Podcast appearances and mentions of Seth G Jones

“The stark reality is that the Russians really aren't doing well on the battlefield, and their economy is also in pretty tough shape.” CSIS experts examined several indicators of Russia's battlefield performance and found that it has been performing poorly since January 2024. Russia's rate of advance on some fronts has been as slow as just 50 meters per day—the slowest rate since World War II. It has also only seized around 5,000 square kilometers, less than 1 percent of Ukrainian territory, over the same time period. Russia is also losing equipment at a significantly higher rate than Ukraine, and is nearing the 1 million casualty mark by summer 2025, including 250,000 fatalities—more than five times the number of fatalities in all Russian and Soviet wars between World War II and January 2022. Seth G. Jones, director of the CSIS Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair, joins the podcast to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine and break down the data on Russia's battlefield performance, which is included in an upcoming CSIS report.

The conflict in Ukraine has revealed what conventional war looks like in this day and age. It has also made clear just how extensively the US defense industrial base has atrophied in the post-Cold War era. We are struggling to keep pace with arming Ukraine, even when drawing from stockpiles that have not been replenished since Reagan's buildup in the 1980s. We are failing to put in place today contracts that will produce critical munitions by 2026 and beyond, but the reality is that the entire system is so broken (from the supply chain, to research vs. procurement imbalances, to budget hurdles) that American leadership in future great power conflict is a question mark, not a given. What does this mean looking ahead? Our guest ran over a half dozen war games to simulate what a US conflict with China over Taiwan would look like; he discovered that we will run out of some of our most advanced precision weapons in less than a week. This should be a wake-up call – why are we seeing sobering lessons from Ukraine but failing to learn them?Seth G. Jones is senior vice president, Harold Brown Chair, director of the International Security Program, and director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Jones was the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. He also served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Before that, he was a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan).Download the transcript here.

Today we're traveling back to the 1970s with Blackkklansman! Join us as we learn about the real Ron Stallworth, women in the KKK, whether or not Flip Zimmerman was a real guy, and more! Sources: Ron Stallworth, Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018) Johnny Brayson, "Here's The Real Story Behind Adam Driver's 'BlacKkKlansman' Character," Bustle (9 August 2018). https://www.bustle.com/p/where-is-flip-zimmerman-in-2018-the-blackkklansman-character-played-a-key-role-in-a-wild-true-story-10015280   Chuck Arnold, "Meet the real detective behind 'BlacKkKlansman'" New York Post (9 August 2018). https://nypost.com/2018/08/09/meet-the-real-detective-behind-blackkklansman/   VIBE Magazine, "Spike Lee Explains How BlacKkKlansman Was Made | VIBE" YouTube (7 August 2018).  https://youtu.be/pKRslSc-wNw  CBS Mornings, "Spike Lee, real-life Ron Stallworth talk new film "BlacKkKlansman"" YouTube (10 August 2018). https://youtu.be/BkkTLULVMCo   SAG-AFTRA Foundation, "Conversation with BLACKKKLANSMAN," YouTube (12 Novermber 2018). https://youtu.be/XslaWRgKoFE   Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blackkklansman  Mark Kermode, "BlacKkKlansman review - a blistering return to form for Spike Lee," The Guardian (26 August 2018). https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/26/blackkklansman-review-spike-lee-blistering-return-to-form  A.O. Scott, "Review: Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman' Journeys Into White America's Heart of Darkness," The New York TImes (9 August 2018). https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/movies/blackkklansman-review-spike-lee.html   Richard Brody, ""BlacKkKlansman," Reviewed: Smike Lee's Vision of Resistance to White Supremacy," The New Yorker (10 August 2018). https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/blackkklansman-reviewed-spike-lees-vision-of-resistance-to-white-supremacy  Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlacKkKlansman  "'Free the Pendleton 14' podcast shines new light on issue of white supremacy among active duty military," AirTalk KPCC. https://www.kpcc.org/programs/airtalk/2019/01/24/64114/free-the-pendleton-14-podcast-shines-new-light-on/  Lois Beckett, "How the US military has failed to address white supremacy in its ranks," The Guardian (24 June 2020). https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/24/us-military-white-supremacy-extremist-plot  Seth G. Jones, Catrina Doxsee, Grace Hwang, and Jared Thompson, "The Military, Police, and the Rise of Terrorism in the United States," Center for Strategic & International Studies (12 April 2021). https://www.csis.org/analysis/military-police-and-rise-terrorism-united-states  Kathleen Belew, "The White Power Movement at War on Democracy," HFG Research and Policy in Brief (January 2021). https://www.hfg.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/WhitePowerVersusDemocracy.pdf  Kathleen Belew, "There Are No Lone Wolves: The White Power Movement at War," in A Field Guide to White Supremacy, 312-24 (University of California Press, 2021). https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1xbc21c.26  Kathleen Belew, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America (Harvard University Press, 2018). https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv24w659z.6  Kathleen Blee, "Women in the 1920s Ku Klux Klan Movement," Feminist Studies 17, 1 (1991) Kathleen Blee, "Becoming a Racist: Women in Contemporary Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazi Groups," Gender and Society 10, 6 (1996) William F. Pinar, "White Women in the Ku Klux Klan," Counterpoints 163 (2001)

NOTE: This is the last week of The Realignment's daily Ukraine programming. For Day 22 of The Realignment's Daily Ukraine coverage, Marshall spoke with Dr. Seth G. Jones, author of Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran and the Rise of Irregular Warfare and Senior VP and Director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. They discussed how the conventional military strength of great powers such as the United States and Russia are increasingly challenged by irregular warfare approaches: cyber attacks, the use of proxy forces, propaganda, espionage, and disinformation. While Three Dangerous Men focused on how China, Iran, and Russia favored irregular warfare to challenge the United States, the Ukraine war has demonstrated that irregular warfare presents a serious challenge to any nation's ambitions. SEND US A TIP: https://app.swapstack.co/tips/the-realignment REALIGNMENT NEWSLETTER: https://therealignment.substack.com/ BOOKSHOP: https://bookshop.org/shop/therealignment

This is an encore presentation. In the waning days of 1981, the Polish government, run by a Kremlin-backed prime minster, declared martial law in the country. An early test of a new administration, President Reagan wrote in his diary that this test would signify “the last chance in our lifetime to see a change in the Soviet Empire’s colonial policy regarding Eastern Europe.”

About the Book In Three Dangerous Men, defense expert Seth Jones argues that the US is woefully unprepared for the future of global competition. While America has focused on building fighter jets, missiles, and conventional warfighting capabilities, its three principal rivals—Russia, Iran, and China—have increasingly adopted irregular warfare: cyber attacks, the use of proxy forces, propaganda, espionage, and disinformation to undermine American power. About Seth Jones Seth G. Jones is senior vice president, Harold Brown Chair, director of the International Security Program, and director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He leads a bipartisan team of over 50 resident staff and an extensive network of non-resident affiliates dedicated to providing independent strategic insights and policy solutions that shape national security. He also teaches at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Moderated by Steve Coll Dean Steve Coll is a staff writer at The New Yorker, the author of eight books of nonfiction, and a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Coll is the author of Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, From the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 published in 2004, for which he received an Overseas Press Club Award and a Pulitzer Prize. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

The future of warfare isn't fighter planes and guns – it's cyberattacks and disinformation. Seth G. Jones is director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and he joins guest host John McCaa to talk about American adversaries who are changing the game when it comes to international conflict. His book is called “Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran and the Rise of Irregular Warfare.”

This is an encore presentation, originally broadcast in November, 2019.

"Terrorism has now become much more than religious Jihadist groups. We now see far right, far left, we certainly see ethno-nationalists...it's a broad concept now." On this special episode on the 19th anniversary of the attacks of September 11th, 2001, counter-terrorism expert Seth Jones joins the podcast for a look at the time leading up to 9/11 and what happened in the aftermath, both immediately and gradually. Where did Osama bin Laden come from? Was he the perfect leader to emerge at just the right time to bring Al Qaeda the worldwide infamy it achieved? How did we wake up altered as a nation on September 12th, 2001? Seth Jones and Daniel also take a look at how terrorism itself has evolved in the past nineteen years. Besides the obvious --the rise of social media and its dominance in communication--what else has fundamentally changed? Where are we headed this fall? Seth G. Jones holds the Harold Brown Chair, is director of the Transnational Threats Project, and is a senior adviser to the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He teaches at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Jones was the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. He also served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Before that, he was a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan). In 2014, Dr. Jones served on a congressionally mandated panel that reviewed the FBI’s implementation of counterterrorism recommendations contained in the 9/11 Commission Report. Dr. Jones specializes in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, unconventional warfare, and covert action, including a focus on al Qaeda and ISIS. He is the author of A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland, Waging Insurgent Warfare, Hunting in the Shadows: The Pursuit of al Qa'ida after 9/11, and In the Graveyard of Empires: America’s War in Afghanistan. Dr. Jones has published articles in a range of journals, such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and International Security, as well as newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. Dr. Jones is a graduate of Bowdoin College and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

More than four months after the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement to start a peace process, meaningful steps toward an intra-Afghan peace deal have yet to take place. With multiple hurdles to successful talks, including questions about the Taliban’s interest in a deal and about the future makeup of the Afghan state, there remains a real risk of the peace process stalling or collapsing entirely. Our speakers, Seth G. Jones, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Laurel Miller, International Crisis Group, discuss a recent Contingency Planning Memorandum on the possibility of a failed Afghan peace deal and what U.S. policymakers can do to prevent it.

About the book: The dramatic, untold story of one of the CIA's most successful Cold War intelligence operations. December, 1981—the CIA receives word that the Polish government has cut telephone communications with the West and closed the Polish border. The agency's leaders quickly inform President Ronald Reagan, who is enjoying a serene weekend at Camp David. Within hours, Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski has appeared on Polish national television to announce the establishment of martial law. A new era in Cold War politics has begun: Washington and Moscow are on a collision course. In this gripping narrative history, Seth G. Jones reveals the little-known story of the CIA's subsequent operations in Poland, which produced a landmark victory for democracy during the Cold War. While the Soviet-backed Polish government worked to crush a budding liberal opposition movement, the CIA began a sophisticated intelligence campaign, code-named QRHELPFUL, that supported dissident groups. The most powerful of these groups was Solidarity, a trade union that swelled to a membership of ten million and became one of the first legitimate anti-Communist opposition movements in Eastern Europe. With President Reagan's support, the CIA provided money that helped Solidarity print newspapers, broadcast radio programs, and conduct a wide-ranging information warfare campaign against the Soviet-backed government. QRHELPFUL proved vital in establishing a free and democratic Poland. Long overlooked by CIA historians and Reagan biographers, the story of QRHELPFUL features an extraordinary cast of characters—including spymaster Bill Casey, CIA officer Richard Malzahn, Polish-speaking CIA case officer Celia Larkin, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and Pope John Paul II. Based on in-depth interviews and recently declassified evidence, A Covert Action celebrates a decisive victory over tyranny for U.S. intelligence behind the Iron Curtain, one that prefigured the Soviet collapse. About the speaker: Seth G. Jones holds the Harold Brown Chair, is director of the Transnational Threats Project, and is a senior adviser to the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He teaches at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Jones was the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. He also served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Before that, he was a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan). In 2014, Dr. Jones served on a congressionally mandated panel that reviewed the FBI's implementation of counterterrorism recommendations contained in the 9/11 Commission Report. Dr. Jones specializes in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, unconventional warfare, and covert action, including a focus on al Qaeda and ISIS. He is the author of A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland (W.W. Norton, 2018), Waging Insurgent Warfare (Oxford University Press, 2016), Hunting in the Shadows: The Pursuit of al Qa'ida after 9/11 (W.W. Norton, 2012), and In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan (W.W. Norton, 2009). Dr. Jones has published articles in a range of journals, such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and International Security, as well as newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. Dr. Jones is a graduate of Bowdoin College and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

In this episode, Bob and Andrew invite CSIS’s Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair, director of the Transnational Threats Project, and senior adviser to the International Security Program. They discuss the latest news about the Ukrainian aircraft that was shot down by Iranians, as well as President Trump’s address to the nation, and Iran’s vulnerabilities. This episode was recorded on January 9th at 2pm, prior to The House of Representatives approving a war powers resolution that would prevent President Trump from taking military action against Iran without congressional consent.

On our latest episode of The World Affairs Report, host Angélica Ocampo is joined by Seth G. Jones, director of the Transnational Threats Project. Dr. Jones explains the impact of the U.S. “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, its effectiveness, and what the implications are for both countries and for the rest of the world. As ... Read More

What is the current status of ISIS worldwide? Some European countries have cancelled ISIS-travelers’ citizenship and refuse to repatriate fighters for prosecution. Terror trials in Western judicial systems face formidable procedural and evidentiary hurdles. With prison camps in Syria at risk there are concerns over the security of detainees. While organized ISIS receded as an imminent threat there are signs of resurgence. Evaluating the present status of ISIS and its affiliates before ISIS restructures is imperative, for both European countries, and the United States. Featuring: -- Seamus Hughes, Deputy Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University-- Dr. Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)-- Robin Simcox, Margaret Thatcher Fellow, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation-- Moderator: Christopher K. Harnisch, Deputy Coordinator for Countering Violent Extremism, United States Department of State

What is the current status of ISIS worldwide? Some European countries have cancelled ISIS-travelers’ citizenship and refuse to repatriate fighters for prosecution. Terror trials in Western judicial systems face formidable procedural and evidentiary hurdles. With prison camps in Syria at risk there are concerns over the security of detainees. While organized ISIS receded as an imminent threat there are signs of resurgence. Evaluating the present status of ISIS and its affiliates before ISIS restructures is imperative, for both European countries, and the United States. Featuring: -- Seamus Hughes, Deputy Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University-- Dr. Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)-- Robin Simcox, Margaret Thatcher Fellow, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation-- Moderator: Christopher K. Harnisch, Deputy Coordinator for Countering Violent Extremism, United States Department of State

In his book, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland, Dr. Seth Jones examines the Reagan administration’s efforts during the Cold War to aid Poland’s Solidarity movement. Reagan used the CIA to support underground operations in Poland like printing leaflets, producing radio and television broadcasts, and coordinating public demonstrations. After extensive research, including review of recently declassified documents, Jones details the success of CIA’s covert activities including the emphasis on leaving no identifiable indicators of U.S. involvement. Dr. Michael Ledeen served in the Reagan administration and is an analyst and commentator on the Iranian peoples’ efforts to achieve a democratic system of government. Ledeen will interview Dr. Jones about the findings of his book and will inquire as to what comparisons may exist between the Polish Solidarity movement and the Iranian peoples’ struggle for freedom. Featuring: Dr. Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and author, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in PolandDr. Michael Ledeen, Freedom Scholar, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

In his book, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland, Dr. Seth Jones examines the Reagan administration’s efforts during the Cold War to aid Poland’s Solidarity movement. Reagan used the CIA to support underground operations in Poland like printing leaflets, producing radio and television broadcasts, and coordinating public demonstrations. After extensive research, including review of recently declassified documents, Jones details the success of CIA’s covert activities including the emphasis on leaving no identifiable indicators of U.S. involvement. Dr. Michael Ledeen served in the Reagan administration and is an analyst and commentator on the Iranian peoples’ efforts to achieve a democratic system of government. Ledeen will interview Dr. Jones about the findings of his book and will inquire as to what comparisons may exist between the Polish Solidarity movement and the Iranian peoples’ struggle for freedom. Featuring: Dr. Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and author, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in PolandDr. Michael Ledeen, Freedom Scholar, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

Join Muriel Domenach, Secretary General of the French government's Inter-ministerial Committee for the Prevention of Delinquency and Radicalization (CIPDR), as she discusses France's ongoing efforts to counter radicalization and violent extremism. "Prevent to Protect," the plan released by CIPDR in February 2018, offered 60 measures to refocus France's policy of prevention around five key themes: After Ms. Domenach's remarks, Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair and Director of the CSIS Transnational Threats Project, will host a moderated armchair discussion comparing and contrasting the French and American perspectives on the issues of returning foreign fighters, counter-narrative efforts, and building community resilience. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Join Muriel Domenach, Secretary General of the French government's Inter-ministerial Committee for the Prevention of Delinquency and Radicalization (CIPDR), as she discusses France's ongoing efforts to counter radicalization and violent extremism. "Prevent to Protect," the plan released by CIPDR in February 2018, offered 60 measures to refocus France's policy of prevention around five key themes: After Ms. Domenach's remarks, Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair and Director of the CSIS Transnational Threats Project, will host a moderated armchair discussion comparing and contrasting the French and American perspectives on the issues of returning foreign fighters, counter-narrative efforts, and building community resilience.This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

In this episode, as we approach the anniversary of the War of Independence, I take a look at modern research into what factors lead to insurgent campaigns. Using this research we can examine the years leading up to the War of Independence and see how and why events like the Home Rule Crisis affected the out break of violence. Seth G. Jones - "Waging Insurgent Warfare": https://amzn.to/2Ot7KwA Peter Hart - "The I.R.A. at War 1916 - 1923": https://amzn.to/2J0lf0I twitter.com/theirishnation

CSIS Transnational Threats Project cordially invites you to a book launch event for Director Seth G. Jones' newly released A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle In Poland. (W. W. Norton & Company)   Moderated by Kathleen H. Hicks Senior Vice President; Henry A. Kissinger Chair; Director, International Security Program   With Seth G. Jones Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program   December, 1981—the CIA receives word that the Polish government has cut telephone communications with the West and closed the Polish border. The agency's leaders quickly inform President Ronald Reagan, who is enjoying a serene weekend at Camp David. Within hours, Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski has appeared on Polish national television to announce the establishment of martial law. A new era in Cold War politics has begun: Washington and Moscow are on a collision course. In this gripping narrative history, Seth G. Jones reveals the little-known story of the CIA's subsequent operations in Poland, which produced a landmark victory for democracy during the Cold War. While the Soviet-backed Polish government worked to crush a budding liberal opposition movement, the CIA began a sophisticated intelligence campaign, code-named QRHELPFUL, that supported dissident groups. The most powerful of these groups was Solidarity, a trade union that swelled to a membership of ten million and became one of the first legitimate anti-Communist opposition movements in Eastern Europe. With President Reagan's support, the CIA provided money that helped Solidarity print newspapers, broadcast radio programs, and conduct a wide-ranging information warfare campaign against the Soviet-backed government. QRHELPFUL proved vital in establishing a free and democratic Poland. Long overlooked by CIA historians and Reagan biographers, the story of QRHELPFUL features an extraordinary cast of characters—including spymaster Bill Casey, CIA officer Richard Malzahn, Polish-speaking CIA case officer Celia Larkin, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and Pope John Paul II. Based on in-depth interviews and recently declassified evidence, A Covert Action celebrates a decisive victory over tyranny for U.S. intelligence behind the Iron Curtain, one that prefigured the Soviet collapse. This event was made possible through support from CSIS.

CSIS Transnational Threats Project cordially invites you to a book launch event for Director Seth G. Jones’ newly released A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle In Poland. (W. W. Norton & Company)  Moderated byKathleen H. Hicks Senior Vice President; Henry A. Kissinger Chair; Director, International Security Program  WithSeth G. Jones Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program   December, 1981—the CIA receives word that the Polish government has cut telephone communications with the West and closed the Polish border. The agency’s leaders quickly inform President Ronald Reagan, who is enjoying a serene weekend at Camp David. Within hours, Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski has appeared on Polish national television to announce the establishment of martial law. A new era in Cold War politics has begun: Washington and Moscow are on a collision course. In this gripping narrative history, Seth G. Jones reveals the little-known story of the CIA’s subsequent operations in Poland, which produced a landmark victory for democracy during the Cold War. While the Soviet-backed Polish government worked to crush a budding liberal opposition movement, the CIA began a sophisticated intelligence campaign, code-named QRHELPFUL, that supported dissident groups. The most powerful of these groups was Solidarity, a trade union that swelled to a membership of ten million and became one of the first legitimate anti-Communist opposition movements in Eastern Europe. With President Reagan’s support, the CIA provided money that helped Solidarity print newspapers, broadcast radio programs, and conduct a wide-ranging information warfare campaign against the Soviet-backed government. QRHELPFUL proved vital in establishing a free and democratic Poland. Long overlooked by CIA historians and Reagan biographers, the story of QRHELPFUL features an extraordinary cast of characters—including spymaster Bill Casey, CIA officer Richard Malzahn, Polish-speaking CIA case officer Celia Larkin, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and Pope John Paul II. Based on in-depth interviews and recently declassified evidence, A Covert Action celebrates a decisive victory over tyranny for U.S. intelligence behind the Iron Curtain, one that prefigured the Soviet collapse.This event was made possible through support from CSIS.

CSIS Transnational Threats Project cordially invites you to a book launch event for Director Seth G. Jones’ newly released A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle In Poland. (W. W. Norton & Company)  Moderated byKathleen H. Hicks Senior Vice President; Henry A. Kissinger Chair; Director, International Security Program  WithSeth G. Jones Harold Brown Chair; Director, Transnational Threats Project; and Senior Adviser, International Security Program   December, 1981—the CIA receives word that the Polish government has cut telephone communications with the West and closed the Polish border. The agency’s leaders quickly inform President Ronald Reagan, who is enjoying a serene weekend at Camp David. Within hours, Prime Minister Wojciech Jaruzelski has appeared on Polish national television to announce the establishment of martial law. A new era in Cold War politics has begun: Washington and Moscow are on a collision course. In this gripping narrative history, Seth G. Jones reveals the little-known story of the CIA’s subsequent operations in Poland, which produced a landmark victory for democracy during the Cold War. While the Soviet-backed Polish government worked to crush a budding liberal opposition movement, the CIA began a sophisticated intelligence campaign, code-named QRHELPFUL, that supported dissident groups. The most powerful of these groups was Solidarity, a trade union that swelled to a membership of ten million and became one of the first legitimate anti-Communist opposition movements in Eastern Europe. With President Reagan’s support, the CIA provided money that helped Solidarity print newspapers, broadcast radio programs, and conduct a wide-ranging information warfare campaign against the Soviet-backed government. QRHELPFUL proved vital in establishing a free and democratic Poland. Long overlooked by CIA historians and Reagan biographers, the story of QRHELPFUL features an extraordinary cast of characters—including spymaster Bill Casey, CIA officer Richard Malzahn, Polish-speaking CIA case officer Celia Larkin, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and Pope John Paul II. Based on in-depth interviews and recently declassified evidence, A Covert Action celebrates a decisive victory over tyranny for U.S. intelligence behind the Iron Curtain, one that prefigured the Soviet collapse.This event was made possible through support from CSIS.

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Seth G. Jones, director of the Transnational Threats Project and a senior adviser to the International Security Program at CSIS, to discuss Seth’s forthcoming book, A Covert Action: Reagan, the CIA, and the Cold War Struggle in Poland, and the legacy of Cold War political warfare. You can view Seth’s bio and recent publications, here: https://www.csis.org/people/seth-g-jones. We encourage you to pre-order his book, here: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=4294995524. As always, keep sending us mailbag questions! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

Join Andrew Colvin, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), as he discusses the implications of destabilization in fragile and failed states for combatting transnational terrorism and organized crime in the West. After Commissioner Colvin’s remarks, Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair and Director of the CSIS Transnational Threats Project, will host a moderated armchair discussion. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

The McCain Institute hosts “Afghanistan 2014: Should We Stay or Should We Go?” The debate features Fred Kagan, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; Seth G. Jones, Associate Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation; Steve Clemons, Washington Editor-at-Large for The Atlantic; and Ken Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. Fox New’s Jenna Lee moderates. This event originally took place on February 28th, 2013 in Washington, DC.

The McCain Institute hosts “Afghanistan 2014: Should We Stay or Should We Go?” The debate features Fred Kagan, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; Seth G. Jones, Associate Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation; Steve Clemons, Washington Editor-at-Large for The Atlantic; and Ken Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. Fox New’s Jenna Lee moderates. This event originally took place on February 28th, 2013 in Washington, DC.