Ep. 227 — Why Siraj Haqqani is not Afghanistan’s “Best Hope for Change” (CC: New York Times)

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.

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. 

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.

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.To unpack (/eviscerate) the piece, Bill and Will Selber are joined by — drumroll, please — Long War Journal- and Generation Jihad-OG, Tom Joscelyn. They read it so you don’t have to. 

Bill, Joe, and Behnam unpack Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes 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.

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.-Israeli relations.

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. 

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.

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.

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.