Generation Jihad

EPISODE 162 — Something went boom in Isfahan

Is anything more on-brand than seismic geopolitical events co-occurring with Bill’s family vacation? No. Bill is back and leaning on co-host Joe Truzman to help him piece together the events of last week. He doesn’t want it to be “a what-the-hell-happened episode,” so we won’t call it that. They revisit Iran’s historic strike on Israel and Israel’s retaliatory strike in Isfahan, Iran — including what targets they hit, what message they wanted to send by hitting them, and whether this was the right move. They contemplate whether Israel’s relatively tempered response is indicative of U.S. restraint and if Israel will continue to go after IRGC-QF targets. They also discuss reports of an attack on an Iranian-backed militia outside of Baghdad as well as allegations of Hezbollah Brigade forces launching an attack on U.S. forces in Syria.

EPISODE 161 — A Jihad for Knowledge

Another co-host takeover (“Freaky Friday edition”): Behnam is joined by his friend, former FDD colleague, and top expert on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ali Alfoneh, now with The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. They discuss this week’s historic conflagration between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel.

EPISODE 160 — Slaughtering sacred cows

In a special co-host takeover, Behnam and Joe discuss the Islamic Republic’s unprecedented attack on Israel this weekend.

EPISODE 159 — Six months of war in Gaza and Hamas still ≠ ISIS

Bill is joined by LWJ’s Seth Frantzman just after the six-month mark of Israel’s defensive war in Gaza resulting from the October 7 attack by Hamas. They discuss Seth’s latest visit to border communities in Israel and whether there’s a realistic timeline for still-evacuated citizens to return, disturbing reports that Hamas has apparently lost track of which hostages are dead or alive, and Tehran’s possible response to Israel’s April 1 assassination of an IRGC-QF commander in Damascus as we enter day ~seven of bracing for an imminent Iranian attack against Israel within 24-48 hours.

EPISODE 158 — Gaza: Who’s handcuffing whom?

Bill and Joe read between the lines and try to make sense of the IDF’s withdrawal from Khan Younis.

EPISODE 157 — A Quds Day special

Bill, Behnam, and Joe discuss the Israeli airstrike in Damascus that took out a senior IRGC-QF commander, Israel on high-alert after Iran vows revenge, Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s statement about the slain leader, whether the Biden administration has finally turned on Israel, and today’s holiday: Quds Day.

EPISODE 156 — Is global jihad having a ‘comeback’? “They never left, bro.”

Bill and co-host Caleb catch up on the latest goings on related to the global jihad, including why the Islamic State’s Moscow attack should surprise no one; Shabaab’s rampage in Somalia and the prospect for the state’s survival; rumors that Saif al-Adel’s son has died; and fireworks on the Af-Pak border when the Pakistanis launched airstrikes apparently targeting members of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.

EPISODE 155 — Hamas in Turkey

Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleagues Sinan Ciddi and Melissa Sacks to discuss Turkey’s status as a permissive jurisdiction for terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas — and why the outcome of yesterday’s elections in Turkey might signal that a change is coming.

EPISODE 154 — The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Axis of Resistance

Bill, co-host Behnam, and long-time friend of the show Edmund Fitton-Brown preview and share insights from a project they’ve been working on concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran’s axis of resistance. They discuss Tehran’s extensive track record of not playing by the rules — and not paying a price for it — as well as the origins of conflict between Iran and the West from before the 1979 revolution to tapping their regional proxies on and after October 7, 2023 to target Israeli and American interests in the Middle East — and everything in between.

EPISODE 153 — Why is the U.S. helping Hamas?

Bill and Joe catch up on a few important headlines related to Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including U.S. claims that a senior leader of Hamas has been killed while Israel and Hamas have both remained mum; the Rafah operation hold-up; the ramifications of abstaining from the UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire and other recent actions by the U.S. that ultimately help Hamas.

EPISODE 152 — About that Afghanistan hearing yesterday…

Flying solo for this episode, Bill shares his thoughts on yesterday’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing with Generals Milley and McKenzie — including the questions they *should* have asked (but failed to).

EPISODE 151 — They don’t pass out candy in war, but they do air-drop meals

Bill and Behnam catch up on recent headlines, including the statement made by a U.S. senator pushing for regime change (spoiler: he was not talking about Iran), reports of a high-level meeting between Iranian and Hezbollah officials, the Houthis continuing their maritime attacks, and more.

EPISODE 150 — Red lines, ceasefires, and humanitarian aid piers

Bill and Joe unpack the undertaking of the pier to be built by the U.S. off the coast of Gaza for the purpose of distributing aid (but without boots on the ground?) including some of their general concerns like, “Who is the aid handed off to, Hamas? Who the hell is going to secure this thing?” They also discuss President Biden’s statement that Israel operating inside Rafah would be “a red line,” how Ramadan has started with no ceasefire in sight, and details surrounding a high-value target that Israel has gone after.

EPISODE 149 — Welcome to Port Gaza?

David Daoud joins Bill to discuss President Biden’s announcement that the U.S. military will establish a functional port off the coast of Gaza for the purpose of distributing aid (what could possibly go wrong) as well as the state of Israel’s (increasingly multi-front) war.

EPISODE 148 — Ceasefire fallacies

Bill and Joe discuss Hezbollah continuing to turn up the heat at Israel’s northern border with an uptick in cross-border attacks amidst foreign fighters also emerging in Lebanon and while the U.S. increases its pressure on Israel to enter a ceasefire before Ramadan.

EPISODE 147 — Tehran slowly tightens its noose around the Middle East

Bill, Behnam and Joe discuss a few of this week’s biggest headlines including reports of Israel assassinating an IRGC advisor in Syria, escalation by Hezbollah at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, and the results of Iran’s parliamentary elections.

EPISODE 146 — Update from Israel

Seth Frantzman is back on the show with Bill to provide an update from his perspective on the ground in Israel.

EPISODE 145 — Israel is winning, but it hasn’t won yet.

Bill and Joe discuss the latest updates from Israel’s defensive war in Gaza, including a potentially dwindling supply of ammunition for Hamas and its subsequent cooperation with other Palestinian terror groups; Egypt “fortifying” its border (but only above-ground and only because they want to keep Gazans out); whether Yahya Sinwar is still hiding out in a tunnel somewhere under Khan Younis (“with pneumonia”); the possibility and consequences of a ceasefire during Ramadan; and why Israel is indeed “winning” but will only win if it to continues its ground operation in Gaza, including in Rafah.

EPISODE 144 — Battlefield innovation by Iran and proxy: “Expect more not less”

Bill and Behnam discuss reports of Iran sending ballistic missiles to Russia and the potential for subsequent U.S. sanctions on Tehran (and why that’d be insufficient); why the head of the IRGC Quds Force allegedly paid a recent visit to Iraq; an update on the Houthi-Gulf of Aden-Bab al Mandeb-Red Sea theater, including a new underwater drone threat and why if we happen to see the Iranians “de-escalate” in one theater it’s because they’re preparing to escalate in another (and not because they’ve been “deterred”).

EPISODE 143 — Biden’s Crippling Fear of Escalation, Part 387

Bill and Behnam discuss the status of U.S. posture in the Middle East, including whether deterrence has been restored and how the U.S. could be more proactive in Syria and Iraq (but wait, do we even have a partner in Baghdad?); the unclaimed rocket attack (by Hezbollah) on the northern Israeli city of Safed; Iran’s recent missile launches (speaking of… just how close are they to being able to build and launch a nuclear weapon?); and why the cyberattack just conducted by the U.S. on an alleged Iranian spy ship transiting the Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandeb, and Red Sea will do nothing to deter the Islamic Republic.

EPISODE 142 — With Israel’s friends like these…

Bill and Joe catch up on the latest headlines from the war in Gaza. They discuss the IDF’s operation along Gaza’s border with Egypt in Rafah, which last night included the rescuing of two hostages; how Hamas fighters are resurfacing in Khan Younis; and the uncomfortably palpable uptick in international pressure on Israel as it continues its defensive war, most notably from the U.S. They also start to unpack some of this UNRWA baggage, like the newly-discovered Hamas operations hub found beneath an UNRWA school (to ironically quote DJ Khaled: “another one”); the UNRWA chief’s subsequent statement about “alleged tunnels” (which Bill points out is interesting, given that something either is or is not a tunnel); new consequences for the UN organization still reeling from funding cuts after it was revealed that several of its employees participated in the October 7 attack on Israel; and whether (and how) Israel might continue to work with UNRWA to facilitate the transfer of aid into Gaza.

EPISODE 141 — PSA: “Iran + Iran ≠ anything other than Iran”

This episode features the most special guest to join Generation Jihad in two years: Thomas Joscelyn. Bill’s OG partner in crime is back on the show to discuss the newest variant of Disconnect-the-Dots Disease and its primary benefactor who also happens to be the arsonist behind the dumpster fire currently engulfing the Middle East — and the dangerous cost of American ambivalence.

EPISODE 140 — New UN report on al Qaeda and Islamic State: here’s what to know

Bill and Caleb are joined again by Edmund Fitton-Brown — former coordinator of the UN’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team — to discuss the group’s latest report on the threat posed by al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

They unpack the report’s highlights and key takeaways, including uncertainty surrounding the new IS leader and why the reason behind it could be “earth-shattering;” West Africa’s slide into even deeper chaos; how only one ‘member state’ (🤔) denied that al Qaeda’s leader is inside Iran, the state which Edmund says is “the spider at the center of the web;” and more.

EPISODE 139 — A little less conversation, a little more targeting (please)

Bill is joined again by FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power CMPP) senior director Bradley Bowman to discuss broader U.S. military posture in the Middle East amidst the the death of three American service members last weekend in Jordan. Housekeeping note: This was (naturally) recorded just hours before the U.S. announced that retaliatory strikes are in fact underway in Iraq and Syria on Friday, February 2. Keeping this in mind while listening, all points are still relevant. Stay tuned for LWJ and CMPP coverage and analysis of the strikes — and for real-time hot takes, follow @billroggio and @Brad_L_Bowman on X.

EPISODE 138 — The Iran-backed murder of three Americans in uniform

Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleague Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss yesterday’s tragic news of three U.S. service members killed in Jordan.

EPISODE 137 — Lebanese Hezbollah 101

Bill is joined again by his FDD colleague and expert on all things Lebanon and Hezbollah, David Daoud. They discuss the latest Israeli strikes against Iranian assets in Lebanon, the status of fighting in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, the pervasiveness of the IRGC in Lebanon, why Iran’s master proxy strategy is so successful — and why it’s so difficult for Washington to understand.

EPISODE 136 — H is for Hamas… and Hezbollah (and Houthi)

Bill and Joe catch up on the latest news from the Middle East, including U.S. pressure on Israel (led by Secretary of State Blinken) to come to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza while the U.S. also considers withdrawing its own troops from Syria; Israeli casualties in Gaza (including suffering the recent historic loss of 24 IDF reservists); Israeli strikes inside Lebanon; and, yes, more Houthi drama.

EPISODE 135 — The Houthis are not deterred

Bill and Behnam discuss the recent attacks in Iraq as well as the latest string of Houthi incidents and U.S.-led coalition’s response.

EPISODE 134 — The IDF’s competing priorities

Bill and Joe discuss stats released this week by the IDF pertaining to its operations in Gaza and why escalation at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon is “just a matter of time.”

EPISODE 133 — Striking Houthi targets in Yemen

Bill and Behnam unpack the details they’ve been able to gather so far surrounding the U.S. and UK-led coalition strikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen and discuss whether this will restore deterrence.

Accurate preview courtesy of Behnam: “We like to say ‘freaky Fridays’ here [we do not] — it can’t get freakier than the first-ever, historic use of force since October 7 by the U.S. and UK against the Houthis.”

EPISODE 132 – Joe’s trip to Israel

Joe just returned from Israel and joins Bill to share insights from his trip which included a sobering visit to Nir Oz, one of the kibbutz communities along the Gaza border that was brutally attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Included in Joe’s haunting description of a scene “almost untouched since October 7” and frozen in time: “There’s still blood on the ground. There’s still blood on the walls. There’s glass everywhere. You can still smell burnt wood; a lot of these homes were burned with people still inside of them. There is still the smell of death.” His visit was also marked by the constant hum of heavy artillery and gunfire, apache helicopters, and the incessant buzzing of drones (AKA “the lawnmower of the sky”).

Also discussed: being on sustained high-alert for shelling from rockets, mortars, and drones; spending time at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon to observe Israel’s management of the Hezbollah threat; takeaways from conversations with Israelis — from cab drivers to government officials — about the resolve of Israelis and the still-standing solidarity between them, whether or not they share the Biden administration’s insatiable appetite for a ceasefire, and why one Israeli official told him that on October 7, “Israel shrunk.”

EPISODE 131 – Terrorists will be terrorists

Bill and Behnam unpack this week’s headlines from the Middle East, including the assassination of Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri; the U.S. strike that killed Iran-backed militia commander Abu Taqwa Al-Saedi in Iraq (and subsequent drama with the Iraqi government); the U.S.-led coalition dubbed Prosperity Guardian’s “final warning” to the Houthis; and the ISIS bombings at a memorial in Kerman, Iran for slain IRGC-QF commander Qassim Suleimani.

EPISODE 130 – Million dollar missiles shooting down thousand dollar drones

Bill and Behnam are back for what has been dubbed by Behnam as the first and last Freaky Friday of 2023 to discuss news of an alleged Israeli assassination of an IRGC general, context of U.S.-launched strikes against the Hezbollah Brigades after the group targeted U.S. forces at an airbase in Erbil, the latest string of Houthi maritime attacks (remember Operation Prosperity Guardian… yeah…), and the painful irony of a million dollar missile shooting down a thousand-dollar drone, AKA Iran’s asymmetrical warfare strategy.

EPISODE 129 – Measuring the prosperity of Operation Prosperity

Bill and Behnam check in on the U.S.-led coalition formed earlier this week in response to increased maritime aggression from the Iran-backed Houthis — spoiler: France seems to already be backing out. They examine countries noticeably absent from the bloc, like Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. They also ponder the strategic nature of Operation Prosperity Guardian — is it only defensive? How about going on the offensive to prevent Houthi attacks in the first place?

Bill thinks he’s seen this movie before. It’s the one where they ignore the core of the issue.

EPISODE 128 – Operation Prosperity Guardian, the Houthis, and CDR Salamander

Bill is joined by CDR Salamander to discuss the coalition announced today by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his trip to the Middle East. The coalition — made up of the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain in partnership with the US — was formed with the objective of “ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea” following the recent uptick in Houthi aggression and attacks in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden area.

EPISODE 127 – Israel at War: December 18, 2023

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.

EPISODE 126 – “They don’t pass out candy in war.”

Bill is back with FDD Senior Fellow and Iran expert Behnam Ben Taleblu (now also a Generation Jihad co-host, you heard it here first) to unpack and contextualize this week’s headlines stemming from the Middle East. They discuss the politics of diplomacy and analyze recent trips and statements made by key players like Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and President Biden himself — and whether U.S. support for Israel is at a crossroads, and what message this could send to U.S. partners and allies (and enemies) around the world; an apparent U.S. intelligence leak estimating that 45% of Israeli munition used in Gaza has not been precision-guided; and more.

EPISODE 125 – Israel at War: December 11, 2023

Bill and Joe are joined by Seth Frantzman — FDD adjunct fellow and LWJ contributor as well as acting news editor and senior middle east correspondent for The Jerusalem Post — to get his first-hand account of goings on in Israel on and since the attacks on October 7, 2023.

EPISODE 124 – Israel at War: December 8, 2023

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.

EPISODE 123 – The Afghanistan affliction

Bill is joined by Stu Velasco and Zach Popp of The Boardwalk Podcast (also hosted by Kyle Reynolds who couldn’t make it, shoutout Kyle Reynolds) to discuss the trials and tribulations of their time in service to the U.S. during the long war.

EPISODE 122 – Israel at War: December 4, 2023

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).

EPISODE 121 – Israel at War: December 1, 2023

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.

EPISODE 120 – Yes, al Qaeda is still a threat

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.

EPISODE 119 – War on Israel update: November 13, 2023

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.

EPISODE 118 – Israel at War: November 22, 2023

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

EPISODE 117 – Israel at War: November 20, 2023

Bill and Joe are back for an update on the latest headlines stemming from Israel’s war in Gaza. They check in on where things stand with Shifa, do a multi-front around the horn to catch up on Gaza, the West Bank, and the northern front with Lebanon and Syria. They also discuss the insanity that is media coverage of Gaza.

EPISODE 116 – Jihadis on Gaza, OBL on TikTok: “We are living in a South Park episode.”

Bill is back with, plot twist, his long-lost cohost Caleb. They tell you how they really feel about Gen Zs lionizing Osama bin Laden on TikTok and then do an around the horn update on how jihadi groups around the world have (or have not) responded to the war in Gaza.

EPISODE 115 – War on Israel update: November 13, 2023

Bill and Joe are back for an update on Israel’s ground incursion into Gaza, and they’re again joined by their FDD colleague and Iran expert Behnam Ben Taleblu to provide a deeper, more nuanced analysis on Tehran’s role as puppet master to the various terrorist groups in play.

EPISODE 114 – War on Israel update: November 9, 2023

Bill and Joe are back with an update on Israel’s ground offensive inside Gaza. They’re joined by FDD’s David May to discuss international pressure on Israel, trajectories and timelines, rumors about reporters from western outlets receiving tips and then traveling into Israel alongside Hamas on October 7, and more.

EPISODE 113 – War on Israel update: November 7, 2023

Bill and Joe are back to discuss the latest from Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, including the established civilian corridor. They talk about Netanyahu’s recent remarks — and Nasrallah’s. They also debunk the latest “attempted Abbas assassination” rumors.

EPISODE 112 – War on Israel update: November 1, 2023

Bill and Joe provide a mid-week update on Israel and Gaza — including Joe’s key takeaway from today’s IDF conference call, IDF tactics on the ground inside Gaza (particularly related to the tunnels), Hezbollah propaganda ahead of Hassan Nasrallah’s Friday speech, and more.

EPISODE 111 – War on Israel update: October 30, 2023

FDD’s Behnam Ben Taleblu is back on the show with Bill and Joe for an update on the latest from Israel and Gaza.

The war goes on; rockets are still raining down on central Israel (including Jerusalem) while Israel continues targeting Hamas leaders in Gaza. But…

Breaking today and over the weekend:

Israeli boots are now on the ground inside Gaza. There was also some IDF activity in Jenin inside the West Bank.
Iran’s President Raisi said in a statement that “the Zionist regime’s crimes have crossed the red lines which may force everyone to take action.”
While Lebanese Hezbollah is still keeping things at a simmer just below the threshold of all-out war, other Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria are very much in the game. Some are even firing at U.S. forces in the region.

Bill, Joe, and Behnam unpack these and related news.

EPISODE 110 – War on Israel update: October 27, 2023

Bill and Joe are back with an update on the latest from Israel and Gaza. Today they’re also joined by their FDD colleague and Turkey expert, Sinan Ciddi, to unpack just how deep Turkey’s relationship is with Hamas.

EPISODE 109 – War on Israel update: October 25, 2023

Bill and Joe are joined again by FDD’s Behnam Ben Taleblu to catch up on and unpack the latest from Israel and Gaza as of mid-afternoon (ET) on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

EPISODE 108 – War on Israel update: October 23, 2023

Bill and Joe talk through the latest headlines surrounding Israel and Gaza as of late afternoon (ET) on Monday, October 23, 2023.

EPISODE 107 – War on Israel update: October 20, 2023

At almost two weeks (!) into the war, we remain on standby for Israel’s anticipated ground invasion of Gaza and continue to watch Israel’s northern border for more activity from Hezbollah. And to complicate the already complicated: an incident yesterday on the Red Sea marked the first active engagement by the U.S. in this ongoing war, when the USS Carney shot down missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthis. So for today’s briefing, Bill and Joe called in their FDD colleague and top expert on Iran, Behnam Ben Taleblu.

EPISODE 106 – War on Israel update: October 18, 2023

Bill and Joe convene (plot twist: in-person) to discuss the latest from Israel at war — including the explosion at the hospital in Gaza. (Episode material up to date as of late morning/early afternoon ET on Wednesday, October 18.)

EPISODE 105 – War on Israel update: October 15, 2023

Bill and Joe give an update on the latest from Israel as of later morning/early afternoon (ET) on October 15, 2023.

EPISODE 104 – War on Israel update: October 13, 2023

Bill and Joe give another update on the latest developments from Israel almost one week into the war.

EPISODE 103 – War on Israel update: October 11, 2023

Bill and Joe discuss the latest news surrounding the war against Israel on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

EPISODE 102 – War on Israel update: “No good options”

Bill is joined again by LWJ’s Joe Truzman to unpack the latest developments from Israel.

EPISODE 101 – Israel: “This is not a conflict. This is a war.”

Bill is joined by LWJ/FDD’s Joe Truzman to talk about the war (yes, it’s officially a war) happening right now in Israel.

EPISODE 100 – Squad Pops Off on Mali

Where in the world might the next state collapse into failure? Hosts Bill and Caleb ultimately narrowed it down to two options: Somalia or Mali.

Shabaab in Somalia has aptly been dubbed “The Taliban of Africa,” given how well-organized, well-armed and effective it is there as a jihadist group. But Mali is actually the weaker state. To boot:

— The UN has undertaken an unprecedented withdrawal of its peacekeeping forces and will no longer have a presence in Mali by the end of this year;
— France, which was a major counterterrorism partner, has already completely withdrawn its troops from Mali;
— There is currently an Islamic Statelet in northern Mali, where the Islamic State controls the majority of an entire province;
— Al Qaeda controls huge swaths of territory in both northern and central Mali, and it increasingly threatens Bamako as it slowly encroaches on the capital;
— And also in the ring: Russia’s Wagner Group.

Despite all of these excellent targets, the country’s ruling military junta in Bamako is threatening open conflict with rebels in the north — a situation that could easily erupt into war.

Bill and Caleb agree: It’s Mali on the brink.

EPISODE 99 – The Kabul Fiasco

Bill is joined by Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson to discuss their new book: Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden’s Fiasco — from the Biden administration’s deeply flawed decision to withdraw from Afghanistan to its equally disastrous execution of the withdrawal, which was completed two years ago today.

EPISODE 98 – Fatal Transaction

Hosts Bill and Caleb (yes, Bill still thanks his co-host for joining even though it’s his job, so what) are joined by Caleb’s colleagues from the Bridgeway Foundation: Tara Candland (Vice President of Research and Analysis at Bridgeway) and Ryan O’Farrell (Senior Analyst at Bridgeway and Long War Journal contributor).

They discuss Bridgeway’s June 2023 report co-authored by Caleb, Ryan, and Tara and published with George Washington University’s Program on Extremism: Fatal Transaction: The Funding Behind the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province.

EPISODE 97 – The coup in Niger

Bill and Caleb are joined by expert James Barnett to make sense of the coup in Niger. They discuss the latest developments and implications.

James is a Lagos-based research fellow at the Hudson Institute.

EPISODE 96 – New UN report on al Qaeda and the Islamic State

Bill is again joined by Generation Jihad regular Ambassador Edmund Fitton-Brown to discuss the latest report from the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team (which Edmund previously led). Released on July 25, 2023, the Team’s thirty-second report provides an update on al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Bill and Edmund unpack findings, discuss a few highlights, and also explain some points of disagreement.

Read the UN Report here.

EPISODE 95 – Is Africa the epicenter of today’s jihad?

Is Africa the epicenter of today’s jihad? Bill and Caleb discuss, including in the context of Mali, the drawdown of African Union forces in Somalia, and one of Uganda’s worst terrorist attacks in more than a decade.

EPISODE 94 – Al Qaeda has key roles in Taliban’s Afghanistan

Bill welcomes back to the show Generation Jihad regular Ambassador Edmund Fitton-Brown. Now a member of the Counter Extremism Project’s advisory board, Edmund previously served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen and later as the coordinator of the U.N. Security Council’s Sanctions Monitoring Team.

Edmund’s former team at the U.N. just released its latest report on Afghanistan which details (among other troubling issues) just how embedded al Qaeda is in Afghanistan’s Taliban government.

Bill and Edmund dissect the report’s findings.

EPISODE 93 – Context for Turkey’s election

Host Bill Roggio is joined by two of his FDD colleagues to unpack the context surrounding Turkey’s imminent presidential elections.

Jonathan Schanzer is the Senior Vice President for Research at FDD, where Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow. Both are Turkey experts. (One has taken a harder hit from pro-government Turks on Twitter than the other.)

From President Erdogan’s thinly-veiled political opportunism — like his 180 on Syria; his regional charm offensive, particularly with Israel; and his role as a U.S. “counterterrorism partner” — and his blatant corruption — like his mismanagement of earthquake aid and his allowing Turkey to be a terrorist superhighway — to an opposition candidate’s eleventh hour dropout, this is your starter pack for understanding what’s about to unfold in Turkey.

EPISODE 92 – Islamic State deep dive

Host Bill Roggio and co-host Caleb Weiss are joined by the associate professor for national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, Dr. Craig Whiteside, for a deep dive into the ranks of the Islamic State. They discuss leaders of past and present and their roles within the broader IS.

EPISODE 91 – Global Jihad Update: West Africa to Southeast Asia

Bill Roggio is joined by co-host Caleb Weiss to unpack updates related to the global Jihad from West Africa to Southeast Asia, including CENTCOM’s announcement of a helicopter raid that targeted a senior Islamic State official.

EPISODE 90 – Israel and Her Enemies

To unpack and assess the latest terror threats faced by Israel, Bill had to call in the experts:Dr. Jonathan Schanzer and Joe Truzman. If you’d like to dig deeper on the topics discussed in this episode, check out Joe’s project that maps terrorism in the West Bank and Jon’s book “Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War,” which, according to LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster “If you want to understand the hell in a very small place that is Gaza, read this book.”

EPISODE 89 – Update on the War Between Wars

Host Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu to disuss Behnam’s major new FDD Monograph — Arsenal: Assessing the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program — including through the lens of Iran’s shadow war against Israel, AKA “the war between wars.”

EPISODE 88 – al Qaeda and Islamic State findings in new UN report

Host Bill Roggio and (now official) co-host Caleb Weiss are joined by former coordinator of the UN Security Council Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring team Edmund Fitton-Brown to discuss findings in the latest UN report on the Islamic State and al Qaeda.

EPISODE 87 – Jihadis in the Sahel

Host Bill Roggio is joined again by (semi-official?) co-host Caleb Weiss to discuss Jihadi control in Africa. In the last several years, Jihadists have moved toward central and southern Mali and are now threatening Bamako, the capital of Mali. In Burkina Faso, Jihadis control around 40% of the country. Bill and Caleb walk through past and present Jihadi attacks, offenses, and operations.

EPISODE 86 – An update on Russia’s war in Ukraine

Host Bill Roggio is joined again by John Hardie, deputy director of FDD’s Russia Program, to discuss the latest developments from Russia’s war in Ukraine, including Russia’s recent change in command of its forces.

EPISODE 85 – The Islamic insurgency in Mozambique

Hosts Bill and Caleb are joined by Ryan O’Farrell, a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation (where Caleb is also a senior analyst) to discuss one of the more obscure Islamic insurgencies in the world: the conflict in Mozambique.

EPISODE 84 – Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson

Bill is joined again by John Hardie — Deputy Director of FDD’s Russia Program — for an update on Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly to unpack Russia’s Kherson retreat. Where does Putin go from here?

EPISODE 83 – Al Qaeda and Abu Huzaifah al Sudani

Bill is joined again by Caleb Weiss to dive into the various military leaders of Al Qaeda and the dangers of their leadership and legacy — particularly, they dive into the history and background of Abu Huzaifah al Sudani and his role in Al Qaeda.

EPISODE 82 – Zawahiri’s successor and a Shabaab update

Bill is joined again by Caleb Weiss, long-time contributor to Long War Journal and friend of the show. They discuss why al Qaeda hasn’t (publicly) named a successor to Zawahiri, as well as several updates on Shabaab.

EPISODE 81 – An update on Russia’s war in Ukraine

Host Bill Roggio is again joined by John Hardie, deputy director of FDD’s Russia Program, to discuss the latest from Russia’s war in Ukraine, including Putin’s announcements on mobilization and additional annexations as well as other developments from the battlefield.

EPISODE 80 – Where do things stand in Ukraine?

In the first iteration of Long War Journal’s expanding coverage, Bill is joined by John Hardie, deputy director of FDD’s Russia Program, to examine the current state of Russia’s war in Ukraine. They unpack and analyze the latest information, from tactical and theater-level to strategic.

EPISODE 79 – An update on the Islamic State

Bill is joined again by Edmund Fitton-Brown and Caleb Weiss to take a look at the current global footprint of the Islamic State.

EPISODE 78 – The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan turns one

Friend of the show LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster joins Bill once again to discuss America’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan one year ago. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary — including an ongoing close relationship with al Qaeda — the United States designated the Taliban as “partners in peace” and handed the terrorist group keys to a state apparatus. Afghanistan fell and became the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. But it didn’t have to.

EPISODE 77 – Catching up with John Batchelor

In this episode, Bill interviews John Batchelor, host of CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor. Bill has been a regular on John’s radio show for more than a decade and considers him a mentor and friend. They discuss the Long War and how September 11, 2001 shaped both of their careers.

EPISODE 76 – What just happened in Gaza?

Bill is joined again by Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at FDD, and by Joe Truzman, research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal, to discuss the latest round of violence that emanated from the Gaza Strip this weekend and eventually resulted in an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. They also unpack details about the terrorist group behind the escalation, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) — including where they get their weapons, training, and funding (spoiler alert: it’s Iran).

EPISODE 75 – Zawahiri is dead. Al Qaeda is not.

Edmund Fitton-Brown — outgoing coordinator of the UN Security Council Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring team and longtime friend of the show — joins Bill to discuss the killing of Al Qaeda emir Ayman Zawahiri, who died in a U.S. drone strike last Sunday.

That the leader of Al Qaeda was killed in Kabul “comprehensively disproves” Taliban claims that Al Qaeda has no presence inside of Afghanistan. On the contrary, it proves that the group’s top leadership uses the country as a safe haven.

They talk about what’s next for Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and for its affiliates around the world as well as Zawahiri’s possible successor.

EPISODE 74 – Zawahiri in Afghanistan

Bill flies solo in this episode and expands upon his recent article Long War Journal article: “Ayman al Zawahiri is alive; Taliban and Al Qaeda ‘remain close’, UN reports.”

EPISODE 73 – Prison Break (Jihadi Edition)

You guessed it. Our guest is, indeed, Caleb Weiss. This time, he and Bill discuss how (and which) prison breaks fit into the larger strategy of various Jihadi groups — and why some don’t bother.

EPISODE 72 – Somalia’s controversial ex-NISA chief

Caleb Weiss is back to unpack with Bill the controversy surrounding the former head of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). They discuss his background and build a context for better understanding the recent headlines concerning the ex-chief.

EPISODE 71 – Al Qaeda under Zawahiri

Al Qaeda’s central leadership remains organized with its branches actively carrying out orders passed down from Ayman al Zawahiri who sits at the helm and remains an influential figure in Jihad. Host Bill Roggio is joined by Long War Journal contributor Caleb Weiss to discuss the state of Al Qaeda under Zawahiri’s leadership.

EPISODE 70 – An Israel Update

Host Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Vice President for Research Jonathan Schanzer and Long War Journal’s Joe Truzman to discuss some of the latest and most pressing news from Israel — including the death of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh.

EPISODE 69 – An Afghanistan Update

Host Bill Roggio briefs listeners on some of the latest news related to Afghanistan — including a few buried headlines you might have missed.

EPISODE 68 – Israel terror wave: 3 weeks. 4 attacks. 13 dead. Here’s what we know.

In just under three weeks, the most recent string of terrorism to strike Israel has so far included four high-profile attacks that left 13 dead and many more injured across Israel — including in heavily-populated civilian areas like Be’er Sheba and Tel Aviv. Just yesterday, a terrorist opened fire on civilians enjoying an evening out on Tel Aviv’s famous Dizengoff Street, known for its bustling nightlife. We’re approaching almost one-year since the 2021 Gaza Conflict. Is any of this related? Who is responsible? Are these lone-wolf attacks? Have any jihadi groups claimed responsibility? Should we believe them? To make sense of what’s happening, host Bill Roggio is joined by Long War Journal’s Joe Truzman to unpack and analyze the latest information from a variety of sources.

EPISODE 67 – Meanwhile in Africa

Host Bill Roggio is joined by two Long War Journal regulars, Caleb Weiss and Andrew Tobin, to give listeners an update on what’s happening on the ground in Africa from the Sahel — including that more than 400 Malians have been slaughtered in under one month — to “elections” and Shabaab attacks in Somalia.

EPISODE 66 – Negotiating with Terrorists

Host Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu to discuss America’s inability, or refusal, to understand its enemies and adversaries. In particular: how the Islamic Republic of Iran’s continued brazenness in targeting American security interests — including its latest missile attack in Iraq just days ago — cannot deter the United States from continuing to engage in nuclear negotiations (vis-a-vis the Russians, no less) with the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror.

EPISODE 65 – CDR Salamander on the Ukraine War

Host Bill Roggio is joined by Commander Salamander, a retired U.S. Navy Commander. Since 2003, like Bill, Sal has been closely tracking and analyzing military issues on his “Commander Salamander” blog and is widely seen as a trailblazer in the arena. The two discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine following Putin’s invasion.

EPISODE 64 – Minority Report: Ukraine

Bill Roggio provides an update on the current situation in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, including a clear-eyed and sober analysis of what’s actually happening on the ground. Bill reminds listeners that the West must understand the enemy and how — if we want to help Ukraine — we must be honest about its predicament.

Mentioned in the episode: read Bill’s latest analysis in DailyMail here.

EPISODE 63 – Know Thine Frenemy

Host Bill Roggio is joined by Hussain Haqqani, South and Central Asia Director at the Hudson Institute and Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the U.S., for an update on Pakistan — from the Taliban’s victory in resurrecting the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to the Pakistani state’s hospitality for jihadis and possible future scenarios for Pakistan, its neighbors, and the region.

EPISODE 62 – An Update on the African Jihad

Host Bill Roggio is joined by Caleb Weiss — a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation and long-time contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal — for an update on the latest surrounding various jihadist groups across the African continent.

EPISODE 61 – The State of the Jihad

Host Bill Roggio is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown, Coordinator of the United Nations Security Council Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, to discuss the findings from his team’s latest report on the statuses of ISIS and al-Qaeda.

EPISODE 60 – Iran’s global terrorism strategy

Host Bill Roggio is joined by FDD’s Senior Vice President for Research Jonathan Schanzer to have a wide-ranging discussion about the Islamic Republic of Iran’s role as the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror — ranging from its illicit nuclear program to its destabilization of the region via its proxy terrorist groups.

EPISODE 59 – After Qurayshi: The State of the Islamic State

Yesterday, the U.S. conducted a raid in Syria that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. Host Bill Roggio is joined by Craig Whiteside to unpack the raid and discuss what might happen next within ISIS — including what Qurayshi’s succession might look like.

EPISODE 58 – The Year in Review

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss 5 key stories from 2021 and what they mean for jihadism going forward.

EPISODE 57 – The Emperor Was Nude All Along

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss Tom’s recent testimony before the Senate, why the Islamic State bombed a mosque in Kunduz, and the Pakistani Taliban’s ongoing jihad.

EPISODE 56 – The Resurrection of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Hosts Tom and Bill continue to explore the failures in American leadership that led to the resurrection of the Taliban’s regime.

EPISODE 55 – Afghanistan Falls

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the need for accountability after 20 years of failures.

EPISODE 54 – What Shabaab Wants

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss a new message from Shabaab’s emir. They also discuss their reluctance to report on a video, titled “America Burns,” produced by Al Qaeda’s main propaganda arm.

EPISODE 53 – The Taliban and al Qaeda advance as U.S. completes withdrawal

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss President Biden’s latest defense of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Despite the jihadists’ significant advances since May 1, the president remains steadfastly committed to completing the American retreat.

EPISODE 52 – Mapping the Taliban’s Offensive

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss the Taliban’s massive offensive in Afghanistan. The campaign demonstrates, once again, that the “peace process” is a Western delusion. They also discuss how Bill’s map of the Taliban’s gains has evolved over time.

EPISODE 51 – How the U.N. assesses al Qaeda and ISIS

Edmund Fitton-Brown joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss his team’s most recent report on Afghanistan. Fitton-Brown is a former British diplomat. He is currently coordinator of the U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.

EPISODE 50 – The Unknowns

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the basic epistemological problems that plague analyses of al Qaeda nearly 20 years after 9/11.

EPISODE 49 – Al Qaeda tries to capitalize on conflict between Hamas and Israel

Hosts Tom and Bill discuss recent statements by al Qaeda concerning the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Al Qaeda has commented on Palestinian issues often, but otherwise has had little to do with the situation. Bill also discusses his updated map of the war in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has steadily made gains.

EPISODE 48 – What happens in Afghanistan doesn’t stay in Afghanistan

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss President Biden’s to withdraw U.S. military forces from Afghanistan. It’s understandable that he doesn’t want any more Americans to die there, but the Afghans continue to fight a global jihadist threat.

EPISODE 47 – Designating terrorists

FDD’s Jonathan Schanzer joins the podcast to discuss how the U.S. Treasury Department designates terrorists and America’s current challenges. Jon and host Bill Roggio also discuss their love of Philly sports teams to the disgust of host Tom Joscleyn.

EPISODE 46 – Waiting for a withdrawal decision

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio briefly discuss recent reporting on the Biden administration’s deliberations concerning a withdrawal from Afghanistan. They also discuss ISIS’ surge in Mozambique.

EPISODE 45 – President Biden’s Decision Points

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio explain why President Biden should be clear-eyed when it comes to making decisions about the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some argue the U.S. should stay in Afghanistan to further the “peace process,” but there is no evidence that such a “process” even exists.

EPISODE 44 – The Abraham Accords

Varsha Koduvayur, a senior research analyst at FDD, joins the podcast to discuss the Abraham Accords, recent announced reforms in Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen.

EPISODE 43 – The Status of ISIS and Al Qaeda

Edmund Fitton-Brown again joins the podcast to discuss the United Nations Security Council’s latest report on ISIS and Al Qaeda.

EPISODE 42 – Groundhog Day in Afghanistan

In Episode 42 of Generation Jihad, hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s comments on the U.S.-Taliban deal. They explain why there isn’t much for the Biden administration to assess. The Taliban was never interested in peace and hasn’t taken any steps to break with al Qaeda.

EPISODE 41 – The Jihad in West Africa

Caleb Weiss joins Tom and Bill to discuss France’s intervention in West Africa. Branches of both Al Qaeda and ISIS are fighting for territory, but France’s patience may be starting to wear thin.

EPISODE 40 – Al Qaeda in Iran – and Afghanistan

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss and critique Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech on the Iran-Al Qaeda axis. Contrary to much reporting, there is a long history of ties between the two. But there’s also much evidence pointing to al Qaeda’s ongoing alliance with the Taliban, an issue Pompeo is eager to downplay. The guys also explain why the 2001 AUMF isn’t being used to start a war with Iran.

EPISODE 39 – Countering Extremism

Robin Simcox joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss the ongoing jihadist threat in Europe and efforts to combat extremism in the U.K. and elsewhere. Simcox is the director of the London-based Counter Extremism Group.

EPISODE 38 – The Airing of Grievances

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio air and discuss their 2020 grievances, which pale in comparison to the problems faced by so many around the world today.

EPISODE 37 – How Hezbollah Profits from Black Cocaine

FDD senior fellow Emanuele Ottolenghi joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss the history of Iran’s and Hezbollah’s illicit activities across Central and South America, including the trafficking of “black cocaine.”

EPISODE 36 – The U.S. withdraws from Somalia

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss President Trump’s decision to order the withdrawal of a small American force from Somalia. Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, will continue to fight on, waging an insurgency against the Somali government while threatening countries throughout the region and possibly elsewhere as well.

EPISODE 35 – The Shadow War Inside Iran

FDD senior fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu joins the podcast to discuss recent assassinations inside Iran and the state of the Iranian regime’s various proxy wars.

EPISODE 34 – An Assassination in Tehran

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the killing of al Qaeda’s deputy emir in Tehran. The operation was reportedly conducted by Israeli assassins at the behest of the U.S.

EPISODE 33 – A Conversation with H.R. McMaster

LTG (ret.) H.R. McMaster joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss his new book, his career in the U.S military and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

EPISODE 32 – What Will Biden Do?

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the decisions awaiting the incoming Biden administration with respect to the ongoing conflicts in several countries. They also discuss the State Department’s decision to delist al Qaeda’s Uighur affiliate.

EPISODE 31 – Al Qaeda’s Media Chief Killed in Taliban Country

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the demise of Husam Abd-al-Ra’uf, al Qaeda’s media chief. Afghan forces hunted him down in a Taliban-controlled village nearly eight months after the U.S. State Department trumpeted the Taliban’s supposed counterterrorism assurances.

EPISODE 30 – The Would-be Caliph was a Snitch

Craig Whiteside joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss the biography of the Islamic State’s leader. Recently released files show that he snitched on his fellow jihadists during his time in U.S. custody.

EPISODE 29 – An Interview with Edmund Fitton-Brown

Edmund Fitton-Brown joins hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio to discuss his work for the United Nations Security Council. Fitton-Brown is a former British diplomat. He is currently coordinator of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.

EPISODE 28 – Our Review of The Outpost

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn review The Outpost, a new movie based on a book by CNN’s Jake Tapper. The book and movie are excellent, but the guys discuss how al Qaeda is often left out of such stories. Still, The Outpost reveals many truths about the war in Afghanistan.

EPISODE 27 – Counting Al Qaeda

Senior U.S. officials claim there are fewer than 200 al Qaeda members in Afghanistan. Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn explain why that estimate, like all others before it, isn’t credible. The U.S. has consistently downplayed al Qaeda’s presence for more than a decade.

EPISODE 26 – Zawahiri’s Bizarre 9/11 Anniversary Message

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss al Qaeda’s weak media output on the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 hijackings. Despite this shortcoming, the group remains resilient. And the guys explain why an op-ed by the new director of the National Counterterrorism Center misses the mark.

EPISODE 25 – Another Coup in Mali

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio are joined by Caleb Weiss, a longtime contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. They discuss the recent coup in Mali and what it will mean for ISIS and al Qaeda.

EPISODE 24 – America Remains in Iraq

Despite decrying America’s role in “endless wars,” President Trump recently defended the role of a small U.S. force in the country. Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss this apparent contradiction, as well as current events in Afghanistan and Somalia.

EPISODE 23 – Joe Biden Can’t End the Jihad

…Nor can President Trump. Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss former VP Joe Biden’s intent to “end” the “forever wars.” President Trump has pledged to do the same, but hasn’t delivered. Why? The jihad continues.

EPISODE 22 – Conspiracies Everywhere

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the prevalence of conspiracy theories in the post-9/11 era. Osama bin Laden was upset that some pretend al Qaeda wasn’t responsible for 9/11, but bin Laden was a conspiracy theorist himself. Al Qaeda was founded on the nonsensical claim that there’s a “Zionist-Crusader” alliance against Muslims.

EPISODE 21 – An ISIS Jailbreak in Afghanistan

ISIS orchestrated an assault on the main prison in Jalalabad earlier this month. Afghan officials immediately accused the Taliban of planning the attack. Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss this allegation, as well as other recent events.

EPISODE 20 – How China’s repressive policies could fuel the jihad

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s repressive policies in the Xinjiang region. The CCP claims to be fighting terrorism, but it could drive more people into the jihadists’ arms. The guys discuss the history of the Turkistan Islamic Party, an al Qaeda group that seeks to exploit the CCP’s actions.

EPISODE 19 – Al Qaeda in 2020

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss what al Qaeda looks like in 2020. Nearly 19 years after the 9/11 hijackings, the group is alive, but still widely misunderstood. Despite suffering setbacks, al Qaeda’s members fight on in multiple countries.

EPISODE 18 – What We Don’t Know About Russian Bounties

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss reports saying that Russia offered bounties to Taliban fighters to attack Americans. While this wouldn’t be surprising, there are still many unanswered questions concerning the reported bounties. The Taliban has been fighting American forces for nearly 19 years, and its jihadists don’t need any extra incentives.

EPISODE 17 – The CIA in Libya

Former CIA Officer Sarah Carlson joins the podcast to discuss her new book, In The Dark of War. Sarah discusses her career as a counterterrorism analyst, the jihadist scene in Libya and the U.S. evacuation from Tripoli in 2014.

EPISODE 16 – Al Qaeda’s Never-ending Problems in Syria

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss al Qaeda’s problems in Syria, where a series of disputes have upset the group’s chain of command. They also discuss the State Department’s latest terrorism report and what it says about Pakistan’s sponsorship of the Taliban.

EPISODE 15 – Don’t Call It Nation-Building

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio explore how President Trump’s rhetoric on Afghanistan and other post-9/11 conflicts changed from 2017 to 2020. While there is much to criticize about these wars, some of the common talking points don’t reflect reality. The guys also discuss recent counterterrorism operations against al Qaeda.

EPISODE 14 – The Demise of an Al Qaeda Emir in Mali

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the life and reported death of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s emir, Abdulmalek Droukdel. They also review some of Osama bin Laden’s files to piece together AQIM’s history.

EPISODE 13 – Send in the Military?

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn take a break from the jihad overseas to discuss the turmoil at home and whether it is a good idea to deploy the U.S. military in American cities. They also discuss a new report by a U.N. monitoring team alleging multiple ongoing ties between the Taliban and al Qaeda.

EPISODE 12 – The ISIS Spokesman’s Latest Rant

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss the latest diatribe released by Abu Hamza al-Qurashi, the Islamic State’s spokesman, who portrays the coronavirus as an act of divine retribution against the West and accuses the Taliban of working with the “Crusaders.” Bill and Tom also discuss a new report outlining the Taliban’s reluctance to “publicly break” with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State’s resiliency in Iraq and Syria.

EPISODE 11 – An Al Qaeda Sleeper Agent in Pensacola

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss the FBI’s breakthrough in the investigation into the Dec. 6, 2019 shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola. It took more than four months for the FBI to crack the terrorist’s phones, but the hosts argue that Americans shouldn’t give up their privacy in the name of security. They also discuss the Taliban’s reluctance to publicly break with Al Qaeda and the Defense Department’s reluctance to release data concerning the war in Afghanistan.

EPISODE 10 – Endless Jihad

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss the “endless wars” narrative, explaining why it is more accurate to call the conflicts unleashed by 9/11 an “endless jihad.” While there are plenty of legitimate criticisms of America’s warfighting, the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere continue because the jihadists fight on.

EPISODE 9 – The Drone Wars

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss the history of America’s drone campaign against al-Qaeda and ISIS. They discuss some of the drone campaign’s biggest successes, civilian casualties and why the unmanned aerial vehicles are a tactic, not a strategy for defeating terrorist organizations.

EPISODE 8 – The Islamic State’s Foundational Texts

Craig Whiteside joins hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn to discuss his new book, The ISIS Reader: Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement. Coauthored with Haroro Ingram and Charlie Winter, the book reviews key texts in the evolution of the would-be caliphate. Craig and Bill discuss their time in Iraq, including how they witnessed the earliest days of ISIS.

EPISODE 7 – Jihad in the Time of Coronavirus

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross joins hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn to discuss how jihadists are adapting to the coronavirus pandemic. The three colleagues discuss their years working in the counterterrorism field and how some erroneous ideas just won’t die. They also offer some advice for new analysts entering the field.

EPISODE 6 – Hezbollah’s Main Man in Iraq

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss Hezbollah’s influence in Iraq and the State Department’s decision to offer a $10 million reward for information concerning the group’s main man in the country. They also discuss: a new video from the Pakistani Taliban that illustrates how the jihadi syndicate in Afghanistan and Pakistan works, a recent batch of al-Qaeda infographics and an alleged ISIS plot that was foiled by authorities in Germany.

EPISODE 5 – Banned in Pakistan

A Pakistani court recently overturned the convictions of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a jihadist who allegedly planned and carried out the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearl was then murdered by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the chief planner of the 9/11 hijackings. A higher court may overturn the decision and Sheikh remains in custody. But hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss how this affair highlights deeper problems within Pakistan. After all, FDD’s Long War Journal is banned in Pakistan, while many jihadists are not.

EPISODE 4 – ISIS: A History of the Caliphate

Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the rise and fall of ISIS – the would-be caliphate. More than a year has passed since ISIS lost the last town under its control. Tom and Bill discuss the history of the ISIS and how the idea of building a caliphate in Iraq evolved over time. Bill witnessed the jihadists’ earliest state-building efforts during multiple embeds in Iraq.

EPISODE 3 – AQAP Names A New Emir

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn profile Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s (AQAP) new emir, Khalid Batarfi. They explain how Batarfi came to his leadership position, what’s ahead for the group’s local and global operations, and what AQAP can teach us about Al Qaeda’s larger structure and the ambitions of jihadist insurgencies the world over.

EPISODE 2 – Wishcasting in Afghanistan

In a follow up to episode one, hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn explain why wishful thinking in Afghanistan has led the U.S. to portray the Taliban as something it is not. True peace is not on the horizon. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda views the U.S.-Taliban deal as a boon for the jihadists’ cause. Al-Qaeda’s affiliates are already attempting to use the agreement as a framework for gaining legitimacy elsewhere.

EPISODE 1 – The U.S.-Taliban Withdrawal Agreement

Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn review the U.S.-Taliban withdrawal agreement. They discuss why it isn’t a true peace deal, the Taliban’s ongoing alliance with al-Qaeda, and how the U.S. never dealt with Pakistani duplicity in America’s longest war.