Generation Jihad

Bill and Joe discuss the latest issues emanating from Israel's defensive war in Gaza, including the tragic death of the three Israeli hostages mistakenly shot by IDF soldiers, the massive labyrinth of tunnels continuing to be discovered by the IDF and controversy surrounding the decision to flood them, and use by Hamas of suicide bombers — Joe explains why one case is different.

The podcast discusses the politics of diplomacy in the Middle East, including recent trips and statements by key players. They examine the US administration's support for Israel and its implications on Arab and Muslim countries. The speakers also explore the brutal nature of war and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Additionally, they analyze the impact of the war on Middle Eastern partners and discuss the lack of a political diplomatic strategy in the region.

Seth Frantzman, a senior Middle East correspondent, shares his first-hand account of the war in Israel, discussing the chaos, confusion, and mobilization of reserves. He also examines the IDF operations in Gaza, reflects on witnessing the violence and shifting normalcy in Israel, and explores Israeli perspectives on the hostage situation.

Bill and Joe discuss the latest surrounding Israel at war after the resumption of fighting one week ago and since Israel's expansion of its ground incursion into southern Gaza.

Former military intelligence analysts Stu Velasco and Zach Popp discuss their deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, reflecting on the downfall of the Afghan Local Police program and the ongoing presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria. They also talk about the lack of responsibility and accountability in insurgency wars and the pointlessness of the war in Afghanistan. The need for a comprehensive plan and the potential benefits of mandatory military service are also explored.

Bill and Joe are joined again by FDD Senior Fellow and Iran expert Behnam Ben Taleblu to discuss the latest regional updates surrounding Israel's war against Hamas (and then some).

Bill and Joe are back with an update on Israel's now-resumed war in Gaza, and they're joined by FDD Senior Fellow and Hezbollah expert David Daoud. They discuss the latest activity from Hezbollah at Israel's border with Lebanon, U.S. funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces (a policy that Bill calls: "giving crack to a crackhead"), the pieces in play on the Islamic Republic of Iran's regional chessboard, and more.

In a slight detour from our Israel coverage, Bill and Caleb are joined by counterterrorism expert Sara Harmouch to discuss her recent article that sounds like it was written for Long War Journal but was actually written for War on the Rocks, called "Al-Qaeda: A Defeated Threat? Think Again."They debunk the latest example of President Biden's insistence that al Qaeda no longer has a presence in Afghanistan and discuss how U.S. rejection of intelligence is neither new nor at odds with its dangerous habit of disconnecting dots pertaining not least of all to al Qaeda.

Bill and Joe are back with an update on the latest from Israel and Gaza, starting with the release by Hamas of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel amidst the backdrop of a still-holding ceasefire. They're also joined again by FDD Senior Fellow and Iran expert Behnam Ben Taleblu to unpack the latest regional aggression covered with Tehran's fingerprints, including more missiles fired at U.S. and Israeli assets in the region (and why one incident last week was actually a "game-changer") as well as the latest string of maritime hijackings off the coast of Yemen.

Bill and Joe discuss the ceasefire agreement and expected hostage exchange.