#156 Annie Jacobsen - National Security & Biological War

Annie Jacobsen discusses her extensive work on national security, biological and nuclear warfare, Operation Paperclip, MKUltra, and her latest book Biological War. She explores the hidden histories, the development of secret programs, and the potential future threats of biological and nuclear weapons.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Annie Jacobsen and her work

01:59 Annie’s background and how she got involved in national security topics

04:00 Interviewing sources and the importance of trust in journalism

07:02 The evolution of government institutions and the nature of power

08:54 Operation Paperclip: Nazi scientists and the Cold War

12:52 The origins of the CIA and its covert operations

15:56 MKUltra, mind control, and the use of drugs in interrogation

21:06 Tom O’Neill’s book Chaos and the concept of Manchurian candidates

25:07 The COVID-19 pandemic, lab leak theories, and government deception

30:04 The science and development of biological weapons