4. The Rise and Fall of Assad's Spy State

What will western and Syrian spy services be focusing on following the fall of Bashar al-Assad? Is Russia and Iran’s withdrawal from Syria similar to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan? Were the security services predicting that the Assad regime would collapse so quickly? Join David McCloskey and Gordon Corera as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode of The Rest Is Classified. For further reading, check out David and Gordon’s recommended profiles below: Razan Saffour - @RazanSpeaks Aaron Zelin - @azelin Leila Al-Shami - @LeilaShami Charles Lister - @Charles_Lister Synaps Network - @SynapsNetwork Kim Ghattas - @KimGhattas Emma Beals - @ejbeals Steve Heydemann - @SHeydemann Rim Turkmani - @Rim_Turkmani Lina Ghoutouk - @linaagho Sednaya Missing - @sednayamissing Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! Email: classified@goalhanger.com Twitter: @triclassified Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Callum Hill Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations.  Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events.  From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.