This is above average Intelligence, a production of the DSR network.

Each week hosts Mark Polymeropolis and David Rothkoff are joined by leading experts from the

Intelligence Community for expert

analysis on the biggest security challenges around the world. Welcome to the podcast I'm Mark Polymeropolis and this is DSR's above

average intelligence show. Today I am thrilled to welcome as my guest Mr. Ben

McIntyre a writer at large for the Times in the UK for former correspondent in New York

Paris and DC and of course the best-selling author of numerous books the spy and the

trader a spy among friends double cross operation mincemeat

roque heroes which I think many people in the in the US certainly have seen a red and

then and then viewed the series on

Ben has written and presented BBC documentaries of his work and he has sold over 2 million books which I think is

1.99 million more than my book sold so I

I certainly applaud you for that. Ben really one of the most acclaimed writers of

espionage history, someone went his book on some aspect of intelligence history comes out,

practitioners like myself, I spent 26 years at CIA, we always stop and take notice.

Those of us have kind of a low tolerance for kind of the

for BS and so when Ben has this this cult following in the intelligence

community I don't know if that's a good thing or not for you but you certainly

have that but it says something very good

about your work and so uh so Ben thank you so much for coming on the show

well what a lovely introduction thank you Mark I'm delighted to be here

lovely I notice in your bio as well you're a graduate of Cambridge, St John's College, you were there I would presume for four years, correct?

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