

Generation Jihad
FDD's Long War Journal
The war against Islamic Jihadism is defining generations. It was our father’s war, it’s our war, and will most likely be our children’s war. The FDD' s Long War Journal team has been researching and reporting for over two decades on the jihadists fueling this terror. “Generation Jihad” features LWJ Editors Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss as they diagnose the black and white motivations behind the world’s most notorious terrorists, report on their expanding malign activities, and offer their prescriptions for confronting the multi-generational menace that is Islamic Jihadism.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 22, 2025 • 38min
Wheel of Jihad
Tom Joscelyn, a senior fellow and expert in terrorism, joins Bill Roggio to unpack the explosive dynamics between the Taliban and Pakistan. They discuss the rise of the TTP's insurgency, leading to renewed violence and the implications of a recent ceasefire. Tom reveals the TTP's aims for an Islamic Emirate, while the duo debates Pakistan's historical support of jihadist groups and the influence of military factions. Their insights illuminate a precarious situation, with potential wildcards like al-Qaeda posing further risks.

Oct 20, 2025 • 36min
What's up with Friday prayers in Iran?
Guest host Behnam Ben Taleblu and FDD’s Janatan Sayeh delve into the complexities of Iran's internal politics, implications of the recent 12-day war, and ongoing discussions surrounding the truth about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. They unpack the regime's strategies, the impact of social media on public perception, and the challenges faced by regime leadership in maintaining “legitimacy” and control.

Oct 15, 2025 • 58min
Unfinished Business
In this discussion, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former UK ambassador and expert on Yemen and Iran, dives into the complex geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. He emphasizes that the ceasefire in Gaza is not a peace deal, revealing the ongoing risks from groups like Hamas and the Houthis. The conversation spans challenges of prisoner releases, the influence of Qatar on Hamas, and Iran's potential escalation of nuclear ambitions. Fitton-Brown also warns about the implications of nonviolent Islamism in the West and advocates for stronger international naval presence to secure shipping routes.

Oct 13, 2025 • 36min
Turkey (and Syria) Time
Bill Roggio, Sinan Ciddi, and Ahmad Sharawi discuss the brewing fight between Erdogan's Turkey, the SDF, and Sharaa’s Syria.

Oct 7, 2025 • 39min
Two Years into Israel's Long War
Two years after the Iran-backed, Hamas-led attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel remains locked into a multi-front, defensive war against the Islamic Republic and its patrons — including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Bill Roggio and Joe Truzman look back at how 10/7 reshaped the region, what’s surprised them most, and why the conflict is far from over.

Sep 30, 2025 • 28min
Shilling for Sharaa
Ahmad Sharawi is back with Bill to discuss the ongoing Sharaa spectacle, from massacres whitewashed and sanctions lifted with no conditions to foreign fighters handed Syrian citizenship — in its rush to embrace him, is the West willfully ignoring Sharaa’s blood-soaked past?

Sep 24, 2025 • 29min
SATC: Sharaa and the City
Ahmed al-Sharaa used to be known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani — al Qaeda’s man in Syria. Now he’s known as the president of Syria. He’s in New York City this week, headlining the UN General Assembly (UNGA), fraternizing with world leaders and meeting with senior Trump administration officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He was even hosted by a prominent think-tank for a fireside chat with General David Petraeus, a self-described “fan.” Why is everyone so eager to embrace someone with a record of terror? Tom Joscelyn is back with Bill to unpack Washington’s stunning, but not surprising, amnesia.

Sep 22, 2025 • 21min
Back to Bagram?
Four years after America’s chaotic retreat from Afghanistan, President Trump has said he wants U.S. forces back at Bagram — or as Bill and Tom call it: a fantasy. They explain why the Taliban will never allow it, China wouldn’t tolerate it, and Washington still hasn’t learned. From Doha to Abbey Gate, they retrace how America’s exit empowered jihadists—and why talk of going back is pure madness.

Sep 12, 2025 • 42min
Israel's Long War expands
Bill is joined by Joe Truzman and David Daoud to dissect Israel’s high-risk strike in Qatar that targeted senior Hamas leaders, including how it missed its top target, the blowback across the region, and what it might mean for the future of the Abraham Accords. They also assess the latest Israeli strikes on Hezbollah and IRGC targets in Lebanon as Israel's Long War expands.

Sep 5, 2025 • 45min
Israel’s decapitation strike in Yemen
Israel’s biggest strike yet on the Houthis killed 12 ministers — including their prime minister — signaling a major intelligence breakthrough in Yemen.Bill is joined again by Brad Bowman and Bridget Toomey to break down what this means for Israel’s fight against Iran’s Axis of Resistance, why targeting leaders (“the archers”) matters more than just shooting down missiles, and how the Red Sea conflict ties into a bigger global struggle with Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea.


