John Kiriakou Bad-Ass Whistleblower Spy Talks Spytrade

Broadcast 6/29/2017 at 12:15 PM EDT (41 Listens, 29 Downloads, 2282 Itunes)
The Rob Kall Bottom Up Radio Show Podcast

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John Kiriakou and Rob Kall
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John Kiriakou is a former spy and a whistleblower-- he worked for the CIA and was involved in the capture of Abu Zubaida. Then, he was a counter-terrorism consultant for ABC. He's the author of The Reluctant Spy; My Secret Life in the CIA's war on Terror, and the Convenient Terrorist: Abu Zubaydah and the Weird Wonderland of America's Secret Wars.

His newest book is Doing Time Like a Spy, How the CIA Taught me to survive and thrive in a prison.

John did time in prison for blowing the whistle on the CIA's use of torture.

Before that, he was a star in the CIA who briefed Presidents, cabinet members, foreign leaders and members of congress.

Special Operations Training Course

What are some of the basics of the training as a spy?

Surveillance, counter surveillance

What were the most valuable skills you learned-- that other non-spies could benefit from, that you used in prison

Tell us about The Farm

What did you learn from being in prison?

I suggest he contact Orange is the New Black. He replies that Piper Kerman and he email back and forth and she's a big supporter.

This book started as articles-- a series-- Letters From Lorretto. I'm surprised you were allowed to write and be published while you were in prison. Can any prisoner do that? Give advice to prisoners who want to write

You talk in the book, Doing Time Like A Spy, about rules. What are the rules?

One is --if stability is not to your benefit, chaos is your friend."

Another-- don't trust anybody

Another: don't admit to anything

The book presents what you learned to thrive in prison.

What did you learn in prison that people can use in their lives?

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