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The AFIO Now series offers the association’s members and the public prerecorded interviews and presentations that feature intelligence experts, historians and officers from the U.S. intelligence community. Content includes historical reviews and analyses of past and current domestic and global events, career insight, intelligence related author and national security reporter interviews.
AFIO NOW videos are released first to our members. Please consider joining AFIO to have access to these videos months before they are released to the public. Already a member? Log in to your account.
Released to the publicmembers on 14 July 2025
Interview of Monday, 1 July 2025 of Norman Roule, former National Intelligence Manager, Iran, ODNI; former Division Chief, CIA Operations Officer, Chief of Station.
In this AFIO Special Edition episode Norm Roule and Jim Hughes discuss recent attacks by US and Israel on Iran. Questions covered: Imagine the Supreme Leader is meeting with his inner security circle. What are their priorities at this moment? Are they achievable? And what weapons of the regime still have at its disposal? If things were starting to come apart in Iran, what are some of the highlights that we should look for? What are some of the indicators? What does a 12 day war mean for the region? What are senior regional leaders saying both publicly and privately? Are other Gulf countries - Qatar, the Emirates, the Saudis, the Omanis, the Kuwaitis, the Gulf Cooperation Council - pleased with the attacks? They now can raise the issue that the Chinese are selling ammonium percolate to the Iranians, which the Iranians are giving to the Houthis and the Houthi. And then using against everyone in the region and the world's economy itself. Does the Iranian nuclear enrichment program still exist in any form? Will the IAEA be allowed in or does it become a bargaining chip in long, drawn out negotiations? What does a diminished Iran mean for the region? There's been a lot of talk about realignment. Is that likely to happen and what can Iran try to do to counter that?
Run time: 38 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Interview conducted by: James Hughes, AFIO President and former CIA Operations Officer, and Former NSA Associate Deputy Director of Operations.
Released to the publicmembers on 22 July 2025
Interview of Tuesday, 24 June 2025 with Mike Mears, former CIA Chief of HR, on "Intelligence Community Reform." His most recent book is Certainty: How Great Bosses Can Change Minds and Drive Innovation. The questions discussed are: "Why can't we ever seem to get IC reform right?" "What is the meaning of 'the culture of a work environment'?" "Why are bad bosses so important?
Mike Mears retired as CIA’s Chief of HR (Human Capital) and founded and headed the CIA Leadership Academy. He trains and consults on advanced leadership and management approaches for government and private sector organizations.
Run time: 34 minutes
Interview conducted by: James Hughes, AFIO President and former CIA Operations Officer, and Former NSA Associate Deputy Director of Operations.
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"AFIO Now" Interviews and Podcasts are sponsored by Northwest Financial Advisors. Read the Press Release on this new Joint Arrangement.