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Generation Jihad | New strategy in Gaza, who dis
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.
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Generation Jihad | I just ran. Iran so far away.
Bill and Behnam discuss the evolving dynamics of U.S. foreign policy on Iran and the subsequent need for coherent policy that addresses multifaceted issues including nuclear negotiations, Iranian protests against the regime, the ongoing threat posed by Iran’s proxy strategy — particularly from the Houthis, shifting attitudes of Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the potential impact on U.S.-Israel relations.
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Generation Jihad | Terror in Washington, D.C.
Behnam and David D. join Bill to discuss the attack in Washington, D.C. that killed a young couple working for the Israeli embassy. Behnam and David both were friends with Yaron, who tragically lost his life to yet another act of terror rooted in anti-semitism. They also briefly catch up on the current state of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and the still-burning dumpster fire in Lebanon.
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Generation Jihad | The Houthi Headache
FDD’s Brad Bowman and Bridget Toomey catch Bill up on the latest cluster of developments related to the Houthis — from the ceasefire initiated by President Trump and possible consequences for U.S.-Israel relations to the role of Iran in the ongoing conflict.
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Generation Jihad | A terrorist in a suit is… still a terrorist
Bradley Bowman and David Adesnik join Bill to unpack the U.S. decision to legitimize Ahmed al-Shara (AKA Jolani), the ex-al-Qaeda leader now heading HTS in Syria; other regional players seeking influence in the Syria vacuum, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia; and broader U.S. policy failures in Syria.
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Generation Jihad | Trump’s Iran Gambit
Bill, Behnam, and Janatan dive into the high-stakes complexities of U.S.-Iran relations, unpacking President Trump’s dual-track approach of military readiness and diplomatic outreach to the Islamic Republic. They discuss Iran’s internal reactions to U.S. policy shifts, Saudi Arabia’s cautious recalibration toward Tehran, and intensifying military pressure on the Houthis.
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Generation Jihad | No balance, much struggle: Power in the Middle East
Bill, David, and Ahmad deep dive into the volatile politics of the Middle East, from Jelani’s controversial role in Syria to sectarian tensions in Iraq and Hezbollah under pressure, the balance of power across the region is fragile.
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Generation Jihad | Problems without peaceful solutions
Bill, David, and Joe break down the latest flashpoints across Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza—examining the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel’s evolving military operations and campaigns against Hezbollah and Hamas, the Lebanese government’s stalled efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and the growing discontent in Gaza as protests against Hamas intensify.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 233 — Iran’s Expansionism and Alliances in the Region, Part XII
David Daoud and Ahmad Sharawi delve into the complexities of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s religious identity, its relationship with Iran, how Iran uses segments within a society to infiltrate them, and the implications of this for Jordanian and other Sunni societies.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 231 — The next Trump administration and Iran
Bill and Benham unpack the dynamic landscape of American foreign policy towards Iran, specifically how the region’s latest turmoil might challenge the incoming Trump administration. They also discuss the challenges of domestic politics muddying foreign policy decisions, the future of American military presence in Iraq and Syria, and the need for a coherent strategy to address Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 230 — Trump 2.0 and foreign policy
Bill and Will unpack the implications of Trump’s win on the foreign and national security policies, particularly as they related to Ukraine, Israel, and Iran. They also analyze the second Trump administration’s potential strategies for addressing burden sharing amongst NATO members, the ongoing jihadist threat, and the challenges posed by China and North Korea.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 229 — Awaiting Iran’s response to Israel’s response to Iran, part VIII
Bill and Joe unpack the latest unfolding in the evolving conflict between Iran and Israel, particularly in light of recent retaliatory strikes by Israel and the anticipated Iranian response. They also discuss the current situation in the West Bank, Hezbollah’s operational status, and implications of tomorrow’s U.S. elections on regional stability and military strategies.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 227 — Why Siraj Haqqani is not Afghanistan’s “Best Hope for Change” (CC: New York Times)
Last week, the New York Times ran an article(?) called “Is Afghanistan’s Most-Wanted Militant Now Its Best Hope for Change?” (spoiler: no) and with the subtitle: “Sirajuddin Haqqani has tried to remake himself from blood-soaked jihadist to pragmatic Taliban statesman. Western diplomats are shocked — and enticed.” Yes, really.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 226 — Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Iran
Bill, Joe, and Behnam unpack Israel’s retaliatory strikes on military targets in Iran, including the implications of Israeli strikes; the complexities of the Islamic Republic’s military strategies and challenges of disrupting its proxy networks; the broader geopolitical dynamics blanketing the Middle East — particularly the complexities of any regional military operations amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran; and the potential for Iran to accelerate its nuclear ambitions.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 224 — Sinwar is dead. Hamas is not.
Bill and Joe discuss the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and its implications for Israeli strategy in the country’s ongoing defensive war in Gaza; for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ongoing, multi-front war on Israel; and for already-tense U.S.-Israel relations.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 223 — After Sinwar
Bill and Behnam discuss Israel’s targeted killing of top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, including this week’s successful assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 222 — Jihadist plots against the West
Bill and Will discuss plots to target Western assets both inside and outside of combat zones, from the foiled attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Europe to credible threats on President Trump’s life made by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 217 — Today’s global jihadi threat
Bill is joined by friend of the show Edmund Fitton-Brown to discuss Edmund’s recent report for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, Commentary: The Global Jihadi Terror Threat in September 2024.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 216 — After decades of f*cking around, did Hassan Nasrallah just find out?
Bill and show regular David Daoud are joined by their FDD colleague Ahmad Sharawi, making his overdue Generation Jihad debut amidst rumors that today’s Israeli strike in Beirut may have killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. They share what they know so far and unpack the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 215 — Hamas in Gaza: A progress report
Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleague Dr. Jonathan Schanzer to discuss his recent article for Commentary, “Hamas On The Ropes: A Progress Report.”
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Generation Jihad Ep. 213 — Now paging Hassan Nasrallah
Bill is joined by Joe and David to discuss yesterday and today’s explosions of devices belonging to Hezbollah terrorists across Lebanon.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 212 — Weekend at Bernie’s… in Gaza?
Bill and Joe unpack the latest concerning Iran-backed terrorist groups in the West Bank, Israel’s special ground operation in Syria last week, ceasefire negotiations, and whether Hamas is pulling a Taliban and playing Weekend at Bernie’s with its leadership.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 210 — 23 years since 9/11
Bill and his Wednesday co-host Will Selber are joined by their friend and colleague Beth Bailey of the Afghanistan Project podcast — she also previously served in the intelligence community — on the twenty-third anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. They reflect on where we were then and how we got to where we are now, twenty-three years later.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 206 — The Hezbollah-Israel conflagration
Bill and David Daoud unpack the latest details from the current clash between Hezbollah and Israel.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 205 — “Things could get a whole lot worse.”
Subbing for Bill and Behnam this week are Joe and David Daoud. They catch up on the latest goings on with Hezbollah and its war of attrition against Israel.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 204 — Three years after the fall of Kabul
Bill and Will recently attended a conference organized by the Afghanistan United Front resistance group (and with help from Will). They unpack what was on the docket, including the repercussions of the fall of Afghanistan three years ago and looking ahead to consider Afghanistan’s future.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 202 — History doesn’t have to repeat itself in Afghanistan
Bill and Will Selber are joined by friend of the show Jerry Dunleavy. Jerry was the senior investigator for the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s investigation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan until he shared his letter of resignation on X earlier this week. Why did Jerry resign? The answer requires revisiting how events leading up to the fall of Kabul and withdrawal from Afghanistan unfolded and played out — and the ever-expanding black hole of accountability.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 201 — New UN report on jihadi threat in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
Bill is joined by Long War Journal and Generation Jihad regulars Edmund Fitton-Brown and Caleb Weiss to discuss the latest report by the UN’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on the status of jihadi groups in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 200
Bill and Joe unpack Iran’s strategy of keeping Israel and partners on their toes in anticipation of some form of retaliation for Israel’s recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 198 — The state of global jihad with Preston Stewart
Social media influencer Preston Stewart joins Bill and Joe to discuss Preston’s experience both serving in and covering global conflicts and wars from serving in Afghanistan to multiple TikTok bannings as well as his take on Israel’s rapidly expanding war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the conflict in Mali.
