Did you know that when a former CIA operative writes a book, the agency reviews the manuscript prior to publication to take out any classified information? Former CIA operative David McCloskey brings his new novel, Moscow X, to the Council’s stage. Best-selling author Brad Thor says Moscow X is a “chilling Cold War era intrigue set against a fantastic modern plot, a jaw-dropper from start to finish. David McCloskey is the new John le Carré.” The Russian spy novel has been virtually its own genre for many decades, and McCloskey’s firsthand knowledge of the field and his storytelling prowess ensures a captivating and enlightening discussion that will leave you with a deeper understanding of global geopolitics and the art of espionage.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

David McCloskey is the author of Damascus Station. He is a former CIA analyst and former consultant at McKinsey & Company. While at the CIA, he wrote regularly for the President’s Daily Brief, delivered classified testimony to Congressional oversight committees, and briefed senior White House officials, Ambassadors, military officials, and Arab royalty. He worked in CIA field stations across the Middle East throughout the Arab Spring and conducted a rotation in the Counterterrorism Center focused on the jihad in Syria and Iraq. During his time at McKinsey, McCloskey advised national security, aerospace, and transportation clients on a range of strategic and operational issues

Tracy Walder worked as a Staff Operations Officer in the Central Intelligence Agency’s Counterterrorism Center before, during and after September 11th 2001, and as Special Agent at the FBI. During her time at the CIA, Tracy lived in and traveled to countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe as well as served in war zones. She was detailed to the CTC’s Weapons of Mass Destruction group. After the CIA, Tracy became a Special Agent at the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, Santa Ana Resident Agent, specializing in Chinese counterintelligence operations, specifically the Tai and Chi Mak case, profiled on CNN and in the New Yorker.