Fred Kagan

Nadav Eyal, Ark Media contributor and senior analyst focused on Israeli military strategy and regional dynamics. Fred Kagan, director at AEI and former West Point military history professor. They debate military buildup versus diplomacy. They discuss the air campaign, Iran’s regional tactics and Strait of Hormuz leverage. They weigh U.S. ground options, energy-target strategies, and possible endgames.

Fred Kagan, military historian who leads AEI’s Critical Threats Project, and Amit Segal, Israeli journalist and analyst on Iran, discuss reports of roughly 400 kg of 60% enriched uranium buried in Iran. They talk about why 60% enrichment matters. They outline what it would take for U.S. or Israeli forces to recover it. They examine how the stockpile shapes campaigns against Iran, regional attacks, and risks if the regime changes.

Fred Kagan, a senior fellow and director of the Critical Threats Project at AEI, discusses Ukraine’s bold drone strikes on Russian air assets. He highlights the remarkable tactics employed and the implications for modern warfare. The conversation delves into the complexities of nuclear deterrence and the risks of escalation. Kagan also emphasizes the importance of surprise in combat, examining how traditional strategies adapt to high-tech warfare. Ultimately, he critiques the dynamics influencing military strategies and peace negotiations in the ongoing conflict.

Fred Kagan, senior fellow at AEI known for Iran and military strategy, breaks down aerial campaigns and Iran’s shifting strike tactics. He discusses drone versus missile defense challenges and interceptor shortages. He explores lessons from Ukraine on low-cost defenses, Tehran’s weakened domestic position, and how targeting regime organs could reshape the regional order.

Next week we will release the new book by Saul Singer and me: "The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World", which you can order now at: www.amazon.com/Genius-Israel-Small-Nation-Teach/dp/1982115769/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LKV3ZLWLBOL1&keywords=dan+senor&qid=1694402205&sprefix=dan+senor%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1 OR www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-genius-of-israel-dan-senor/1143499668 The speech that I reference in today's episode -- in which I discuss the resilience of Israelis in this moment -- can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WygtNbwf-tk By the time you listen to this episode, we may be witnessing escalation on Israel’s Northern border. Certainly there’s a highly anticipated address by Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah. This will be his first major address since the October 7 War began. If there is major escalation, we will be dropping an emergency episode with Dr. Matthew Levitt, an expert on Hezbollah who was on this podcast last week. Today’s guest is Dr. Fred Kagan, an expert in understanding war theaters – as he tries to help us understand the various battlefields in which Israel is currently fighting or might be fighting in the future. Fred is a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He spent meaningful time in the Middle East informally advising US military commanders. You can find more of Fred’s work at: The Critical Threats Project – https://www.criticalthreats.org/ Institute for the Study of War – https://understandingwar.org/