Intel at the Edge

In this emergency episode of Intelligence at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by Jonathan Panikoff, Director of the Near East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council and former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East. They provide a critical update on the widespread protests and severe regime crackdown that have seized Iran since late December 2025.
Panikoff analyzes how this movement differs from previous uprisings, noting that while the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests were driven by social frustrations, the current unrest is fueled by a collapsing economy, soaring food prices, and a dire potable water crisis, all while the regime imposes internet blackouts to repress connectivity. The discussion explores the regime's ruthless use of force—resulting in casualties far exceeding those of 2022—and the potential for an inflection point similar to the 1979 revolution.

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

On this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) to discuss the evolving landscape of national security and his first year on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Fallon emphasizes the urgent need for the Intelligence Community to embrace AI and emerging technologies to keep pace with global adversaries like China and Russia. As a leader on the Subcommittee on Open Source Intelligence, he highlights the critical value of unclassified, publicly available data and the necessity of using AI to sift through vast amounts of information to find "the needle in the Pacific.

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode, Chip is joined by Dr. Shay Hershkovitz, professor at Georgetown University and a senior analyst at the RAND Corporation. They discuss the current intelligence landscape, key topics from Dr. Hershkovitz’s book, “The Future of National Intelligence”, intelligence in a democratic society, and advice to young professionals trying to enter national security.

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

Joining Intel at the Edge is Cynthia Kaiser, a veteran at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for twenty years, most recently as Deputy Assistant Director at the FBI’s Cyber Division. Throughout her career, Kaiser specialized in cyber intelligence and cyber policy, also serving as a President's Daily Briefing intelligence briefer in two administrations. She is currently anti-ransomware company Halcyon's Senior Vice President of the Ransomware Research Center, which is a one-of-its-kind program that develops information sharing programs and new research into threat actor methodology and ransomware trends across the public and private sectors.

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher is joined by Robert Cardillo, the former Director of the NGA. They discuss the increasing role commercial companies play in imagery intelligence, how NGA is incorporating AI technologies, and the future of the US commercial space launch industry. 
Watch Intel at the Edge.

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.