# S1E11 Have Human Spies Become Obsolete?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-kiriakou-s-dead-drop-7529115/s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-kiriakou-s-dead-drop-7529115/s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete.md
Podcast: [John Kiriakou's Dead Drop](https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-kiriakou-s-dead-drop-7529115)
Published: 2026-01-19T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/john-kiriakous-dead-drop/episodes/s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68e695c6d798804c9e4bbd13/e/695ad02c18c941d6d66b194c/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/john-kiriakou-s-dead-drop-7529115/episodes/s1e11-have-human-spies-become-obsolete
Duration seconds: 3418

## Resource

THE BLURB: In this episode, John chats with former CIA officer turned wildly successful novelist BARRY EISLER about spying and how it lends itself to storytelling. After a three year stint as a covert officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Barry worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earned a black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute and began writing great, award-winning thrillers including the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. John and Barry discuss the current state of spies, spying and spycraft - and whether it might be over for straight humint and the human spies who cultivate it. SHOW NOTES For more information about Barry Eisler, please visit barryeisler.com . For more great podcasts like Dead Drop, please visit https://costardandtouchstone.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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