Straight from the Shoulder
How might someone who worked at the CIA view what’s happening around the world? What can we learn about politics and risk from the intelligence vantage point- past and present? Straight from the Shoulder strives to analyze geopolitical events through the apolitical lens of intelligence officers. The podcast features commentary by Jack Devine, former Acting Deputy Director of Operations at the CIA and President of The Arkin Group in conversation with Julia Stone, former government Intelligence Analyst and Managing Director at The Arkin Group. Listeners can expect non-partisan and lively discussions that seek to cut through the noise and bring clarity to the most pressing global issues we face today.
Podcasting since 2023 • 15 episodes
Straight from the Shoulder
Latest Episodes
Striking at the Status Quo
The Trump administration has been building up an immense U.S. military presence in the Caribbean and steadily ramping-up attacks on alleged narco-trafficking vessels. But do these strikes aim to tackle the drug trade or to dismantle the Venezue...
•
10:34
An Intelligence Approach to AI
With partisan-laden media takes and AI slop now flooding the internet, it's more difficult than ever to know what to believe. But time-tested frameworks used by intelligence officers can offer some guidance. On this episode of Straight from the...
•
11:38
Downsizing Up
This week, Jack and Julia unpack the latest U.S. government shutdown and the difference between "essential" and "non-essential" governance functions. How have these definitions evolved, what's the right size for our current government, and are ...
•
15:30
Down with the Ship: Evolving US Counternarcotics Policy
Tensions are erupting between the United States and Venezuela, and in the first few weeks of September alone, the US military conducted multiple deadly strikes on narcotrafficking-linked boats off the Venezuelan coast. But questions abound pert...
•
12:19