S9 Ep20: Espresso Martini | January 6 Pardons, Syria’s Crossroads, and the CIA’s Secret Partner

Chris and Matt break down Trump’s sweeping pardons for January
6th rioters, including violent offenders, and what it means for
the rule of law and rising political violence in the US Then, the
collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has Syria at a
crossroads—will it descend into chaos or find a path to
stability? Plus, they explore Marc Polymeropoulos’ insights on
opportunities for the US in Syria, along with the roles of Iran,
Russia, and Turkey. Finally, how the CIA and Ukrainian
intelligence quietly forged one of America’s most valuable
partnerships.

Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/n3SCep-l9Y0

You can listen to our final episode of Extra Shot
here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/extra-shot-video-120721511

Articles discussed in today’s episode

"Trump pardons upend massive Jan. 6 prosecution by freeing
rioters and dismissing cases" by Richer, Kunzelman & Khalil |
AP News:
https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-pardons-jan-6-f6e23bcd84eaed672318c88f05286767


"Trump's imminent pardons will green-light another wave of
far-right violence" by David Neiwert | The Spyhop:
https://davidneiwert.substack.com/p/trumps-imminent-pardons-will-green


"Syria’s New Era & Its Opportunities for the US" by Marc
Polymeropoulos | New Lines Magazine:
https://newlinesmag.com/argument/syrias-new-era-and-its-opportunities-for-the-us/


"The Syria Fiasco As Seen From Moscow" by Sergei Melkonian |
Carnegie Endowment Diwan:
https://carnegieendowment.org/middle-east/diwan/2024/12/the-syria-fiasco-as-seen-from-moscow


"How the CIA and Ukrainian intelligence secretly forged a deep
partnership" by Patrick Reevell | ABC News:
https://abcnews.go.com/International/cia-helped-rebuild-ukraine-intelligence-russia-invasion/story?id=116909361


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Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence,
covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a
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Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events
through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring
expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts.