This is a great service you provide. Very thoughtful and informed insight as always. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find intelligent and articulate sources of information in the US that aren’t dripping with propaganda from one side of the political spectrum or the other. So, I always look forward to these episodes.
John's comment about whether we parents trust our government to take our children to war is spot on. Just look at the recruiting struggles of our armed forces.
I am a 77 yr. Old Vietnam Veteran. I joined the USAF at 18 years of age, and ended up in SEA in 66-67 during Rolling Thunder. We, (The USA) dropped over 850,000 tons of bombs on the north. We lost 56,600 young men in that conflict that was started on a false premise. I went to college after service and studied the history of Vietnam. It was absolutely insane that we went to war in that country. They had been brutalized by the French, and the Japanese for years. Ho Chi Minh was their George Washington. He adopted the US Constitution Verbatim. There was no Internet back then, we were the children of the heroes that won WW2, and we trusted our government. I have never trusted them again, about anything. The scumbags we send to Washington are all about money. Money they get from the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. That's all we make here in the US, War Materials. Eisenhower warned us, we did not listen.
Extremely insightful discussion of the political and military minutiae from your guest - will definitely hop onto his podcast. I hope this is replicated in the future. Goodfellows is excellent by default, but this episode goes beyond even that.
As a South African who lived through apartheid, I’m fascinated with the notion of the “brutal Afrikaner”. Kudos to John who pointed out that they didn’t kill Mandela. What is going on in Russia makes apartheid look like a welfare organisation. The Christian, and more specifically the Huguenot heritage of Afrikaner nationalism is infinitely preferable (albeit deeply flawed) to the brutality of Russia’s leadership and corruption. Never forget that the deKlerk government negotiated themselves out of power and gave up a far more viable state for what we have to day - hapless and corrupt socialism
Imagine being a young guy, without a proper job, without a home, without education and without a family, if they are asked to die in a war, what do you think the answer will be? This is very clear to me.
It would look like Europe pulling it’s individual and collective finger out. It would look like a $50 trillion, population 0.5 billion collection of civilised countries confronting the sickly and dangerous asiatic despotism with the certainty that it will not win. It would look something like Gulf Wars 1 and 2. It would look like sending ALL the Cold War weapons where they are needed, to the people that need them NOW. The probability of its actualisation , the costliness of its actualisation in money, bloodshed and misery grows the longer this goes on and the more success Russia has. Putin will not stop and neither will Poland. Wishing this away with notions of appeasement will encourage more of the same.
I like the podcast, but I often get the feeling that these gents don't understand their GOP doesn't exist anymore. Not passing the international aid bill was not "complex politics", it was wild incompetence.
Yes, the Republican party has become the American independence party of George Wallace in 1968. The white Christian nationalist party. The Republican party probably left me when John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, and thus began the GOP sidetrack into stupidity, populism and culture wars.
I agree with your point, but I listen to them because I’m an old white guy, too, & I fondly remember the good old days when the republican party actually went to the trouble of *acting as if* they actually had a well reasoned platform!😊
Russia seems culturally unable of democratising. Individual Russians, like everyone else, will act democratically in a democratic country, but the culture of that country seems intractably given to despotism. Of greater interest is how democracies can die. Western countries are losing confidence in democracy because our educators don’t lead children to see that all the great achievements of our civilisation vastly outweigh its faults and mistakes. Instead, they focus only on the latter and even greatly exaggerate them.
I don't think that's true. If anything the guys doing all the "woke" ideology stuff are even more committed to democracy, they vote in very high percentages. They are just so ideologically captured by social media, that they can become authoritarian without realizing that they are doing it.
So, why don't you shine the light on what is the objective truth of the events in the Mid-East? I wonder how many would agree with a vague comment insulting your take on it. A dog could pee on a tree and the current generation would be arguing about what actually occurred even as it crapped on their foot yet not notice.
25:50 I don't think Cochrane gets the reason why Egypt is desperately trying to keep Palestinian civilians out. It's not to increase their suffering, but because every Arab state knows that if the Palestinians are forced out of Gaza, they will never be allowed to return. It's that simple. They all fear a second Nakba. And given the Israeli government ministers' statements of wanting to both settle Gaza, and scatter the Palestinian inhabitans across the world (I believe Netanyahu wanted Western countries to take 30k each), then its not an unreasonable fear.
The president who stepped down voluntarily after two terms, initiating the tradition, was ranked *below* the first president to overstay two terms, initiating the Constitutional amendment to codify it?
I wish Conservative commentary on the Middle East wasnt always so heavily slanted toward the Israeli perspective. On the Left you at least get some moderate Zionist takes but it seems like on our side of things you never get a more pro-Palestine view of the situation. Its always just pro Israel stuff which is a shame because an actual discussion on this topic is important.
Conservatives understand that people that kill kids at a music festivals, and are openly anti-Semitic, are not people to truck with. Conservatives believe in objective morality. Leftists, by their nature, have to resort to moral relativism, as they fundamentally believe that taking want you want from others is OK if you need it enough. So when conservatives see civilians dying in war they understand that Israel did not start this war, did not want this war.. but has to finish this war, even if it costs innocent lives. Leftists think "only 200 kids died at that music festival, so it's not right that 10,000 Palestinians should die.. Israel is bad". Conservatives will never think like that.
Show me a trusted judicial democracy in the region, and I'll have that conversation. Jordan still has a medieval King? Turkey and the UAE are backing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia, and take a look at Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Conversation? With whom?
16:18 Syrian red-line crisis needs MUCH more discussion by serious people. We need to know what led to that, why it happened, how it can be fixed, and how to properly implement fixes to make sure mistakes like that don't happen in the future.
I have been a long time follower of Good Fellows and learned a great deal from your group and guests. That said, I was disappointed in this episode. I watched the full interview with Tucker Carlson and Putin. I felt that Tucker did what a good journalist does- he presented an important interview, asked questions, and let Putin speak. I have heard that he should have been more confrontational, asked harder questions, etc., etc. I believe if he had pushed too hard, Putin would have ended the interview, or worse. I thought Putin showed his colors quite nicely. Tucker was roundly criticized for his visits to Moscow areas and even more so for his apparent admiration for the cleanliness, appearance, safety, and so on of the city. His comments in Dubai were also demonized. If you take a moment to listen to his interview with Glenn Beck, you might come away with a different opinion. Tucker is justifiable angry (as am I and millions of my fellow citizens) at what our so-called leadership, even going back to before Biden, but especially since, has done to this country, which may never recover. We should not have to have a totalitarian government to have clean, safe cities where the trains run on time. At no time did I feel Tucker was pro-Putin or allowing himself to be taken in. Dan Senor's commentary of Tucker was off base.
I think people in the West have lost sight of the necessity of fighting sometimes. After WWII, the West has engaged primarily in wars of choice. The public has been conditioned to this. History teaches that war is necessary at times. Words like "existential" get tossed around all the time, but in Ukraine and Israel they absolutely apply. I'm no fan of war and not a hawk, but in these cases war pursued to its end is necessary to resolve the problem. It's tragic and involves incredible human suffering and destruction, but it's necessary.
It's ridiculous to think of geopolitics as a place where countries, even friendly countries allied by treaty, "trust" each other. If your country is not indispensable to U.S. interests, then you had better find a way to make your country indispensable.
killing innocent people in rafah is "ugly, but necessary". love the pod but this episode is so comically bad. so we all agree that the justifications by hamas for killing innocent jews as necessary to bring about a palastenian state is bad, but the killing of innocent palastenians is not?! you know it was the elites of nazi germany who were the most adamant about the wiping out jews to bring about a perfect german state. that's all i'll say
It's totally disgusting the natural way that they justify the genocide. 🤮 And it's also impressive how short-sighted they are. Israel has already lost. The world is seeing the insanity of their current leaders, the propaganda machine, etc. Israel will soon become a pariah state.
Why, why, why, did this group dodge the Trump comment on NATO states and Russia. I understand they float above such trivial things, but normal people need a bit of attention to such statements. Even a comment like , "well it worked because see how Europe is rattled and talking about spending more in the last few days". But completely avoiding it seems like one more slip into an American oblivion by people who damm sure know better.
Russia is not fascist regime. As to Navalny, his popularity dwindled after his derogatory remarks about non Russian ethnic groups, At his best, his popularity reached only 27% of votes. The communist party is the biggest opposition (only 17%) to current regime. Minister S Jaishankar (of India) pointed out the government should be elected not forcefully changed. All my prayers go to Israel - always,
Sorry to pop Niall's bubble but he has it backwards when he says that all the current crises are connected and they all need to be dealt with hawkishly simultaneously. It's precisely because they're all connected and the biggest one of them that's yet to unfold in East Asia, US should preserve its strength and keep some powder dry by picking and choosing where to engage and settling the rest. Failure to pe pragmatic here could result in an abrupt and unfortunate end of the Pax Americana that he so passionately reveres.
@OHOONO... If the Arabs put down their weapons today there would be no more violence ... If the Jews put down their weapons today there would be no more Israel ... Golda Meir ...
Actually I think Tucker’s interview was not all that bad, in the sense that it helps people understanding what Putin is thinking and perhaps some of his mindset. I know some ppl not quite capable of critical thinking may fall into Putin’s stories, but I would rather to have someone making videos debunking Putin’s stories rather than Putin not saying his stories. Some ppl think Tucker “slide” with Putin because Putin is against woke. Perhaps there’s some truth in it. But blimey, can ppl ever learn from history? Is Stalin good? He is horrible. He was ally of US in WWII. If Tucker really did it for woke war, it’s he should USE Putin (I doubt if Putin can help fighting against the woke war in US tho lol), but not he is being used by Putin 😂
Of course it isn't purely a military problem. I don't think anyone honestly thinks that. But a two-state solution is untenable, for all the reasons outlined in this discussion.
A two state solution is not possible. The Palestinians clearly don’t want two states. They want one, a Palestinian state. No Israel. So yes, until the Palestinians have a complete change of mindset, military suppression by Israel of these Palestinian areas is the only solution.
@@bsmithhammer They made clear that the Israelis are not currently interested in a two-state solution, not that one is inherently untenable. If the Israelis can't replace Hamas government with another that is seen as legitimate and doesn't support terror, then they will get more terror. Israel doesn't seem to have any plan for post-Hamas governance. Any plan that is not leading to a Palestinian state will mean Hamas never dies or Hamas is replaced by another terror organization. The video argues that Israel should be able to finish the war by destroying Hamas even if this results any many civilians dying...but if there is no political solution to follow up Hamas's destruction, then those civilians died for quite little. Should U.S. tax payers support a country that is willing to kill thousands of Palestinian civilians but not wiling to make the compromises necessary to continue giving a two-state solution a chance?
@lonecandle5786 I think we have fundamental differences in expectations for what a “Palestinian state” would represent. Your presumption of a two state solution that benefits the Palestinian people, I don’t. If the “Palestinian state” created is non functioning and corrupt like other regimes in the region that does not produce an environment of less extremist violence. If the Palestinians are unwilling to support a leadership regime that is based on reality and state building as opposed to genocide and complete victory, then a two state solution could be palatable by sane parties.
The bias in these videos shines through more and more every week. It’s honestly been quite a shock to me that Niall can be so intellectually naive or dishonest, hard to tell which one, when I had previously seen him as a beacon for academic integrity in history. Niall is literally in Jerusalem while filming this, likely as a guest of the Israeli government and Dan has written two books glorifying the state of Israel, the bias is deafening. How can there be an intellectual conversation when only one perspective is represented. They are so stuck in their lanes of good and evil, hamas russia evil, Israel ukraine good guys, that they have forgetten that all conflicts are a matter of perspective. No comment on the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the slaughter of civilians, a place where there is no hamas. No comment on how Israel is purposely baiting children and medical personnel to kill them, no comment on why Palestinians voted for Hamas and have been pushed to the point of hatred as a result of 70 years of subjugation. Of course Israel was attacked and they have a right to defend themselves, but to not advocate for the position of the other side is academic dishonesty and demonstrates a lack of nuanced thinking which is crazy to say of someone has highly decorated as Niall. I just hope that it is naivety and not financial incentives. As for Russia, no mention of the wests role in the 2014 coup, no comment on the overt proof that Navalny had direct links with MI6 and CIA, no comment on Navalny’s strong nationalism and hateful rhetoric towards muslims in the caucuses, and no mention that there is still no proof that Putin was responsible, after all what does Putin have to gain from killing him? The people with the most to gain are the people looking to vilify Putin in order to drum up support for a $60 billion bill to fund Ukraine, almost like the news of the Russian nuclear space threat a few days before was also for the same reason? And again of course Putin has killed political enemies before and has done plenty wrong, but the clear bias for one side of the argument doesn’t actually do you any favours and only puts you further in the neocon war hawk party that thinks the west is right in every instance, ironically this exact thinking is why the west is in this mess, too much pride to even bother to think from the other side’s perspective. You can guess from the topics discussed exactly what view point the guest are going to have, that’s not an intellectual conversation that is dogmatism. In saying all this it is actually quite illuminating listening to these videos, you gain a perspective into the dominant ideology of the west and can pinpoint why we have ended up where we are. Interested to hear any comments on this view.
A few points. 1. Hamas does exist in the West Bank, it's just the PLO keeps them under control by force. 2. This isn't a debate channel, it's a conservative think tank. When you say "advocate for the other side", there is no way to justify what Hamas did. How would the argument go? "Yeah, I know Hamas raped women, murdered kids in front of their parents, and are generally anti-Semitic.. but it's somehow Israel's fault?" Even though Israel has a right to defend itself.. too many civilians are dying for my taste? It's a urban war against an asymmetric force brother. These guys are serious guys with reputations to uphold man. Emotionally based arguments do not go far in conservative circles. Also.. to the Neocon point.. this has been addressed multiple times on the show.. none of these guys are Neocons. Condaleza herself represents the Neocons in this institution. The argument for military engagement is pretty simple, a world with a large single strong alliance is a more peaceful world. By walking away from Ukraine, we are sending a signal to our allies that we are unreliable. If the allies start to hedge their bets, they will rebuild their militaries, and then the world will re-organize into new factions. It wont' be a better world for the USA.. that is 100% certain. It will be a lot better for Iran, China and Russia. Germany will break away and become a great power again. Japan too. All will make their own nuclear weapons. Sound like a better place to you?
It's pretty clear Israel has created a massive problem for itself by having a huge population of stateless, disenfranchised and poorly treated people within its de facto borders. Keeping Palestinians in this situation is not good for Israeli security.
good question! - Bias is when you frame a particular scenario as obvious because to you the analysis is obvious. For example, assuming that Putin killed Navalny because you see Putin as evil, and then talking about the implications of Navalny's death as if that assumption were true without any care to even address the opposing side is bias. An opinion differs from bias as an opinion takes into account the particular viewpoint of the observer. If Niall had stated that the evidence is currently inconclusive because Navalny only died this week, and then laid out what his opinion is on his death based on his own pre-existing assumptions then I would not have a problem with it. When you listen to the conversation though you can spot multiple axioms that are built into the conversation, such as Hamas are evil, Putin is the devil, America is being irresponsible not continuing the wars, and Ukraine is the good guy and the West's responsibility. These positions are never challenged and are held to be self-evident, which means the entire frame of the conversation is biased as only one perspective is considered and discussed. They will have opinions within the framing of the scenario, eg should Israel attack Hezbollah, but the presuppositions that create the framing are not challenged. This is obviously quite nuanced and not necessary for all conversations, but in this case, when the people are renowned for being intellectuals with authority on these issues it is very important. Many people will watch these videos and not realise there are alternative views with evidence to corroborate them such as the West's role in starting the Ukraine conflict. I believe that people with authority on these issues should be intellectually honest and interact with multiple perspectives when analysing, especially when considering the high importance these issues currently carry. I would love to hear if you agree or disagree with this take, and if you have read all of this, gold star for you!! :)@@nuqwestr
This is a very useful podcast, not least for showcasing right wing foreign policy experts and hawks confronting the prospect of a Trump presidency. They know he'll do what he perceives is best for Trump and that, if that means dumping Ukraine, he'll do it and yet they scratch around for excuses. 'The next Trump administration won't necessarily be isolationist. The last one wasn't.' was the best that the usually compelling Ferguson could come up with. Dan Senor basically shrugged his shoulders and said, in effect, 'fingers crossed'. That's not good enough. Show some spine boys and denounce Trump.
John's comment about Navalny's courage "not being seen since Christian martyrs of the 3rd century" ignores the tremendous courage of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who in June 1939 left the safety of the U.S. to return to Nazi Germany. Bonhoeffer was arrested on April 5, 1943 and executed April 9, 1945. It would be particularly galling to Putin to compare his actions against Navalny to the actions of Hitler, as there is no one a Communist hates more than a Nazi. It must be because Nazis are serious competitors as Teacher's Pet to the Devil in Hell.
John Adams has to be no lower than third. Forget his politics and policies, the fact that he was the first person in history (as far as I have been able to discover) who was in power, wished to remain in power, yet abided by the results of an election won by his most bitter rival, and stepped down willingly.
Saying Israel can do nothing about Ukraine shows lack of leadership. Bibi could have and still can side with Ukraine and the conflict would end sooner.
it boggles my mind that not one of them can admit that getting the heck out of Afghanistan was a great move. a place we never should have been that had zero upside for us. and give credit to biden for being the one out of 4! presidents to get that done finally.
John, the majority of people against a to Ukraine couldn’t find a geographic spot outside of their own state, let alone outside of the United States. They have no interest, no desire, no concept of what happens in the world.
Disagree. Americans have a right to oppose $50B/yr in aid to a country that we have no vital interests in. Ukraine is not in NATO and until 2022 they were best known for being the 2nd most corrupt country in the region. But now, each household is required to pony up $400 annually? p.s., I know where Ukraine is on the map.
@@JB-ti7blThey certainly have a right to oppose it, and I have no doubt they know very well what Ukraine is. The thing I cannot get my head around is how it's not worth 400 bucks to take the Russian military off the board? You do realize, all around the world our Allies are considering us unreliable, and are looking to China. I don't see how a world dominated by China is in your interest.
Given all the Western protests and demands to desist, it is a wonder that Israel is talking back to them , the West ! They should not be saying anything about what they intend to do !
Navalny probably didn't expect to become a martyr because he expected Russians to be more supportive, e.g. to react with more outrage to the exposés about the attempted novichok assassination and Putin's palace. Russians reacted with curiosity and envy, but not outrage.
Very good episode but I, being originally from USSR, can't help wondering why you keep naming Putin regime as fascist instead of communist. Probably because fascism is taken by the West much harsher than communism while I think the communism is worse despite my jewishness.
What are these meetings Ferguson and Senor have with Israeli officials? Both seem to be relaying what those officials said completely uncritically. Do you guys really believe IDF can eliminate Hamas, or is eliminating Hamas a coded reference to the expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza?
What a brilliant and well-balanced discussion. OF COURSE, Palestinians should NEVER have their own airport!!! OFCOURSE, Palestinians should never have any of their own military and of course the idea of Palestinian "sovereignty" must ALWAYS be understood in these ways. It's not as if they were actual humans!!! So ungrateful are the Palestinians (who of course don't really exist, since o one lived in Palestine before the mandate) after everything the Zionists have done for them!! A land without a peopl, for a people without a land!
Another great discussion! It's laughable to think that any American group of political scientists would even allow someone to join who is not fully leftist progressive and who can pass a pronoun test. LOL
"To be an enemy of the US is dangerous to be an a friend is fatal" Henry Kissinger. If this is the end result of the unipolar world is it any wonder the Pax Americana is crumbling.
"Word should be gotten to Nixon that if Thieu meets the same fate as Diem, the word will go out to the nations of the world that it may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal." - Kissinger Without that narrow context, the quote is wildly misunderstood.
This is some what of dishonest conversation without the acknowledgment of Israeli war crimes and disregard to civilian casualties.. unbelievable. I lost some respect and for this groups
I love you guys and usually give you the benefit of the doubt. But this particular conversation is biased and is strategically harmful to both US and Israeli interest in the long run.
Looking at the white paper for the presidential rankings, the Democrat ranking for Donald Trump for Table 3: Presidential Greatness Ratings by Party and Ideology is the number of the mark of the beast...
12:46 "I don't know what that means." No one does. That's how you have to act as President. As much information as you have, there's always more information. Which means by definition every decision you make leaves a certain amount of detail up in the air. But bold leadership IS needed.
I normally have respect for Ferguson but he is totally unhinged when it comes to Putin. Thank God we have people like Tucker Carlson who can keep their sanity on these issues. Ferguson says Putin is Hitler, he's Stalin, he's going to match on Paris if the neo-Nazi's of Ukraine don't win. I had to turn it off, I'm sick of listening to these warmongers like Ferguson & their unhinged paranoia over Putin.
This is a great service you provide. Very thoughtful and informed insight as always. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find intelligent and articulate sources of information in the US that aren’t dripping with propaganda from one side of the political spectrum or the other. So, I always look forward to these episodes.
Exactly this type of idiots will bring Israel's future into deep trouble. 😂😜🤦♀️🤷♂️
So refreshing to hear intelligent, courageous people
This broadcast is amazing. Wish it was longer.
John's comment about whether we parents trust our government to take our children to war is spot on. Just look at the recruiting struggles of our armed forces.
But I think that has more to do with the children than the parents.
@@smithb0134 Yeah !
Trump told them that the heroes who defend our country are suckers. Who would want to join US forces under such leadership?
Ask war criminals Bush and Cheney.
I am a 77 yr. Old Vietnam Veteran. I joined the USAF at 18 years of age, and ended up in SEA in 66-67 during Rolling Thunder. We, (The USA) dropped over 850,000 tons of bombs on the north. We lost 56,600 young men in that conflict that was started on a false premise. I went to college after service and studied the history of Vietnam. It was absolutely insane that we went to war in that country. They had been brutalized by the French, and the Japanese for years. Ho Chi Minh was their George Washington. He adopted the US Constitution Verbatim. There was no Internet back then, we were the children of the heroes that won WW2, and we trusted our government. I have never trusted them again, about anything. The scumbags we send to Washington are all about money. Money they get from the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. That's all we make here in the US, War Materials. Eisenhower warned us, we did not listen.
it is so refreshing to see such a deep detailed and thorough analysis instead of mainstream media bs.
Awesome as usual! Thank you, gents!
I'm a great fan of GoodFellows and think this episode has to be one of the best.
Extremely insightful discussion of the political and military minutiae from your guest - will definitely hop onto his podcast. I hope this is replicated in the future. Goodfellows is excellent by default, but this episode goes beyond even that.
As a South African who lived through apartheid, I’m fascinated with the notion of the “brutal Afrikaner”. Kudos to John who pointed out that they didn’t kill Mandela. What is going on in Russia makes apartheid look like a welfare organisation. The Christian, and more specifically the Huguenot heritage of Afrikaner nationalism is infinitely preferable (albeit deeply flawed) to the brutality of Russia’s leadership and corruption. Never forget that the deKlerk government negotiated themselves out of power and gave up a far more viable state for what we have to day - hapless and corrupt socialism
Imagine being a young guy, without a proper job, without a home, without education and without a family, if they are asked to die in a war, what do you think the answer will be? This is very clear to me.
Note to self. Do not invite a podcast host onto a panel “discussion”. Dan’s ability to talk without interruption is next level. Good grief.
Another great discussion guys. Please keep up the great work. Looking forward to Niall's observations after being in Ukraine and Israel this year.
Excellent discussion.
Oh. That recording. In a time sorely lacking in heroes - Navalny took my breath away with that final scolding look.
A supremly brave man. He could have stayed in the West and just 'harped from the sidelines' !
Absolutely chilling and powerful.
And then wise men in clipped Scottish tones get to adjudicate on the man’s miscalculation.
You guys are 🤡
What exactly would a defeat of Russia, and a victory of Ukraine look like? These are sweet words with no probability of actualization.
It would look like Europe pulling it’s individual and collective finger out. It would look like a $50 trillion, population 0.5 billion collection of civilised countries confronting the sickly and dangerous asiatic despotism with the certainty that it will not win. It would look something like Gulf Wars 1 and 2. It would look like sending ALL the Cold War weapons where they are needed, to the people that need them NOW. The probability of its actualisation , the costliness of its actualisation in money, bloodshed and misery grows the longer this goes on and the more success Russia has. Putin will not stop and neither will Poland. Wishing this away with notions of appeasement will encourage more of the same.
Israel has to be the #1 priority for every patriotic American!
I do not agree with the hysteria over Tucker interviewing Putin.
Assange anyone?
I like the podcast, but I often get the feeling that these gents don't understand their GOP doesn't exist anymore. Not passing the international aid bill was not "complex politics", it was wild incompetence.
no they are out of touch or in denial or willfully denying reality.
+1
Conservatives such as those gentlemen unfortunately have nothing in common with GOP of today. Authoritarian-populistic right is the enemy of today.
Yes, the Republican party has become the American independence party of George Wallace in 1968. The white Christian nationalist party. The Republican party probably left me when John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, and thus began the GOP sidetrack into stupidity, populism and culture wars.
I agree with your point, but I listen to them because I’m an old white guy, too, & I fondly remember the good old days when the republican party actually went to the trouble of *acting as if* they actually had a well reasoned platform!😊
Incompetence? Or plain alliance with autocrat
Putin?
Love this show!
Russia seems culturally unable of democratising. Individual Russians, like everyone else, will act democratically in a democratic country, but the culture of that country seems intractably given to despotism. Of greater interest is how democracies can die. Western countries are losing confidence in democracy because our educators don’t lead children to see that all the great achievements of our civilisation vastly outweigh its faults and mistakes. Instead, they focus only on the latter and even greatly exaggerate them.
I don't think that's true. If anything the guys doing all the "woke" ideology stuff are even more committed to democracy, they vote in very high percentages. They are just so ideologically captured by social media, that they can become authoritarian without realizing that they are doing it.
This group is anything but objective in their discussion of events in the Mid-East. The price of staying employed.
So, why don't you shine the light on what is the objective truth of the events in the Mid-East? I wonder how many would agree with a vague comment insulting your take on it.
A dog could pee on a tree and the current generation would be arguing about what actually occurred even as it crapped on their foot yet not notice.
Ok adolf
And who is? Everyone thinks a discussion that better agrees with his own bias is more objective.
Neocon group think.
Palestinians are modern day Nazis, through and through
Fantastic as always, Fellows! 👍
Great dialogue!!!!!! Love it, as always.
Another Great discussion. Thank you
You guys need to be on WAY more often!!!
25:50 I don't think Cochrane gets the reason why Egypt is desperately trying to keep Palestinian civilians out. It's not to increase their suffering, but because every Arab state knows that if the Palestinians are forced out of Gaza, they will never be allowed to return. It's that simple. They all fear a second Nakba. And given the Israeli government ministers' statements of wanting to both settle Gaza, and scatter the Palestinian inhabitans across the world (I believe Netanyahu wanted Western countries to take 30k each), then its not an unreasonable fear.
I would have left out the senior advisor to Bremmer in Iraq thing in my bio 🙂
The president who stepped down voluntarily after two terms, initiating the tradition, was ranked *below* the first president to overstay two terms, initiating the Constitutional amendment to codify it?
Prof. Steve Kotkin should be the one to interview Putin.
It amazes me how fast American intellectuals evaporate when it comes to Jews and Israel.
Thanks for this! May you also share a tribute for Gonzalo Lira
Marvellous again
Terrific conversation
my faves!!!!! God bless you all
A very pro Israeli podcast.
I wish Conservative commentary on the Middle East wasnt always so heavily slanted toward the Israeli perspective. On the Left you at least get some moderate Zionist takes but it seems like on our side of things you never get a more pro-Palestine view of the situation. Its always just pro Israel stuff which is a shame because an actual discussion on this topic is important.
Conservatives understand that people that kill kids at a music festivals, and are openly anti-Semitic, are not people to truck with. Conservatives believe in objective morality. Leftists, by their nature, have to resort to moral relativism, as they fundamentally believe that taking want you want from others is OK if you need it enough. So when conservatives see civilians dying in war they understand that Israel did not start this war, did not want this war.. but has to finish this war, even if it costs innocent lives. Leftists think "only 200 kids died at that music festival, so it's not right that 10,000 Palestinians should die.. Israel is bad". Conservatives will never think like that.
Show me a trusted judicial democracy in the region, and I'll have that conversation. Jordan still has a medieval King? Turkey and the UAE are backing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia, and take a look at Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Conversation? With whom?
16:18 Syrian red-line crisis needs MUCH more discussion by serious people. We need to know what led to that, why it happened, how it can be fixed, and how to properly implement fixes to make sure mistakes like that don't happen in the future.
Obama’s attempted CIA regime change in Syria. (CIA Operation “Timber Sycamore” 2012-2017)
I have been a long time follower of Good Fellows and learned a great deal from your group and guests. That said, I was disappointed in this episode. I watched the full interview with Tucker Carlson and Putin. I felt that Tucker did what a good journalist does- he presented an important interview, asked questions, and let Putin speak. I have heard that he should have been more confrontational, asked harder questions, etc., etc. I believe if he had pushed too hard, Putin would have ended the interview, or worse. I thought Putin showed his colors quite nicely. Tucker was roundly criticized for his visits to Moscow areas and even more so for his apparent admiration for the cleanliness, appearance, safety, and so on of the city. His comments in Dubai were also demonized. If you take a moment to listen to his interview with Glenn Beck, you might come away with a different opinion. Tucker is justifiable angry (as am I and millions of my fellow citizens) at what our so-called leadership, even going back to before Biden, but especially since, has done to this country, which may never recover. We should not have to have a totalitarian government to have clean, safe cities where the trains run on time. At no time did I feel Tucker was pro-Putin or allowing himself to be taken in. Dan Senor's commentary of Tucker was off base.
I think people in the West have lost sight of the necessity of fighting sometimes. After WWII, the West has engaged primarily in wars of choice. The public has been conditioned to this. History teaches that war is necessary at times. Words like "existential" get tossed around all the time, but in Ukraine and Israel they absolutely apply. I'm no fan of war and not a hawk, but in these cases war pursued to its end is necessary to resolve the problem. It's tragic and involves incredible human suffering and destruction, but it's necessary.
It's ridiculous to think of geopolitics as a place where countries, even friendly countries allied by treaty, "trust" each other. If your country is not indispensable to U.S. interests, then you had better find a way to make your country indispensable.
Yeah but you bet not all countries are the US, so imagine a united ALL, against an isolated USA.
Taiwan not stupid.
The Westphalian Peace, a concept and structure which predates the USA.
Can someone please interview Bill?
I wish COL Doug McGregor could jump in and give his military perspective. We have tremendous problems here at home. Please wake up.
killing innocent people in rafah is "ugly, but necessary". love the pod but this episode is so comically bad. so we all agree that the justifications by hamas for killing innocent jews as necessary to bring about a palastenian state is bad, but the killing of innocent palastenians is not?!
you know it was the elites of nazi germany who were the most adamant about the wiping out jews to bring about a perfect german state. that's all i'll say
It's totally disgusting the natural way that they justify the genocide. 🤮
And it's also impressive how short-sighted they are. Israel has already lost. The world is seeing the insanity of their current leaders, the propaganda machine, etc. Israel will soon become a pariah state.
Hamas leadership is on record calling for civilians to be killed as "necessary", not comical at all but material fact.
Why, why, why, did this group dodge the Trump comment on NATO states and Russia. I understand they float above such trivial things, but normal people need a bit of attention to such statements. Even a comment like , "well it worked because see how Europe is rattled and talking about spending more in the last few days". But completely avoiding it seems like one more slip into an American oblivion by people who damm sure know better.
What was Trump's comment?
Russia is not fascist regime. As to Navalny, his popularity dwindled after his derogatory remarks about non Russian ethnic groups, At his best, his popularity reached only 27% of votes. The communist party is the biggest opposition (only 17%) to current regime. Minister S Jaishankar (of India) pointed out the government should be elected not forcefully changed.
All my prayers go to Israel - always,
Sorry to pop Niall's bubble but he has it backwards when he says that all the current crises are connected and they all need to be dealt with hawkishly simultaneously.
It's precisely because they're all connected and the biggest one of them that's yet to unfold in East Asia, US should preserve its strength and keep some powder dry by picking and choosing where to engage and settling the rest.
Failure to pe pragmatic here could result in an abrupt and unfortunate end of the Pax Americana that he so passionately reveres.
John Cochran just unabashedly doesn’t understand anything about human beings, and I kinda like watching it 😂
this didn't age well for Niall. As far as Navalny goes, have a look at what some of his detractors have to say about him, open your eyes ffs.
If only Americans had the option not to support Israel.
And we'd still support them.
Very little Netanyahu has done could be characterized as self defense…War crimes in real time.
@OHOONO... If the Arabs put down their weapons today there would be no more violence ...
If the Jews put down their weapons today there would be no more Israel ... Golda Meir ...
AIPAC should be required to register under FARA.
Amazing
Actually I think Tucker’s interview was not all that bad, in the sense that it helps people understanding what Putin is thinking and perhaps some of his mindset. I know some ppl not quite capable of critical thinking may fall into Putin’s stories, but I would rather to have someone making videos debunking Putin’s stories rather than Putin not saying his stories.
Some ppl think Tucker “slide” with Putin because Putin is against woke. Perhaps there’s some truth in it. But blimey, can ppl ever learn from history? Is Stalin good? He is horrible. He was ally of US in WWII. If Tucker really did it for woke war, it’s he should USE Putin (I doubt if Putin can help fighting against the woke war in US tho lol), but not he is being used by Putin 😂
Navalny is a martyr now. R.I.P.
A US or Russian one?
Niall Ferguson is a likeable man, but he's doing too many podcasts - it's really beginning to show.
Don’t hold your breath about Tucker Carlson apologizing
Ukraine does NOT want the US to fight in their country!! You got that totally wrong!
Please get John Mearsheimer on for a more balanced discussion.
Without a two-state solution, they are going for a military solution only. Is this really purely a military problem?
Nope. I don't know why others cannot see that.
Of course it isn't purely a military problem. I don't think anyone honestly thinks that. But a two-state solution is untenable, for all the reasons outlined in this discussion.
A two state solution is not possible. The Palestinians clearly don’t want two states. They want one, a Palestinian state. No Israel. So yes, until the Palestinians have a complete change of mindset, military suppression by Israel of these Palestinian areas is the only solution.
@@bsmithhammer They made clear that the Israelis are not currently interested in a two-state solution, not that one is inherently untenable. If the Israelis can't replace Hamas government with another that is seen as legitimate and doesn't support terror, then they will get more terror. Israel doesn't seem to have any plan for post-Hamas governance. Any plan that is not leading to a Palestinian state will mean Hamas never dies or Hamas is replaced by another terror organization. The video argues that Israel should be able to finish the war by destroying Hamas even if this results any many civilians dying...but if there is no political solution to follow up Hamas's destruction, then those civilians died for quite little. Should U.S. tax payers support a country that is willing to kill thousands of Palestinian civilians but not wiling to make the compromises necessary to continue giving a two-state solution a chance?
@lonecandle5786 I think we have fundamental differences in expectations for what a “Palestinian state” would represent. Your presumption of a two state solution that benefits the Palestinian people, I don’t. If the “Palestinian state” created is non functioning and corrupt like other regimes in the region that does not produce an environment of less extremist violence. If the Palestinians are unwilling to support a leadership regime that is based on reality and state building as opposed to genocide and complete victory, then a two state solution could be palatable by sane parties.
The bias in these videos shines through more and more every week. It’s honestly been quite a shock to me that Niall can be so intellectually naive or dishonest, hard to tell which one, when I had previously seen him as a beacon for academic integrity in history. Niall is literally in Jerusalem while filming this, likely as a guest of the Israeli government and Dan has written two books glorifying the state of Israel, the bias is deafening. How can there be an intellectual conversation when only one perspective is represented. They are so stuck in their lanes of good and evil, hamas russia evil, Israel ukraine good guys, that they have forgetten that all conflicts are a matter of perspective. No comment on the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the slaughter of civilians, a place where there is no hamas. No comment on how Israel is purposely baiting children and medical personnel to kill them, no comment on why Palestinians voted for Hamas and have been pushed to the point of hatred as a result of 70 years of subjugation. Of course Israel was attacked and they have a right to defend themselves, but to not advocate for the position of the other side is academic dishonesty and demonstrates a lack of nuanced thinking which is crazy to say of someone has highly decorated as Niall. I just hope that it is naivety and not financial incentives. As for Russia, no mention of the wests role in the 2014 coup, no comment on the overt proof that Navalny had direct links with MI6 and CIA, no comment on Navalny’s strong nationalism and hateful rhetoric towards muslims in the caucuses, and no mention that there is still no proof that Putin was responsible, after all what does Putin have to gain from killing him? The people with the most to gain are the people looking to vilify Putin in order to drum up support for a $60 billion bill to fund Ukraine, almost like the news of the Russian nuclear space threat a few days before was also for the same reason? And again of course Putin has killed political enemies before and has done plenty wrong, but the clear bias for one side of the argument doesn’t actually do you any favours and only puts you further in the neocon war hawk party that thinks the west is right in every instance, ironically this exact thinking is why the west is in this mess, too much pride to even bother to think from the other side’s perspective. You can guess from the topics discussed exactly what view point the guest are going to have, that’s not an intellectual conversation that is dogmatism. In saying all this it is actually quite illuminating listening to these videos, you gain a perspective into the dominant ideology of the west and can pinpoint why we have ended up where we are. Interested to hear any comments on this view.
A few points. 1. Hamas does exist in the West Bank, it's just the PLO keeps them under control by force. 2. This isn't a debate channel, it's a conservative think tank. When you say "advocate for the other side", there is no way to justify what Hamas did.
How would the argument go? "Yeah, I know Hamas raped women, murdered kids in front of their parents, and are generally anti-Semitic.. but it's somehow Israel's fault?" Even though Israel has a right to defend itself.. too many civilians are dying for my taste? It's a urban war against an asymmetric force brother. These guys are serious guys with reputations to uphold man. Emotionally based arguments do not go far in conservative circles.
Also.. to the Neocon point.. this has been addressed multiple times on the show.. none of these guys are Neocons. Condaleza herself represents the Neocons in this institution.
The argument for military engagement is pretty simple, a world with a large single strong alliance is a more peaceful world. By walking away from Ukraine, we are sending a signal to our allies that we are unreliable. If the allies start to hedge their bets, they will rebuild their militaries, and then the world will re-organize into new factions. It wont' be a better world for the USA.. that is 100% certain. It will be a lot better for Iran, China and Russia. Germany will break away and become a great power again. Japan too. All will make their own nuclear weapons. Sound like a better place to you?
What's the difference between bias and opinion?
It's pretty clear Israel has created a massive problem for itself by having a huge population of stateless, disenfranchised and poorly treated people within its de facto borders.
Keeping Palestinians in this situation is not good for Israeli security.
good question! - Bias is when you frame a particular scenario as obvious because to you the analysis is obvious. For example, assuming that Putin killed Navalny because you see Putin as evil, and then talking about the implications of Navalny's death as if that assumption were true without any care to even address the opposing side is bias. An opinion differs from bias as an opinion takes into account the particular viewpoint of the observer. If Niall had stated that the evidence is currently inconclusive because Navalny only died this week, and then laid out what his opinion is on his death based on his own pre-existing assumptions then I would not have a problem with it. When you listen to the conversation though you can spot multiple axioms that are built into the conversation, such as Hamas are evil, Putin is the devil, America is being irresponsible not continuing the wars, and Ukraine is the good guy and the West's responsibility. These positions are never challenged and are held to be self-evident, which means the entire frame of the conversation is biased as only one perspective is considered and discussed. They will have opinions within the framing of the scenario, eg should Israel attack Hezbollah, but the presuppositions that create the framing are not challenged. This is obviously quite nuanced and not necessary for all conversations, but in this case, when the people are renowned for being intellectuals with authority on these issues it is very important. Many people will watch these videos and not realise there are alternative views with evidence to corroborate them such as the West's role in starting the Ukraine conflict. I believe that people with authority on these issues should be intellectually honest and interact with multiple perspectives when analysing, especially when considering the high importance these issues currently carry. I would love to hear if you agree or disagree with this take, and if you have read all of this, gold star for you!! :)@@nuqwestr
Thoroughly enjoyed this, went by fast!
This is a very useful podcast, not least for showcasing right wing foreign policy experts and hawks confronting the prospect of a Trump presidency. They know he'll do what he perceives is best for Trump and that, if that means dumping Ukraine, he'll do it and yet they scratch around for excuses. 'The next Trump administration won't necessarily be isolationist. The last one wasn't.' was the best that the usually compelling Ferguson could come up with. Dan Senor basically shrugged his shoulders and said, in effect, 'fingers crossed'. That's not good enough. Show some spine boys and denounce Trump.
John's comment about Navalny's courage "not being seen since Christian martyrs of the 3rd century" ignores the tremendous courage of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who in June 1939 left the safety of the U.S. to return to Nazi Germany. Bonhoeffer was arrested on April 5, 1943 and executed April 9, 1945. It would be particularly galling to Putin to compare his actions against Navalny to the actions of Hitler, as there is no one a Communist hates more than a Nazi. It must be because Nazis are serious competitors as Teacher's Pet to the Devil in Hell.
John Adams has to be no lower than third. Forget his politics and policies, the fact that he was the first person in history (as far as I have been able to discover) who was in power, wished to remain in power, yet abided by the results of an election won by his most bitter rival, and stepped down willingly.
Does anyone know similar podcast like this one?? I am trying to find other podcasts for daily news
Saying Israel can do nothing about Ukraine shows lack of leadership. Bibi could have and still can side with Ukraine and the conflict would end sooner.
it boggles my mind that not one of them can admit that getting the heck out of Afghanistan was a great move. a place we never should have been that had zero upside for us. and give credit to biden for being the one out of 4! presidents to get that done finally.
John, the majority of people against a to Ukraine couldn’t find a geographic spot outside of their own state, let alone outside of the United States. They have no interest, no desire, no concept of what happens in the world.
Against a what to Ukraine?
Disagree. Americans have a right to oppose $50B/yr in aid to a country that we have no vital interests in. Ukraine is not in NATO and until 2022 they were best known for being the 2nd most corrupt country in the region. But now, each household is required to pony up $400 annually?
p.s., I know where Ukraine is on the map.
@@JB-ti7blThey certainly have a right to oppose it, and I have no doubt they know very well what Ukraine is. The thing I cannot get my head around is how it's not worth 400 bucks to take the Russian military off the board? You do realize, all around the world our Allies are considering us unreliable, and are looking to China. I don't see how a world dominated by China is in your interest.
Given all the Western protests and demands to desist, it is a wonder that Israel is talking back to them , the West !
They should not be saying anything about what they intend to do !
US complicity in Netanyahu’s Collective Punishment.
H.R. McMaster, we are desperate, with all the international and fiscal challenges in front of us. Please run for president. Please lead America.
I'm hearing an awful lot of neocon warhawking.
Your typing a lot of ignorant chickendovd surrendering.
No. Your hearing a lot of honest RealPolitik.
the glazing of Isreal is crazy
Hello. Glazing?
@@victorkowalski8237Perhaps he means what Neil described as a “united” Israel. I’m not entirely sure what he means though- just spitballing.
term for complimenting to an extreme point. Kind of sycophantic but without an intentional ulterior motive, more so blind belief @@victorkowalski8237
ask your kids@@victorkowalski8237
FDR is incredibly overrated
Worst President on civil rights and liberties in history! See the new book by David T Beito.
“Brilliant” conversation.
Navalny probably didn't expect to become a martyr because he expected Russians to be more supportive, e.g. to react with more outrage to the exposés about the attempted novichok assassination and Putin's palace. Russians reacted with curiosity and envy, but not outrage.
Very good episode but I, being originally from USSR, can't help wondering why you keep naming Putin regime as fascist instead of communist. Probably because fascism is taken by the West much harsher than communism while I think the communism is worse despite my jewishness.
What are these meetings Ferguson and Senor have with Israeli officials? Both seem to be relaying what those officials said completely uncritically. Do you guys really believe IDF can eliminate Hamas, or is eliminating Hamas a coded reference to the expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza?
What a brilliant and well-balanced discussion. OF COURSE, Palestinians should NEVER have their own airport!!! OFCOURSE, Palestinians should never have any of their own military and of course the idea of Palestinian "sovereignty" must ALWAYS be understood in these ways. It's not as if they were actual humans!!! So ungrateful are the Palestinians (who of course don't really exist, since o one lived in Palestine before the mandate) after everything the Zionists have done for them!! A land without a peopl, for a people without a land!
Great comment on F. Carlson by Niall !
I see what you did there
Navalny did a stupid thing. He sacrificed himself.
Tucker would get away with owning it. But he was made a fool.
Dear old Vladdy... fighting against Nazism in Ukraine and for Nazism in Palestine. 😮
Truman? Recognizing Israel? Seems like a never ending blunder.
Another great discussion! It's laughable to think that any American group of political scientists would even allow someone to join who is not fully leftist progressive and who can pass a pronoun test. LOL
And how is this right wing crowd any better? Where are the leftist progressives whom they are engaging with?
"To be an enemy of the US is dangerous to be an a friend is fatal" Henry Kissinger. If this is the end result of the unipolar world is it any wonder the Pax Americana is crumbling.
Funny citation and with a grain of truth, ask the guys from south Vietnam... Still I prefer the US as an ally every day of the week.
"Word should be gotten to Nixon that if Thieu meets the same fate as Diem, the word will go out to the nations of the world that it may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal." - Kissinger
Without that narrow context, the quote is wildly misunderstood.
Do Raffa in.
Hoover censoring comments, again, weak.
This is some what of dishonest conversation without the acknowledgment of Israeli war crimes and disregard to civilian casualties.. unbelievable. I lost some respect and for this groups
Very little of what Netanyahu has done could be characterized as self defense. War crimes in real time.
Agreed. Lives don’t matter unless they’re European
I love you guys and usually give you the benefit of the doubt. But this particular conversation is biased and is strategically harmful to both US and Israeli interest in the long run.
And…? Your reasons? For example?
Looking at the white paper for the presidential rankings, the Democrat ranking for Donald Trump for Table 3: Presidential Greatness Ratings by Party and Ideology is the number of the mark of the beast...
Whining about mainstream media was boring, otherwise, downright exquisite. Dan was composed and interesting. Health and wellness to all
Bring HR back, not a fan of the loudmouth big ego guest.
They do a pretty good job pretending to be brave then fail to even comment on Trumps ranking 😂
13:09 I think you'll find there aren't many economists in Gaza.
Oh, really? According to Aristotle, home economics is the core of economics. Do you maintain there isn’t home economics in Gaza?
However, there is a billionaire in the West Bank. Bashar al-Masri
And to think Trump compares himself to Navalny…
12:46 "I don't know what that means." No one does. That's how you have to act as President. As much information as you have, there's always more information. Which means by definition every decision you make leaves a certain amount of detail up in the air. But bold leadership IS needed.
Question for Niel:
who is on this Trump National Security bench shortlist. Some names here would be great to see.
I normally have respect for Ferguson but he is totally unhinged when it comes to Putin. Thank God we have people like Tucker Carlson who can keep their sanity on these issues. Ferguson says Putin is Hitler, he's Stalin, he's going to match on Paris if the neo-Nazi's of Ukraine don't win. I had to turn it off, I'm sick of listening to these warmongers like Ferguson & their unhinged paranoia over Putin.
Munich insecurity conference 🤪
from the other side this conversation looks like some tribal leaders discussing how one can be more brutal to settle scores..!!!
Ukraine should follow Israel's path to freedom
Ukraine simply doesn't have 75 years to constantly guilt-trip the West into giving them everything they want.