Ex-CIA Officer Says Israel Top Espionage Threat to US, Ahead of China and Russia
"One of the first days once you're in there and have your job, whatever it may be, they take you to a room, you're not allowed to say what it's called, but call it the Red Room. They're like, here are the number one espionage threats, and it's like Israel, China, and Russia."
About this episode
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou joined host Jon for a wide-ranging conversation that moved from Middle East geopolitics to organized crime history and unconventional cemetery research. The episode's most significant revelation came when Kiriakou stated he believes Israel seriously intended to use nuclear weapons against Iran, and that US bombing of Iranian facilities in June was designed to prevent Israeli nuclear escalation. He argued this has now pushed Iran toward developing its own nuclear deterrent, fundamentally altering regional security dynamics. Kiriakou confirmed that CIA officers are briefed from day one that Israel ranks as the top espionage threat to the United States, ahead of China and Russia, citing the Jonathan Pollard case and criticizing Pollard's hero treatment in Israel. The conversation expanded to nuclear proliferation concerns, with Kiriakou expressing serious worry that tactical nuclear weapons could be used in Israel-Iran or India-Pakistan conflicts, arguing the Cold War doctrine of mutually assured destruction has eroded. In lighter segments, Kiriakou discussed his forthcoming book on mafia graves of New York City, revealing a prison connection to the murder of Bonanno family associate Gennaro Bonventre, who was sawed in half and stored in glue. He also detailed aggressive French intelligence tactics, including claims they kill Greenpeace activists and once destroyed his colleague's laptop with a railroad spike at De Gaulle Airport. The episode touched on Christian Zionism, Israeli politics, the manipulation of public discourse around Israel-Palestine, and Greek Orthodox death rituals involving bone boxes in ossuaries.
Key takeaways
- Kiriakou claimed Israel seriously intended nuclear strikes on Iran and US bombed Iranian facilities in June to prevent Israeli escalation.
- Former CIA officer confirmed Israel ranks as top espionage threat to US in classified briefings, ahead of China and Russia.
- Kiriakou warned nuclear weapon use increasingly likely in India-Pakistan or Israel-Iran conflicts as Cold War deterrence doctrines erode.
- French intelligence services kill Greenpeace activists who interfere with French vessels, according to Kiriakou's firsthand accounts.
- Netanyahu's government survived with only 27% vote support and nearly faced overthrow five weeks before October 7th attacks.
- Kiriakou connected prison conversation with mobster to Gennaro Bonventre murder, body sawed in half and preserved in glue barrel.
- Discussion covered Christian Zionism destroying Palestinian Christian communities and propaganda campaigns by multiple foreign governments targeting Americans.