CIA Officer in Charge of Taking Down the AQ Khan Network | James Lawler | Ep. 125

Mr. Lawler serves as a national security consultant and is the Senior
Partner at MDO Group, which provides HUMINT training to the Intelligence
Community and the commercial sector focused on WMD, CI, technical and cyber
issues. Mr. Lawler is a noted speaker on the Insider Threat in government and
industry. Prior to this, Mr. Lawler served for 25 years as a CIA operations officer
in various international posts and as Chief of the Counterproliferation Division
Special Activities Unit. His overseas assignments include Bern (1982-1985),
Paris (1985-1989), Oslo (1989-1991), and Zurich (1991-1994).
Mr. Lawler was a member of CIA Senior Intelligence Service (SIS-
3) from 1998 until his retirement in 2005. He was a specialist in the recruitment
of foreign spies, and he spent well over half of his CIA career battling the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. As Chief of the A.Q. Khan Nuclear
Takedown Team, which resulted in the disruption of the most dangerous nuclear
weapons network in history, Mr. Lawler was the recipient of one of the Trailblazer Awards in 2007, marking the 60 th anniversary of CIA. In 2004, former
DCI George Tenet sent Mr. Lawler a note which stated, “Jim, what you and your
team have achieved will rank up there as one of the most spectacular intelligence
accomplishments in the history of the CIA. It occurred because of your exemplary
leadership. Not only are we in the process of taking down a network, we are also
in the process of disarming a country as a result of your fine work. With respect,
George J. Tenet” And former DDCI John McLaughlin noted that the effort was
“the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a perfect intelligence operation.”
Mr. Lawler also received the Director Award from DCI George
Tenet, the U.S. Intelligence Community HUMINT Collector of the Year Award,
and the Donovan Award from the CIA Deputy Director of Operations.
Prior to his career in intelligence, Mr. Lawler practiced law and was
the president of a steel components company in Texas. He is a graduate of Rice
University, Houston, Texas; and the University of Texas School of Law. He is
married to Ellen and has three children and seven grandsons. He has completed
two novels: “Living Lies,” an espionage story of the Iranian nuclear weapons
program, and “In the Twinkling of an Eye,” about recruiting a spy at the heart of a
devastating covert Russian-North Korean genetic bioweapons program. Both
have been cleared by the CIA’s Publication Review Board. “Living Lies” was
published in August 2021, and “In the Twinkling of an Eye” is to be published in
early 2022. He is currently writing his third espionage novel, “The Traitor’s Tale,”
which is about treachery and treason deep within the CIA.
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#cia #covertops #espionage

[@itechhen]

I've been listening to these team house episodes, maybe about a dozen or so and i have to say this guest was easily the most likeable/enjoyable, of the few interviews I've seen thus far. Truly an absolute joy..

[@InsiderThreats]

Such a great guy with so many untold stories that will never see the light of day. Thank You for your contributions to our Great Nation and for giving me the privilege to share the platform with you from time-to-tiime, back in the day. #PayItForward!

[@saltycreole2673]

Im a barber 43 years. I had a customer who was a retired diplomatic attaché all over the world. He said he always encouraged his political appointee bosses to treat his intelligence officers with generosity, love, dignity and respect lest they embarrass the boss by revenge flipping. (His words) Whatever that meant. It didnt sound good though.

[@juanmanueltakano7792]

Amazing...! Mr. Lawler is the real deal of the intelligence community. An honor and a privilege to listen to his experience. Thanks guys...!

[@louiswolff3251]

Great interview, these officers are some of the best unsung heroes whose true extent of their work likely won’t be known until long after their deaths or never known at all, thank you both for these remarkable interviews and thanks to Jim for his service to this Country!

[@Hidfhjccbxcbhc]

Great conversation, amazing intelligence.

[@IntelJungian]

I will be purchasing the books. Thanks, Jim. Thanks for the podcast gentlemen 😊

[@michaelrochford3080]

Jim Lawler, American hero! No bullshit to thi s man, just the facts ma'am. Hope there are many like him still on board! Great show.

[@truzzaedward4437]

Another cracking podcast guys, thank you

[@MMpaintedpalm30]

He was a great guest, excellent interview!

[@nickjohnson710]

I've never heard a guy talk about himself in way like this guy does.....mr wonderful!? Lol

[@danielshearer5016]

I like listening to these stories. And the short questions that the hosts ask are good. ty and cheeers!

[@Hashi88.]

Awesome interview, i really enjoyed it.

[@rl64rl]

Always a pleasure to watch an episode from The Team House!! Great work, guys!

[@atomicbong7597]

Top 5 dudes I have had the pleasure to listen to. Stay awesome Team House - and keep having the brilliant ppl on. Holy shit! :) ❤

[@watwasithinkin278]

I've been on a bird hunting trip with the brother that "sucks oxygen out of the room". I can assure you, his brother does exactly that! LOL Great guy to hang out with!

[@roarkjeffries2979]

Impeccable logic quite possibly he understatement of the century

[@mrs8171]

I'd love to know if James is still "friends" with any of his longterm recruit "friends"? Specifically the guy he was the best man for.

[@nicholasemerson9852]

1:37

[@C3raMic]

Me too

[@Brian_fooking_Ferry]

Why construct a sentence so idiotically?

[@CiiDisabledGang]

Love the episodes bro 🙌🏾

[@waterboy12342232]

Excellent interview. Guy seems like he was very talented and was good at what he did. He makes alot of good points. I would argue that it does not take a sociopath. Someone who is empathic and someone capable of multiple personalities does well. Theatrical actors can do this, to a point. He probably casted a wide net to recruit and handle his sources.

[@globaladdict]

damn that part at the end, where the lady said I can do this, and the guest says yea, she did it for the next 5 years. Taken out of context or in, this guy is a fucking legend haha

[@zibabird]

Thank you, shared.

[@kostapaxinos8480]

Beyond a badass story well done fellas!

[@johnschubert5664]

This guy comes off like a total bullshit artist. No wonder why he was effective at espionage. Lol

[@drewpointkouski6571]

Great interview, James has some great stories!

[@snug1117]

Crazy interview what a dangerous dude..

[@DrAlbino]

Amazing episode

[@FalconEagleEye7]

Live your shows

[@ronpeterson776]

Okay you want to talk about workouts and you bust the fins out. Oh what fun times we had

[@TaxerM]

Amazing insight into the DO! Thanks James & TH

[@mattcasey5591]

This is nuts

[@eKh79]

👆🏽

[@Arbiter710]

Awesome interview

[@SincereSentinel]

Great episode/discussion per usual.

[@maureensolverson2503]

I’d really like to know what James thinks about the Swiss Banking system and does it help or hinder intelligence.

[@Brian_fooking_Ferry]

Well what a stupid question. It doesn't even make sense.... You are an absolute reject

[@hbdabbernrunner9561]

cant wait to watch it just want to comment before and after i finished watching

[@ladymopar2024]

That sounds to me like fun antique co-op in the Marine Corps it was a blast

[@MWcrazyhorse]

1:02:20 what do you mean a seeding operation? The Brits worked together with the Soviets. They were on the same team.

[@no1reallycaresabout2]

I guess you could say NOCs have a life of hard knocks

[@thomas_jay]

33:05 That sounds like it was an operation against the european air defense industry, i.e the tanker aircraft deal.

[@harveysanchez6993]

I’m still watching but this guy is really funny and interesting so far

[@effedorf]

Now that’s the kind of guy I wouldn’t mind getting stuck in a lift with!

[@CarlVolt]

This budget John Malkovich looking dude is a real G

[@Unknown-th8hx]

Nicely put🤣

[@timothylevit2682]

Why is this funny asf

[@PUCK.GUN.LAWS1]

You mean a top g 6 😂😂

[@chuckb8877]

Got him off wish lol

[@everlast2658]

A dirty world of deceit

[@rossinnz]

Yeah...Great career.

[@GavinQueit]

Just brilliant 👏👏👏

[@colintook3357]

Some Eskimo somewhere still has an iceberg he never wanted after this guy sold it to him😅

[@lifeontheX]

Epic story, amazing American patriot.

[@Hashi88.]

James lawler is amazing serious recruiter of CIA, i wonder how he approach the assets when he tried recruiting so confidently. i learn alot in his interview those politicians losers who are discussing foreign embassies in a frequent meetings are assets of three letters agency...

[@ElChupaNibre69]

Thanks for asking him about proliferation pre 1990... If only he would answer...

[@patmanboofer4463]

You guys gotta get SGM Payne next/at some point

[@rufaroruswa197]

"rogue scientist would sell himself to a rogue nation" ... sounds very familiar

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

How the fuck are there only 28K subscribers? Is that 280K or 28K???

[@LvoZee05]

They didn't even break 20k till like 5 months ago. They're growing steadily.

[@LvoZee05]

@@mostlynothing8130 the day they get 50k will be awesome

[@Arbiter710]

Stuff like this isn’t popular to the mainstream

[@Bartisim0]

Thank you for your service!

[@9495tj]

If any solder / intel operator says they operate out of morality, they're so wrong. If they 'operated' out of morality, they have not faced hard decisions. There are only national interests. No room for morals in this business.

[@010bobby]

Sounds like being a military recruiter which i was while in the service…

[@scottyjzer3111]

this was far to much ego rub for this bloke

[@jeremiah1059]

I wonder if a prerequisite to being a Central Intelligence case officer is having an above average opinion of one's self? 🤔

[@jerryj3047]

Would be awesome to have a conversation with him...awesome video

[@FLYEAL]

Legend. I think he waited RR victory to take the job too.

[@dlmsarge8329]

These episodes with spooks are problematic. To a person, they are professional liars. By definition! You actually can't take anything they say at face value. Their recounting of events is almost certainly skewed for either personal or other reasons. It really doesn't matter how emphatically they say "I'm out of the agency now so I can tell you the true story" or "that was me then, just acting in my role". Their version of events has no more validity than a Netflix fiction. I'm sure the special ops guys do something similar some of time but at least have some credibility. I wouldn't waste my time taking to them at the water cooler in an office nor watching them on line. I'll be happy to check back in for the recounting of combat by soldiers.

[@gunbacker9428]

Thats the case with anyone. Everyone on these podcasts are telling a story and stories get embellished. You can enjoy the conversation without taking it for 100% fact. Theyre based on true events and that's what's awesome.

[@rogertravis1838]

I would love to work with CIA man that be so damn cool! God bless you guys!

[@esahm373]

Writing such a comment is one of the safest ways to make sure they will never approach you!

[@thatguy7085]

GS-11… didn’t know that was the pay grade for an operations officer. That really isn’t that high of a grade. Especially with a law degree.

[@robertorwell1508]

Damn does this guy buy his own hype. I was so good so clever to attract agents it had nothigj to do with bags of cash ! It was my elite 007 skillz

[@Heirapolis]

Such a strange guy, how he speaks of the obvious like he just discovered something. Especially when talking about psychology. It's hard to listen to him, his abuse of trust and general inability to form a real bond with anyone but himself is repulsive.

[@droptableaccount1820]

I agree. The reason is that recognizing that something is obvious is different than truly intuiting it. There is a kind spiritual detachment/abnormality with people like this that was clearly picked up immediately by the agency. It is a good thing that he channeled this into a good cause (and I hope that is true.)

[@Northstar-Media]

It's babble non of ithe guests makes sense they are laughing at us .

[@lakedistrict9450]

1.32…..well her cover is blown & she’s now painfully dead…or this is a tall tale.

[@WasLostButNowAmFound]

The targetted guy who betrayed his country is from South Africa/Rhodesia.

[@esahm373]

At what time is this being discussed?

[@roarkjeffries2979]

And whatever you do don't ever visit Pendleton

[@ganglysavage8934]

That’s my grandpa I’m not joking

[@roarkjeffries2979]

That meant to say enjoy it then deny it but don't get Randy with it too many buttons in that truck

[@chrisdemopoulos41]

Every one has equal opportunities....right....

[@roarkjeffries2979]

The hardest part of my independent investigation of everything that's going on around me which is called the situation whereas has nothing to do with luck. Is that wow what a presence and what I mean by that is like it's your birthday and I have some presents anyway moving forward 😘🇺🇲

[@Gcock]

We had a 10 digit grid to the shitter of the leader of the Haqqani Network - i accidentally got into a engagement with the Haqqani's QRF because of a secondary route move(at the time i was not privy to his location). After the bin laden move; we had to ignore ISI and pak.mil's bullshit and let them get away with atrocities. SMH

[@rossinnz]

Why is he telling about a living woman who did that? Does he not think that these podcasts are not watched.?? Am I alone in this thought?

[@roarkjeffries2979]

I remember seeing a Star Trek movie The Enterprise or something like that we're like Catholic Church I was like KHAN🤬

[@roarkjeffries2979]

At about 3 minutes into this you should put your resume in

[@roarkjeffries2979]

But at least you didn't work for r&r logging and selling Oregon in Douglas county

[@dedodeouro]

❤

[@matthewmontana8839]

Do you have the ability to ask this quest if he knows a former COS from Michigan and is Muslim. I doubt there are many but if he knows the gentleman, that gentleman would be a GREAT guest!

[@roarkjeffries2979]

Enjoy then tonight don't get Randy with it though

[@adrianc.demery8872]

❤❤❤

[@roarkjeffries2979]

Talk to text good stuff

[@9495tj]

Also, does anyone realize that AQ Khan was able to proliferate at least to Pakistan only because the US let him? :D Look up Pressler Ammendment

[@mutch17]

👍

[@Odin33356]

Leaderless manless swamp hell country.

[@Sajin688]

Its Nuclear!!! Not Nucular

[@interstellarsurfer]

Fix your audio levels, ffs. 🙄

[@danielshearer5016]

It makes me wonder how Trump wouldn't listen/ take advice from his intell officers. ]

[@mariannwatt2678]

Just a couple of years late the germans helped him the state dept knew is what i got from reading but that could always be wrong many times in the past it seems the info gets lost amd bad things happin just who does the cia work for thats the question

[@b_to_the_b]

What a bunch of nonsense

[@PremiumUserUltra]

Wife was a good one

[@guyspadorcio384]

South Africa? Israel?

[@esahm373]

Timestamp?

[@jamesortiz5388]

Scalps

[@نوجوان-ت4ي]

Hi 🇦🇫

[@MikeHunt-rw4gf]

Algorithm.

[@roarkjeffries2979]

Sell out no chicken s***

[@roarkjeffries2979]

You should get into this game called with duco no it's wood duco anyway yeah that guy had something to do with that probably I don't know I can't confirm her deny any of that anyway puke civilian out

[@codywinkle3621]

This dudes a narcissist lol

[@stevehannah]

🤔

[@patriciaparker6769]

😁

[@Albert-xd2zd]

Chuj do CAI