Brent Giannotta is an American author and political commentator. Inspired by 9/11, he learned Arabic and began working as a CIA analyst focused on antiterrorism in the Middle East. This two part discussion investigates the role of the United States overseas, the current state of the American Dream domestically, and the similar psychological profiles of mass shooters in the United States and jihadists in Europe and the Mid East.
In the first segment of this two-part episode, Thomas learns about Brent’s path to learning Arabic, joining the CIA, the CIA’s efforts in Syria and Lebanon in the mid 2010’s, and President Trump’s foreign policy legacy.
Timestamps:
3:00 – Intro and Brent’s path to middle east studies; adjusting to life in Cairo
11:00 – Language Learning & Arabic
22:00 – The United States’ self-appointed role as global watchdog
25:00 – Mechanics of what a CIA analyst does on the ground overseas
30:00 – Where can someone learn about US foreign policy?
35:00 – President Trump’s Foreign Affairs Legacy