War Aims and Their Feasibility

War Aims and Their Feasibility

Author: Tablet Studios March 2, 2026 Duration: 1:28:35
Are the American and Israeli war aims the same? Regime change may turn out to be an ambiguous definition. Mike and Gadi assess the different scenarios which may fall under that phrase, and consider which ones events – and Trump – may end up imposing.

For a clear-eyed analysis of the ongoing conflict, turn to Israel Update. This podcast from Tablet Studios moves beyond the headlines, offering depth and context often missing from daily news cycles. Hosted by Israeli historian and political commentator Gadi Taub alongside Michael Doran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington D.C., each episode provides a crucial dual perspective. Listeners get Taub's on-the-ground understanding of Israeli society and politics paired with Doran's expertise in U.S. foreign policy and Middle East strategy. The conversation is direct and informed, dissecting military developments, geopolitical shifts, and the historical underpinnings of current events. This isn't just a recap; it's a nuanced dialogue between two deeply knowledgeable voices, unpacking the war's complexities for an international audience. You'll hear detailed assessments of battlefield realities, the political calculations in Jerusalem and Washington, and the broader regional implications. The podcast serves as an essential resource for anyone seeking to comprehend the layers of this conflict, combining immediate news with strategic insight. It’s a forum for serious discussion, free from soundbites, dedicated to explaining not just what is happening, but why it matters. Tune in for a consistently substantive and authoritative take on one of the world's most critical situations.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 90

Israel Update
Podcast Episodes
The New Battlefield: Star Wars Vs. Mad Max [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:48
Israel put its faith in building a small, Star Wars style, technological army. But that army was defeated on Oct. 7, by a Mad Max ragtag band of terrorists. Mike and Gadi discuss the failure of the IDF to adapt to this n…
The Truth Behind The Hostage Negotiations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:12
The international media – like much of the Never-Bibi Israeli media – told you a story about Hamas greenlighting a hostage deal, only to have their new position met with an Israeli incursion into Rafah. What actually hap…
Maximum Pressure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:19
The Biden administration is pressing for an end to the war in a hostage deal, while working to topple Benjamin Netanyahu's government. It has many allies and tools in this effort: the threat to sanction an IDF unit, the…
Iran Just Changed the Rules of the Mid-East Game—Successfully [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:09
Though Iran's attack was almost wholly intercepted, by the combined Israeli-American efforts, this was no victory over Iran. Mike explains why a defensive strategy can never defeat an offensive dominant one. Then there i…
Withdrawal from Gaza—What to Expect Next? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:54
Last Thursday, President Biden had a very tense conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, demanding among other things, that the Israelis provide more humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, and take concrete steps to ach…
Is Netanyahu's Life in Danger? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
The protest against Netanyahu is reaching a dangerous new level of violence, with a recent attempt to break through the barriers protecting his family’s private residence. Ronen Bar, the director of Israel’s security ser…
Is the U.S. Stabbing Israel in the Back? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:58
The crisis in relations between Washington and Jerusalem intensified this week, when the Biden Administration refrained from vetoing the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ga…
How Chuck Schumer's Speech Backfired [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:36
The ever more explicit attempts by the Democrats to remove Netanyahu from office repeatedly fail. There's a reason for that. Israelis don't like to feel that their bigger stronger ally is trying to dictate to them who wi…
Martyrs: Does the Palestinian Authority Support Terrorism? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:41
After discussing the growing tensions between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, Gadi describes for Mike two research reports in Israel in which Palestinian officials brag about the numbers of their security p…