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SpyTalk, a podcast at the intersection of intelligence,

foreign policy, national security, and military operations

with Jeff Stein and Jean Miserve.

Welcome to a special edition of the SpyTalk podcast.

I'm Jeff Stein.

My guest today is Mark Polymeropoulos,

a 28-year veteran of the CIA's clandestine services directorate.

Much of Mark's career was spent in the Middle East

where he not only conducted highly classified counter-terror missions

but cultivated close relationships over the years

with princes, kings, prime ministers,

and tribal leaders across the region.

Those relationships are key to helping the US successfully navigate

between the dangerous souls of Middle East politics.

Alas, he says, the CIA no longer prizes such regional expertise

opting instead for developing generalists among its spy corps,

skilled operators who can be, and are,

...