Simone Ledeen is a national security expert and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where she oversaw U.S. defense strategies for countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and others.
With an MBA and finance background, she served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and later as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, leading the launch of its multi-national financial crime compliance program. Ledeen has held roles at the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and is a Senior Fellow at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin.
Her expertise spans technology, special operations, intelligence, and geopolitical issues, as seen in her 2025 discussions on Israel-Iran conflicts. The daughter of historian Michael Ledeen, she advocates for innovative defense solutions and public-private partnerships to address global threats. Based in Austin, Texas, Ledeen consults through Maven Defense Solutions and Vantage ROI, focusing on strategic advisory in defense and finance.
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00:00 Welcome & Introduction
02:05 Analyzing the Tweet & Critical Thinking
17:06 Middle East Tensions & Israel’s Actions
40:58 Early Life & Career Origins
50:03 9/11’s Impact & Iraq Deployment
56:37 Iraq: Insurgency, Corruption & Reflection
01:30:46 Transition to Afghanistan
01:37:08 Customs & Corruption
01:44:42 Special Ops & Border Threats
01:52:41 Counter Threat Finance & Taliban Funding
02:23:27 SWIFT & Terrorist Tracking
02:29:54 National Security Q&A (Patreon)
02:33:12 Afghan Withdrawal: Firsthand Accounts
02:45:55 Intelligence Challenges & Hawala System
02:52:28 DIA Transition & Government Exit
03:04:36 Life After Government & UAE Banking
03:16:05 Pentagon Return & Special Ops
03:21:22 Baghdadi Raid & CIA Briefings
03:26:33 Soleimani Strike & Iran’s Network
03:38:13 BRICS, Geopolitics & Global Shifts
03:56:30 COVID Bureaucracy & Middle East Diplomacy
04:05:56 Final Reflections
