go rogue?



SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E14 Game On S1E14 Game On Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT 28:00 69783ecc9bc4db983b369e0c true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e14-game-on 69783ecc9bc4db983b369e0c 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e14-game-on What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 12 full 1 14 THE BLURB: With America - and the CIA - at war, everyone wants to fight, especially John. But, his skill sets aren't the required ones as the War On Terror begins. The CIA, it turns out, had an actual plan to deal with Osama bin Laden. After settling some old business back in Greece, John begins to work on the CTC's leadership, looking for a way to in to Afghanistan. And then one opens up...


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: With America - and the CIA - at war, everyone wants to fight, especially John. But, his skill sets aren't the required ones as the War On Terror begins. The CIA, it turns out, had an actual plan to deal with Osama bin Laden. After settling some old business back in Greece, John begins to work on the CTC's leadership, looking for a way to in to Afghanistan. And then one opens up...


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E13 Hostages S1E13 Hostages Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT 23:47 697663926c5100c2bb472a09 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e13-hostages 697663926c5100c2bb472a09 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e13-hostages What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 11 full 1 13 THE BLURB: After Joanne kidnaps John's two sons - instead of making them available for his six weeks summer vacation with them - John uses his espionage skills to track them all down. Hothead that he is, rather than wait for the legal system to work to his benefit, John nearly ruins everything by iniating a "hostage situation" of his own. At work, John's time in the penalty box is about to get truncated - as more and more Agency resources get focused on a terrorist quickly growing in prominence on the Agency's radar: Osama bin Laden.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: After Joanne kidnaps John's two sons - instead of making them available for his six weeks summer vacation with them - John uses his espionage skills to track them all down. Hothead that he is, rather than wait for the legal system to work to his benefit, John nearly ruins everything by iniating a "hostage situation" of his own. At work, John's time in the penalty box is about to get truncated - as more and more Agency resources get focused on a terrorist quickly growing in prominence on the Agency's radar: Osama bin Laden.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E12 The Grind S1E12 The Grind Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT 48:31 6966def5023744df1124cd30 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e12-the-grind 6966def5023744df1124cd30 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e12-the-grind What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 10 full 1 12 THE BLURB: Back in America, John settles in to a year or so "in the penalty box" because of what happened in Athens. John's divorce from Joanne gets complicated by Joanne's brinksmanship. But John does what he must to keep himself in his sons' life. Despite all the Life complications, John scores a small succuss at work. Whatever joy that produces gets undercut when Joanne kidnaps the boys.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: Back in America, John settles in to a year or so "in the penalty box" because of what happened in Athens. John's divorce from Joanne gets complicated by Joanne's brinksmanship. But John does what he must to keep himself in his sons' life. Despite all the Life complications, John scores a small succuss at work. Whatever joy that produces gets undercut when Joanne kidnaps the boys.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E11 Have Human Spies Become Obsolete? S1E11 Have Human Spies Become Obsolete? Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT 56:58 695ad02c18c941d6d66b194c true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete 695ad02c18c941d6d66b194c 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete full 1 11 THE BLURB: In this episode, John chats with former CIA officer turned wildly successful novelist BARRY EISLER about spying and how it lends itself to storytelling. After a three year stint as a covert officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Barry worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earned a black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute and began writing great, award-winning thrillers including the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. John and Barry discuss the current state of spies, spying and spycraft - and whether it might be over for straight humint and the human spies who cultivate it.


SHOW NOTES

For more information about Barry Eisler, please visit barryeisler.com.


For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> THE BLURB: In this episode, John chats with former CIA officer turned wildly successful novelist BARRY EISLER about spying and how it lends itself to storytelling. After a three year stint as a covert officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Barry worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earned a black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute and began writing great, award-winning thrillers including the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. John and Barry discuss the current state of spies, spying and spycraft - and whether it might be over for straight humint and the human spies who cultivate it.


SHOW NOTES

For more information about Barry Eisler, please visit barryeisler.com.


For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> S1E10 Blind Spot S1E10 Blind Spot Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT 45:24 6953352e09314afbec31bb83 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e10-blind-spot 6953352e09314afbec31bb83 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e10-blind-spot What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 9 full 1 10 THE BLURB: John's assignment in Athens comes to a head when an assassination attempt on him goes awry with tragic results. But that merely compounds the situation at home when John learns - from his 6 year old son - that his wife's been cheating on him.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: John's assignment in Athens comes to a head when an assassination attempt on him goes awry with tragic results. But that merely compounds the situation at home when John learns - from his 6 year old son - that his wife's been cheating on him.


SHOW NOTES

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]]> S1E9 The Hothead S1E9 The Hothead Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT 36:47 6951d0bf30165a956d618669 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e9-the-hothead 6951d0bf30165a956d618669 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e9-the-hothead What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 8 full 1 9 THE BLURB: The very things that made Athens a great counter-terrorism assignment also made it incredibly dangerous. John's intensive training was designed to make him paranoid. It succeeded. Not all threats were terrorism. Some were just local criminals being criminals. Still, living in Athens was mostly a joy. There was ample good food and culture. But the threat of violence was both persistent and pervasive. So was the paranoia.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: The very things that made Athens a great counter-terrorism assignment also made it incredibly dangerous. John's intensive training was designed to make him paranoid. It succeeded. Not all threats were terrorism. Some were just local criminals being criminals. Still, living in Athens was mostly a joy. There was ample good food and culture. But the threat of violence was both persistent and pervasive. So was the paranoia.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> S1E8 The James Bond Academy S1E8 The James Bond Academy Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT 42:25 6948511af7567117397d1a93 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e8-the-james-bond-academy 6948511af7567117397d1a93 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e8-the-james-bond-academy What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 7 full 1 8 THE BLURB: When John turned his back on being a deskbound analyst in favor of risking his neck out in the field, he knew he'd made the right decision. Blowing things up - including cars - and playing spy games made him incredibly happy. Who wouldn't be happy? In this episode, John takes you way behind the scenes at the CIA's "James Bond Academy" - an actual place (just not with that name) where the CIA trains its agents how to be the best spies they can be.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> THE BLURB: When John turned his back on being a deskbound analyst in favor of risking his neck out in the field, he knew he'd made the right decision. Blowing things up - including cars - and playing spy games made him incredibly happy. Who wouldn't be happy? In this episode, John takes you way behind the scenes at the CIA's "James Bond Academy" - an actual place (just not with that name) where the CIA trains its agents how to be the best spies they can be.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> S1E7 The Shadow Of Richard Welch S1E7 The Shadow Of Richard Welch Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT 33:13 6946fc7ee13e237fde179d12 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e7-the-shadow-of-richard-welch 6946fc7ee13e237fde179d12 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e7-the-shadow-of-richard-welch What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 6 full 1 7 THE BLURB: On the one hand, being assigned to handle counter-terrorism in Athens was a dream job. On the other, it had nightmarish implications and very real dangers up to and including assassination. That's what happened to a former Athens station chief, the highly regarded Richard Welch. A Greek terrorist group assassinated Welch outside his residence after he attended a Christmas party. In this episode, John comes face to face with Welch's shadow - and begins to sense something of his own future in it.



SHOW NOTES

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]]> THE BLURB: On the one hand, being assigned to handle counter-terrorism in Athens was a dream job. On the other, it had nightmarish implications and very real dangers up to and including assassination. That's what happened to a former Athens station chief, the highly regarded Richard Welch. A Greek terrorist group assassinated Welch outside his residence after he attended a Christmas party. In this episode, John comes face to face with Welch's shadow - and begins to sense something of his own future in it.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> Mini Episode 4: Grave Concerns Mini Episode 4: Grave Concerns Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT 22:00 693edf68f817d7dbe8033bd9 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/mini-episode-4-grave-concerns 693edf68f817d7dbe8033bd9 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 mini-episode-4-grave-concerns full 1 THE BLURB: Both spying and the subject of this episode - cemeteries - piqued John's youthful curiosity at roughly the same age. Spying, of course, became John's vocation. But John's love for cemeteries - especially for the people buried in them - became a very happy ridealong. Working around the world for the CIA meant visiting cemeteries around the world. In this episode, we preview "GRAVE CONCERNS", a new podcast series that we'll begin dropping in March 2026 (that's soon)! The podcast is based on a brand new book John's written - "REMAINS OF THE DAY: The Definitive Guide to the Historic Cemeteries of Washington, DC" which also will drop in March 2026. As we hope you'll agree, graveyards should have no secrets!


SHOW NOTES

In this episode, John visits The Rock Creek Cemetery in northewest Washington, DC. Among the graves he'll visit: John Harlan Marshall, Alice Longworth, Arkady Nikolayevich Shevchenko and Gore Vidal.


To pre-order "REMAINS OF THE DAY", please visit


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]]> THE BLURB: Both spying and the subject of this episode - cemeteries - piqued John's youthful curiosity at roughly the same age. Spying, of course, became John's vocation. But John's love for cemeteries - especially for the people buried in them - became a very happy ridealong. Working around the world for the CIA meant visiting cemeteries around the world. In this episode, we preview "GRAVE CONCERNS", a new podcast series that we'll begin dropping in March 2026 (that's soon)! The podcast is based on a brand new book John's written - "REMAINS OF THE DAY: The Definitive Guide to the Historic Cemeteries of Washington, DC" which also will drop in March 2026. As we hope you'll agree, graveyards should have no secrets!


SHOW NOTES

In this episode, John visits The Rock Creek Cemetery in northewest Washington, DC. Among the graves he'll visit: John Harlan Marshall, Alice Longworth, Arkady Nikolayevich Shevchenko and Gore Vidal.


To pre-order "REMAINS OF THE DAY", please visit


For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/






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]]> S1E6 A Failure Of Analysis S1E6 A Failure Of Analysis Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT 37:32 693491aceab4d846e0e4beb4 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e6-a-failure-of-analysis-athens-part-1 693491aceab4d846e0e4beb4 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e6-a-failure-of-analysis-athens-part-1 What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 5 full 1 6 THE BLURB: When his assignment to Bahrain ends, John finds himself back at CIA HQ in Langley, settling in to life as an analyst - a bored drone at a boring desk. It doesn't take long for John to hanker instead for something more satisfying: something in operations - out in the field. Something a little more dangerous...



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: When his assignment to Bahrain ends, John finds himself back at CIA HQ in Langley, settling in to life as an analyst - a bored drone at a boring desk. It doesn't take long for John to hanker instead for something more satisfying: something in operations - out in the field. Something a little more dangerous...



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Mini Episode 3: A Spy's Guide To... Sofia]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT 13:39 692c9892c4da9138ec2155e2 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/mini-episode-3-a-spys-guide-to-sofia 692c9892c4da9138ec2155e2 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 mini-episode-3-a-spys-guide-to-sofia full 1 THE BLURB: In this episode, we preview a new podcast series that we'll start dropping in Spring 2026 - "A Spy's Guide To" which will look at the great cities of the world (and the not-so-great) entirely from the perspective of spies and spying. It'll be like a travel guide for spooks. Since spies have to live in these cities (in addition to working them), we'll approach and appreciate our first city guide - to SOFIA, BULGARIA - as we will all of these cities - like a spy would. A City is a place to recruit agents, locate safe houses and begin collecting secrets.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: In this episode, we preview a new podcast series that we'll start dropping in Spring 2026 - "A Spy's Guide To" which will look at the great cities of the world (and the not-so-great) entirely from the perspective of spies and spying. It'll be like a travel guide for spooks. Since spies have to live in these cities (in addition to working them), we'll approach and appreciate our first city guide - to SOFIA, BULGARIA - as we will all of these cities - like a spy would. A City is a place to recruit agents, locate safe houses and begin collecting secrets.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[S1E5 Singin' In Bahrain]]> Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT 37:55 69224fd4e842b164ee8d9071 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e5-singin-in-bahrain 69224fd4e842b164ee8d9071 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e5-singin-in-bahrain What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 4 full 1 5 THE BLURB: At first glance Bahrain was a good starting assignment. It was a veritable paradise, a great place to learn without much pressure. The US Navy was based there. And, it was a literal paradise. Working (on the surface) for the State Department, John pissed off Bahrain's Prime Minister while charming its Emir. The days of no pressure ended with a literal bang when terrorists blew up the Khobar Tower, a building housing US Air Force personnel in nearby Saudi Arabia, plunging John into action.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: At first glance Bahrain was a good starting assignment. It was a veritable paradise, a great place to learn without much pressure. The US Navy was based there. And, it was a literal paradise. Working (on the surface) for the State Department, John pissed off Bahrain's Prime Minister while charming its Emir. The days of no pressure ended with a literal bang when terrorists blew up the Khobar Tower, a building housing US Air Force personnel in nearby Saudi Arabia, plunging John into action.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> S1E4 Good Spies, Bad Endings S1E4 Good Spies, Bad Endings Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT 42:55 691a774c1029ec1feda127b0 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e4-good-spies-bad-endings 691a774c1029ec1feda127b0 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e4-good-spies-bad-endings A Conversation About Bill Buckley full 1 4 THE BLURB: Among the things that make spies tick is fear. Fear of being caught - and then tortured and/or killed. Stories like Beirut Station Chief Bill Buckley's are what keep spies like John Kiriakou up at night. Buckley came to the CIA from the US Army where he was a highly decorated special forces officer. Once recruited by the CIA, Buckley served successfully in places like Cambodia, Egypt and Pakistan. Beirut was another story - a difficult one filled with questions.



SHOW NOTES

You can find Fred Burton and Samuel Katz's Beirut Rules here -

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31019046-beirut-rules?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wsCKRCuTSK&rank=1


For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: Among the things that make spies tick is fear. Fear of being caught - and then tortured and/or killed. Stories like Beirut Station Chief Bill Buckley's are what keep spies like John Kiriakou up at night. Buckley came to the CIA from the US Army where he was a highly decorated special forces officer. Once recruited by the CIA, Buckley served successfully in places like Cambodia, Egypt and Pakistan. Beirut was another story - a difficult one filled with questions.



SHOW NOTES

You can find Fred Burton and Samuel Katz's Beirut Rules here -

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31019046-beirut-rules?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wsCKRCuTSK&rank=1


For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Mini Episode 2: Pete Seeger, American Hero Mini Episode 2: Pete Seeger, American Hero Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT 12:07 690fe0d86d62d4e03dd49036 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/mini-episode-2-pete-seeger-american-hero 690fe0d86d62d4e03dd49036 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 mini-episode-2-pete-seeger-american-hero full 1 3.5 THE BLURB: From the time he was 5 or 6 and became aware of him, John always admired and wanted to know folk singer and activist Pete Seeger. In fact, John vowed to become friends with the legend - which, in fact, John did: he and Pete did become friends. How an event that echoed across Pete's life also echoed across John's.




SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

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]]> THE BLURB: From the time he was 5 or 6 and became aware of him, John always admired and wanted to know folk singer and activist Pete Seeger. In fact, John vowed to become friends with the legend - which, in fact, John did: he and Pete did become friends. How an event that echoed across Pete's life also echoed across John's.




SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> S1E3 Golden Boy S1E3 Golden Boy Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT 48:00 69078c0f47e14fea24c45efe true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e3-golden-boy 69078c0f47e14fea24c45efe 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e3-golden-boy What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 3 full 1 3 THE BLURB: Having been recruited into the CIA by legendary CIA officer Jerry Post - and by applying himself completely - John's CIA career took off with a bullet. If ever there was a CIA Golden Boy, John was it. That fact that he came up as a golden boy would prove ironic in the end. In this episode, John goes from briefing the President in the Oval Office to the theatre of war itself: Iraq. It's good to be a "Golden Boy". But it isn't all good.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/


You can find "Just The Photographer with David Swanson" here - https://shows.acast.com/just-the-photographer-with-david-swanson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: Having been recruited into the CIA by legendary CIA officer Jerry Post - and by applying himself completely - John's CIA career took off with a bullet. If ever there was a CIA Golden Boy, John was it. That fact that he came up as a golden boy would prove ironic in the end. In this episode, John goes from briefing the President in the Oval Office to the theatre of war itself: Iraq. It's good to be a "Golden Boy". But it isn't all good.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/


You can find "Just The Photographer with David Swanson" here - https://shows.acast.com/just-the-photographer-with-david-swanson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Mini Episode 1: Sadam's Shrink]]> Mon, 27 Oct 2025 19:48:48 GMT 7:18 68ffcca3ffe4007c05da18d8 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/mini-episode-1-sadams-shrink 68ffcca3ffe4007c05da18d8 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 mini-episode-1-sadams-shrink bonus 1 2.5 THE BLURB: Talk about getting thrown into the deep end of the pool! When Iraq and Kuwait - John's new "area of expertise" - suddenly go to war (Iraq invaded Kuwait), John unexpectedly finds himself called to the White House - where, as a 25 year old newbie - he's asked to brief President George H W Bush, Vice President Dan Quayle and the the intelligence chiefs on what Saddam will do next. That's what happens when you become the CIA's Sadam Whisperer. Or his shrink.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: Talk about getting thrown into the deep end of the pool! When Iraq and Kuwait - John's new "area of expertise" - suddenly go to war (Iraq invaded Kuwait), John unexpectedly finds himself called to the White House - where, as a 25 year old newbie - he's asked to brief President George H W Bush, Vice President Dan Quayle and the the intelligence chiefs on what Saddam will do next. That's what happens when you become the CIA's Sadam Whisperer. Or his shrink.



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> S1E2 The New Recruit S1E2 The New Recruit Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:45:05 GMT 36:25 68f68334888566c5b0104f66 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e2-the-new-recruit 68f68334888566c5b0104f66 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e2-the-new-recruit What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 2 full 1 2 THE BLURB: After a graduate class professor recruits John, he throws himself into a mystifying series of tests all seemingly designed to trip up his desire to become a spy for America. How exactly does an institution like the CIA train people to spy for it? Welcome to your first class!



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: After a graduate class professor recruits John, he throws himself into a mystifying series of tests all seemingly designed to trip up his desire to become a spy for America. How exactly does an institution like the CIA train people to spy for it? Welcome to your first class!



SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> S1E1 What Makes THIS Spy Tick S1E1 What Makes THIS Spy Tick Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:50:47 GMT 57:38 68e86481658c65a3e9ac13f8 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/what-makes-this-spy-tick 68e86481658c65a3e9ac13f8 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 what-makes-this-spy-tick What Makes THIS Spy Tick, Part 1 full 1 1 THE BLURB: John Kiriakou knew when he was 9 years old that he wanted to be a spy. Plenty of people want to be spies but only a few ever actually become spies. In E1, John tells his origin story. Where he and his family came from had a lot to do with his success as an intelligence officer working in dangerous places. From wanting to be James Bond to actually becoming something a lot like Bond. It's "How To Be A Spy, Part 1".




SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/


To listen to Just The Photographer, please visit Just The Photographer with David Swanson - Hosted by David Swanson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: John Kiriakou knew when he was 9 years old that he wanted to be a spy. Plenty of people want to be spies but only a few ever actually become spies. In E1, John tells his origin story. Where he and his family came from had a lot to do with his success as an intelligence officer working in dangerous places. From wanting to be James Bond to actually becoming something a lot like Bond. It's "How To Be A Spy, Part 1".




SHOW NOTES

For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/


To listen to Just The Photographer, please visit Just The Photographer with David Swanson - Hosted by David Swanson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> S1E0 Coming Very Soon S1E0 Coming Very Soon Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:53:26 GMT 5:54 68e6970853a5e2858f5ca021 true https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e0-coming-very-soon 68e6970853a5e2858f5ca021 68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13 s1e0-coming-very-soon What Makes A Spy Tick full 1 THE BLURB: Enjoy this brief preview of "John Kiriakou's Dead Drop: What Makes A Spy Tick" - a brand new podcast that will take you deep inside the mind of one of the best known spies in the whole world: former CIA officer John Kiriakou. You've heard former spies talk about spying, but you've never heard a spy go this deep into a spy's psyche - starting with his own.



SHOW NOTES


For more information and an even deeper dive into the show - jkdeaddrop.com






Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> THE BLURB: Enjoy this brief preview of "John Kiriakou's Dead Drop: What Makes A Spy Tick" - a brand new podcast that will take you deep inside the mind of one of the best known spies in the whole world: former CIA officer John Kiriakou. You've heard former spies talk about spying, but you've never heard a spy go this deep into a spy's psyche - starting with his own.



SHOW NOTES


For more information and an even deeper dive into the show - jkdeaddrop.com






Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>