Annie Jacobsen

And then he defects to the West and he writes these books. And he tells lots of incredible secrets about the Russian assassination programs and their poison labs. And they're really, really, really interesting. And so to answer that question, I mean, to my eye, of course, I don't know, but it certainly looks like Russia is acting in the same vein that it has always acted.

Taking care of dissidents that go against Mother Russia.

Taking care of dissidents that go against Mother Russia.

Taking care of dissidents that go against Mother Russia.

Mm-hmm. I mean, my feeling on that is always that there's a thread somewhere in declassified documentation about these programs of America working to maintain a semblance of democratic ideals, however surprising that may be, right? In other words, always trying to

Mm-hmm. I mean, my feeling on that is always that there's a thread somewhere in declassified documentation about these programs of America working to maintain a semblance of democratic ideals, however surprising that may be, right? In other words, always trying to

Mm-hmm. I mean, my feeling on that is always that there's a thread somewhere in declassified documentation about these programs of America working to maintain a semblance of democratic ideals, however surprising that may be, right? In other words, always trying to

I don't want to say fight fair because, you know, killing people isn't fair, but versus a certain ruthlessness, a real sinister totalitarian type ruthlessness, certainly from Soviet Russia. I'm far less familiar with modern day Russian assassination activities, although we certainly know on the record that they exist. Some people have done great reporting on that.

I don't want to say fight fair because, you know, killing people isn't fair, but versus a certain ruthlessness, a real sinister totalitarian type ruthlessness, certainly from Soviet Russia. I'm far less familiar with modern day Russian assassination activities, although we certainly know on the record that they exist. Some people have done great reporting on that.

I don't want to say fight fair because, you know, killing people isn't fair, but versus a certain ruthlessness, a real sinister totalitarian type ruthlessness, certainly from Soviet Russia. I'm far less familiar with modern day Russian assassination activities, although we certainly know on the record that they exist. Some people have done great reporting on that.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

But there seems to be a kind of almost sadism about the Russian programs that I personally have not seen in the American programs.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

If you'd asked me five years ago, I would have a very different answer, right? Because, all right, first of all, you can't, they're looking for a needle in the haystack. They're looking for the bin Laden and they can't find the needle in the haystack, but they continue to create the haystack and survey the haystack. So, right? Okay.

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

So, but the real problem, what has happened, and I write about this in my book, First Platoon, which is about a group of young soldiers who goes to Afghanistan. and unwittingly becomes part of the Defense Department's efforts to capture biometrics on 85% of the population of Afghanistan, okay? Which, by the way, China then emulated in their own biometric surveillance program, right?

And I think this is a terrible idea. But what has happened, these biometric systems that have been created, and biometrics are, of course, fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans that allow you to tag, track, and locate people. And what has happened in the five years since this question was first on everybody's minds about NSA surveillance is that the civilian sector companies