Generation Jihad

Does arming Ukraine come at the expense of our military readiness—or is it an investment in it?Bill asks his FDD colleague and military expert Bradley Bowman to set the record straight on what it really takes for the US to defeat its enemies in the long war — and why deterring China, Russia, and Iran simultaneously is essential for American national security.From munitions math and Pentagon priorities to strained stockpiles, weapons we’re sending, and weapons we’re not making fast enough, Brad covers the bases to illustrate why helping our democratic partners do damage to our enemies now is an investment in saving American lives later.

Bill is joined by (most of) the Generation Jihad crew to unpack a few headlines like: Hamas is murdering aid workers, the US is delisting a former al Qaeda franchise, and the Houthis are back to bombing ships. They discuss how we got here and why terrorists around the region have every reason to feel emboldened.

Nearly four years after Kabul fell, the Taliban remain entrenched—and the resistance is fragmented, under-resourced, and increasingly demoralized. General Hibatullah Alizai, the last Chief of General Staff of the Afghan army, joins Bill Roggio and Will Selber to discuss the anti-Taliban fight, internal Taliban rifts, and why the US and its allies risk repeating their worst mistakes.

Ahmad Sharawi, a research analyst at FDD specializing in Middle East issues, and David Daoud, a senior fellow focusing on Hezbollah and Lebanon, dive into gripping discussions on the shifting dynamics in Syria. They explore the implications of lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria, questioning whether a former al-Qaeda commander can pivot to a U.S.-backed peace partner. The podcast also dissects Israel's role in the region, the complexities of addressing human rights, and the enduring challenges of achieving peace amid geopolitical tensions.

The U.S. and Israel just hit Iran’s nuclear program hard — but how much damage did they really do? Bill is joined by his FDD colleague and nuclear expert Andrea Stricker to discuss what was destroyed, what might have survived, whether Tehran’s nuclear program is dead or just delayed — as well as the intelligence, the spin, and why the Mossad and IAEA may hold the real answers.

In this explosive episode of Generation Jihad, Bill Roggio and Thomas Joscelyn unpack one of the most chaotic weekends in the post-9/11 war on terror: U.S. forces' strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Tehran's retaliation on CENTCOM’s forward base in Qatar, and Trump's sudden ceasefire declaration.

In an historic move following defanging efforts by the Israelis, the U.S. dropped multiple massive ordinance penetrators ("MOPs") on three nuclear facilities inside Iran this weekend. Tehran has just retaliated with strikes on the U.S. base in Qatar. Bill Roggio and Brad Bowman discuss.

Israel has launched a massive, coordinated strike campaign against Iran—targeting nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure, and senior regime officials. The entire Generation Jihad team convenes to break down what’s been hit, who’s been killed, why Israel chose this moment to act, and how one thing is clear: the long shadow war between Israel and Iran has just gone overt—and it may only be the beginning.

Bill, David, and Ahmad discuss recent news that Israel is quietly arming a militia in Gaza to challenge Hamas. Drawing lessons from Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, they unpack the risks, precedents, and possible blowback of empowering Gaza clans with murky pasts.