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. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Download Free Content: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lF-8_5jwRc5eAhzDkqqCOp-6yvd05vAw?usp=sharing Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Simone Ledeen Links: X - https://x.com/SimoneLedeen IG - https://www.instagram.com/monie8401 LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen Website - www.simoneledeen.com Maven Defense - www.mavendefense.com Strauss Center Profile - https://www.strausscenter.org/person/simone-ledeen Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://tryarmra.com/srs https://USCCA.com/srs https://shawnlikesgold.com https://americanfinancing.net/srs NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://lumen.me/srs 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