Life During Wartime: Israel’s Resolve; Can Ukraine Still Win? | GoodFellows

Two conflicts present two challenges: a Ukrainian counteroffensive turned stalemate; and Israel’s survival as it confronts Hamas (and possibly Hezbollah and Iran). Russ Roberts, Hoover’s John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow and president of Jerusalem’s Shalem College, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson. H.R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss Israel’s morale and strategic choices amid a month-long wartime crisis. Then Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of US Army Europe, makes the case for anticipating a positive outcome-Ukraine expelling Russian forces, winning back its land-in a war nearing its 21-month mark.
ABOUT THE SERIES
GoodFellows, a weekly Hoover Institution broadcast, features senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H.R. McMaster discussing the social, economic, and geostrategic ramifications of this changed world. They can’t banter over lunch these days, but they continue their spirited conversation online about what comes next, as we look forward to an end to the crisis.
For more on this series visit, www.hoover.org/goodfellows.

[@peterfryxelius9576]

"Young people get older" as a way of saying the radical youth with change their tune later, is a very optimistic assessment. The same was said of young radical students: "When they get into the workplace, they will change their tune." That did not happen. The people now in their 60s grew up in a Christian society, people today do not. Their mindset will not change.

[@cfc1001001cfc]

This ain't no party. This ain't no disco. This ain't no fooling around.

[@bsmithhammer]

We got computers, we're tappin' phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed...

[@overallgreatidea6433]

Don't lift your ideology from artists, they are by nature and definition overly dramatic

[@paperclip612]

The fact that there is such a generational difference in support for Israel or hamas I think definitely points to what is being taught in schools across the western world. I am constantly shocked at the lack of basic knowledge of history.

[@thewealthofnations4827]

Legend! Cochrane comes through in the clutch!

[@Dreadnought16]

Truly one of the best podcasts on the internet. Thank you so much!!

[@lmfaohmygodisthatanalien5475]

incredible conversations that always make me less, instead of more, stressed and confused about the current situations around the world

[@marianmadela4406]

I never stop being amazed by the level and depth of analysis of this crowd. Truly worth the time listening to it.

[@RN-lo6xc]

Excellent insight - the commentary by H.R. is truly unmatched. Please never stop the GoodFellows episodes 🔝

[@markregulus556]

Draft HR McMaster for prez in 2024!!!

[@Aaronwilliam]

really good bring Russ Roberts on, a very thoughtful man

[@justinflannery8671]

If the grumpy economist was there he would have found some way to reference the Thomas Sowell Basic Economics book on Russ’ shelf. Russ and hodges on the one show, what a treat!

[@drewjackson9723]

Thomas Sowell in the library behind first guest. I trust him.

[@AA80453]

It’s so good to hear from Russ Roberts

[@omacburma]

Another great episode. Thanks GoodFellows!

[@mryouben]

I like Ben

[@irongron]

OH this is great, I am in three star heaven! Two of my favourite American Lieutenant General's on the same panel together. Their tireless advocation for Ukraine, going to bat for everyone here, is much appreciated.

[@overallgreatidea6433]

What I heard was cheerleading for the military-industrial complex. Capabilities, inventory, assets. The question is what policies and failures created the urgent need for replenishing these so-called shortfalls and who are the warpigs sustaining the status quo

[@bsmithhammer]

@@overallgreatidea6433 How do you think this whole thing works? And if, on the other hand, we had been stockpiling massive amounts beyond what we needed, there would be people complaining about that instead. Can't win with the whiners either way.

[@naveedalam3528]

I'm assuming you're being facetious?

[@Wise101]

@@overallgreatidea6433They are generals so they know intimately what weapons are needed to accomplish the missions. If you honestly think that Putin would be persuaded by diplomacy then I have a bridge to sell you. Look at how many former Soviet territories Putin has invaded over the last 20 years. This is Russia’s final push because they know their demographics are collapsing and they won’t be able to defend their enormous country hence why Putin is trying to push westward to more easily defendable geographical points rather than trying to defend an enormous flat open Territory with a shrinking military.

[@rsorgen]

Just love listening to you guys. You're the best!

[@carlbyronrodgers]

Great guest B Hodges.

[@fs5775]

God I love HR, man, so glad a dude like him is on Team America

[@advocate1563]

Sombre moment, well handled by the team.

[@themoonman-4]

Bravo Gentlemen, fantastic episode, Thank you Russ and outstanding as always Ben!

[@tomcullen8367]

Great intelligent discussion on Ukraine, have General Hodges on more often!

[@maryspencer4274]

Lets all give Thanks for our great country as we approach our 250 birthday in less than 3 years

[@simonnilsson5356]

Best moderator and best trio. Please have more military and geo poltical experts on. Would be great to hear for example a (recently) retired UK intelligence leader chime in the Ukraine Russia war.

[@magenta6]

Tuned out when you rolled out Ben Hoidges - Hopium and Copium for the masses.

[@davidlasoff8261]

A real internal pressure will come to deal with Iran and all it's proxies here in Israel where I live as an Israeli and it is simple to understand: The maybe 200,000 internally displaced citizens that basically can't return to the homes even if they want to, such as the 60,000 in the north where the IDF have "temporarily" evacuated entire towns and communities. Are we to accept this as a new status quo? If so, Israel has failed to protect the Jews and have forced Jews to abandon their homes, lands, farms and businesses. Therefore, since this situation is obviously unacceptable, Israel will not stop until they have eliminated the threats of surrounding Iranian proxies and will likely find ways to attack Iran itself when this becomes impossible to keep on ignoring. In fact, there is only one issue now that matters when the next government takes over from all the failures who are disgustingly still in charge because of the state of war and the catastrophic state of the current coalition which must go as soon as possible.

[@geraldashton8589]

Watching in uk. I think this episode was interesting and well balanced. Not gung ho as some comments seem to suggest but realistic.

[@xqt39a]

Ukraine will win ! What world does this group live in? That is crazy talk.

[@BariNapach]

Difference between the two guests the first guest was extremely sober about the situation in despite Israel being much stronger position the second guess trying to boost morale he did not answer the question about the endgame in this horrific war except Ukraine going to win

[@thewealthofnations4827]

Humble, reflective and informed. A fine combination for reason and rational response.

[@andrewk3210]

Also, cranking up military production might not be an easy task for the US. Lockheed management may talk big, but can they deliver? Arizona chip plant is delayed because of labor shortage for example, and that trend will go on if the US chose to decouple from China

[@JudithKlinghoffer]

Shalem University guy would fit well into the American academic world. Now that Israelis are pulling together, they will win just as they won I 1973 If Israel is more vulnerable , it's because the US forced her to return the the territories which provided her with some strategic depth.

[@ActFast]

Love LtGen. Ben Hodges. I wish they would have him on more often.

[@NessieJapan]

We did not "just give them 6 billion dollars." The Iranians did not wait "until that [6 billion dollars] came through". That money has still not "come through". The US and Qatar are jointly blocking the release of those funds. If this is what's passing as sober analysis, I don't have much faith in the rest of the discussion.

[@escapefelicity2913]

Life During Wartime is a Talking Heads song, right?

[@elisolomon8741]

At 56:00 General, with all due respect, was that not giving out just a little too much information on the 155 shell? Surely our enemies dont need to know where that little motor is manufactured. With the southern border the way it is , the chinese might already be on their way. Maybe you can edit this bit out. You know, natioal security and all. Respect from Australia. 🇦🇺🇺🇲

[@andres_campos]

(15:23) The answer to the question is in The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt

[@tigertiger1699]

I’m glum by this here in 🇳🇿… we have have Ukraine win…, it would be completely wrong for Russia win by rolling over another country

[@k.o.hakala2112]

No surprise Niall thinks Israel is in a bad fix. That's what he says about every country, every situation. "It's much worse!" -Ferguson, on everything

[@bsmithhammer]

Is he wrong in this case?

[@bagsjr1]

We have a lot of bad. He's correct.

[@Swift-mr5zi]

He's correct most of the time

[@d0lvl0]

​@@bsmithhammer I think so. Israel is more powerful individually than it has ever been, economically and militarily. Politically, I think they would make incredible allies for virtually anyone (like Russia, China, etc) except those who hate Israel for emotional reasons, like Arabs/Muslims.

[@fs5775]

Brits are always more pessimistic. It's their weather.

[@frankshifreen]

great conversation- Biden needs to take action to supply Ukraine

[@paramsingh8746]

no...Biden needs to look to negotiate a settlement and an end to the war

[@TheVitalover]

I think the issue is that we can't win a war of attrition since we don't have an industrial military complex. We're the Germans they're the Russians.

[@larrybyrne4467]

He is trying. Please contact your Congress Representative

[@bonniespeck]

And who’s going to pay for all of this? The US can’t afford it.

[@bobbinsthethird]

I don't understand where Russ Roberts comes up with that 50* multiplier. The Population of Israel is 9.35 million, and the population of Palestine is 4.92 Million. Does that mean we have to multiply Israeli Casualties by 50, and Palestinian Casualties by 100?

[@reginaldphillips7615]

The resurgence of antisemitism on both the right and the left this past decade had been horrifiying.

[@DISASTERJOE]

ever thought there might be a good reason for that?

[@jkbrown5496]

The Iron Dome is quite amazing. Even more as I recently watched Simon Webb's 'History Debunked' channel about the British army using heavy artillery against the German bombing resulting in tens of thousands of citizens being killed by the British Army. Even with Iron Dome, there is debris that falls, but apparently not so many live rounds with poor timer fuses.

[@shakthidhasan4544]

Russ Abbot is spot on. Niall Ferguson, appeasement with Putin is nutty.

[@user-mc1vi6uc1q]

I would like to lodge a serious complaint against this GoodFellows. Why is this not at least 3 hours long?

[@andrewlm5677]

The world is watching and judging the current actions of Israel and, in large part, are a bunch of hypocrites. Israel has been forced to accept their unstable situation with the Palestinians to be in line with the west’s conception of fairness. This current crisis is a product of the west’s meddling. It is time for Israel to become an autonomous nation that takes control of their own borders and take the actions to ensure their internal security that any other nation would have taken long before now. No nation’s borders are based on fairness and justice - the expectation that this must be a fair outcome for the angry and violent Palestinians is rediculous.

[@blehoo1]

Ukraine - The tools you need to win a war of attrition are population advantage and shell stock advantage. Which side has more? I'm sorry but I don't share the general's optimism for victory unless we get this war mobile. In a war of attrition Russia are the favourites

[@nikostoifberg]

It doesn't matter when exactly Ukraine might be winning or losing. Any decent human being (and country) will just help it win.

[@Semper_Iratus]

Why read dystopian fiction when you can just pay attention?

[@NestNext]

This!

[@schyllic]

Would be interested to see the goodfellows bookshelf

[@steve5nash]

the question is not how to protect Israel but how to prevent the whole Arab region with young and growing population to become the enemy with the U.S

[@nuqwestr]

75 F-35s, Hundreds of F-16s and modified, longer range F-15s, even a submarine.

[@overallgreatidea6433]

58:10 Of course the anti-Trump gaslighting would inserted. The USA domestic chaos may or may not be overstated but the competency of the Pompeo State Dept is indisputable. A Pompeo 2.0 under Trump again is a possibility if not a likelihood. Regardless it would be a severe setback for the military-industrial complex to which all these warhawks have deep affection.

[@roberthumphreys7977]

Once again I ask, why is Andrew Sullivan still employed, anywhere?

[@tigertiger1699]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@orion777ben]

I disagree that Israel has behaved badly. A few settlers may have, but the government just seems to be defending the country. This has always been the case, not just recently with Gaza. 'From the river to the sea' is pretty unambiguous.

[@DISASTERJOE]

wrong

[@samuelirizarry69]

OY VEY!

[@patriciakimball8150]

They are not “settlers”; they are Israeli citizens of Israel. The term “settlers” is propaganda and not legally meaningful.

[@michaelpuente3352]

While people are concerned with a chant(from the river to the sea) Palestinians are actually being ethnically cleansed and pushed out of their homes.

[@user-wd3gt9dw5z]

❤

[@robertprawendowski2850]

⭐

[@lloydjones3371]

Give an accurate history of Israel, to counter the ignorance

[@MrRhomas913]

Genesis 15:18 (ESV) "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates"

[@chrisgibbons3877]

Listening to Russ Roberts gave me hope for the first time in a long time. I wonder if the images of what war can look like coming out of Gaza was the best kick start to peace in the middle east we could have. Is it too much to think that Christians, Jews and Muslims might be able to find some common ground. Even the new left has roots in Judeaism if you look at the Frankfurt school. Hodges on the other hand worries me intensly if he was in charge WWIII would already have started. Niall needs to explain the consequences to great empires of total war!

[@DARDA360]

If you want to know for how Russians will keep following them orders invite Professor Marshall Poe please.

[@dasglasperlenspiel10]

I know that allegiance is supposed to be first to Israel, and the job of the USA is merely to provide whatever they "need", regardless of the policies that the Israeli government produces. But the minimization of Israel's responsibilities towards Palestinians by Professor Roberts is EXTREMELY partisan. I noticed this as I was listening. But then, in trying to help Americans understand the relative losses of Israelis compared to the USA, he begins by using the current population of the USA, and then goes on to point out that the USA lost "about 50,000 over ten years", as though this was not so bad compared to the plight of the Israelis. No one, neither Neill nor H.R., both of whom must know better, bother to point out that there are over 58,000 names on the Vietnam Memorial, and the population of the USA at that time was about 100 million less than it is now. These numbers matter. But no, why bother being accurate about Vietnam when we have a new Israeli crisis to consider?

[@naveedalam3528]

Love Russ Roberts and his invaluable contribution. Especially the insight that Israel is a small country so the loss of 1400 citizens has an outsized effect. What's the math on 10 000 Palestinians killed in a couple of weeks?

[@user-fj2hk7xr7w]

I received the impression that the guest general has a vested interest in Ukraine.

[@july11867]

Hodges sounds out of touch. The words "defeat Russia" and ideas about a return to '91 seem to me to be wishful thinking. And this business about oligarchs revolting over losing their Yachts - I've been hearing that for the last 3 years and remain unconvinced that anyone who says it has any clue about what it's like to be a Russian oligarch and what that entails. Meanwhile, Ferguson bases his position on the "mood in Kiev". Cochrane can do the math but still runs cover for this nonsense.

[@bagsjr1]

A lot of Jewish soul searching around the world right now.

[@davidjones6389]

Gen. Hodges brings a level concise War Fighter view.

[@flcntk3]

I think the rallied support for Hamas either domestically in the US or internationally all over are transformative war fronts as part of an asymmetrical warfare in which Oct 7th attack was designed to be a trigger point to create local fissures in different countries. The goal behind the key players, the fundamental shadowing hosts of these proxy wars is to win dominance in which the stake to us is existential and fundamental. While all this is going on, China is waiting quietly on the fence for her opportunity in spite of or because of her internal problems. Although it was said in this discussion that the hardware requirements are different between the Ukraine war and the potential South China sea one, it still boils down to dollars. That said, I think more studies and attention should be placed in how the left in the US has perverted the meaning of democracy to become something absurd and antithetical to common sense. I believe that too is also part of the overall asymmetrical war strategy.

[@mistieblue9]

Terribly sad !

[@paperclip612]

The absolute ignorance of general knowledge today is a complete blot on the teaching profession.

[@anthonyholland8549]

Russia has one year left economically. Keep the faith.

[@bretrudeseal4314]

When are you guys going to come up with a way to pay for all that you want to spend? We can't just keep piling on debt. For 23 years the uniparty in Washington have borrowed and spent in order to do the things they wanted to do without having to pay the political price of paying for it. Because of this stupidity we are destroying our greatest strength, our economy.

[@SamuelBSR]

43:33 The civil war is a good analogy but he mixed up who was who. In Ukraine's case, Russia is the North and Ukraine is the South. If Ukraine lost only 70k troops, why is the average soldier age 43 and they are struggling to draft new men?

[@AnnDale-ie3jn]

Israel will survive this war much to the anger of the left in the west the concern should be will the Palestinian people be transferred from Gaza to Egypt and from the west bank to Jordan with those two Arab countries given financial insensitive to take Palestinian refugees

[@vahdetyldrm2144]

Philistin cause began after the world war one not octaber 7

[@KMURRAY1841]

Still win?

[@MrTespro]

I thought segment #2 was a disaster. Hodges is clearly a cost-be-damned military fanatic. None of the others challenged his thinking with the economic realities of our catastrophic national debt and looming interest cost burdens or ANY of the very cogent anti-Ukraine War sentiments of professors like J Mearsheimer or J Sacks. For background, I was an Army lieutenant on the Cambodian border in 1967, another disastrous American mis-adventure championed by enthusiastic generals.

[@bobbywallace740]

Ukraine joining NATO? Russia pay fir crimes? LALA LAND!

[@markthetruck]

As an individual who is far from ignorant, seeing the revival of Nazi slogans, while inexcusable, should be completely expected. The continued willingness to excuse the actions of Israel toward a captive population for nearly 100 years is reprehensible. As much as these apologists like to point to the Arab states as being complacent to the suffering and completely heinous in their support for violent forces in Palestine, there would be little support among the citizenry if Israel, at any time since 1948, had made any effort to comply with human rights among those they clearly seek to annihilate. And let's not be coy about the Nazi movement in the US particularly as being a wing of the Extremist Religious Right, who are given succor by the tax free churches that the politicians will not take to account. Let us examine what it means to say "never again", and recognize that the Zionist powers in Israel and in the west, have a lot to answer to in this slaughter. There is plenty of blame to go around, but, as always, it is the poor and the innocent who bear the brunt of this murderous conflict.

[@vahdetyldrm2144]

Very sad all of you saying liy not truth True disturbing began after world war one

[@sirloin869]

because the rush anne's are at least as hwyte as amerikkka's pole at ish anne's; race is fun,wen its urz...

[@thomasmazzola4760]

Pt2 : sorry America is broke, we have a 34 trillion dollar deficit , our cities are crumbling and over 100,000 Americans are dying from China fentanyl. We have no more money for Ukraine, the American people are not interested in fighting your fight.

[@maksimsmelchak7433]

עם ישראל חי 5784

[@DirkusTurkess]

Can i get ever what ever Ben is smoking?

[@alix6145]

Man, you guys really are just place holders for Steven Kotkin aren’t you? Kotkin brought me here, this warmonger Ferguson is why I’m out. McMaster, you’re… fine.

[@smirhash]

I make a mark on this video to come back and review in a year. Let's see how accurate these guys analysis are on Ukraine and Israel. I bet they are all wrong, except to some extent Nial. Overall, disappointed

[@mrtricepsmrtriceps5860]

How did we get here? What a dumb question, let in the 3rd world, become the 3rd world.

[@mryouben]

Greetings to pootlers trollbotboys

[@vivianoosthuizen8990]

The bottom line is one person’s death another’s bread. The Iraq war provided $140 billion to private corporations. This is the taxes of citizens!

[@nuqwestr]

Private corporations like Lockheed-Martin, who employ 116,000 Americans, receives the money which taxpayers give in aid to other countries, and then circles back here.

[@cpmcmanaman]

Holy crap guys…so no thoughts on the children. This was hard to listen to.

[@brucehamilton4563]

Very poor and wishful analysis of the clear stalemate in the Ukraine war. Ukraine is now resorting to enlisting women up to the age of 60 to fill the manpower losses in their forces which are probably much larger than what this general estimates. It will be very difficult and probably impossible for them to drive out the large Russian army in the occupied portions of Ukraine in this World War I like war.

[@mikets42]

Agree. The assumption that Ukraine would indefinitely supply men willing to die while USA is saving money (or whatever else) on providing ammunition was wrong. The willingness to enlist could be a bit higher if the supply of armaments were a mighty river instead of dribble.

[@andrewbaldwin4454]

Just so. Hodges is an evil buffoon. Last time he was on he talked about how Russia wouldn't exist five years from now. John was ready to lead a tank into the Kuban to help Ukraine join in the carve-up of Russia if he had only heard about the Kuban and knew where it was. Niall wasn't there for that episode. It would be interesting to have heard his reaction to Hodges's insane ranting about putting an end to the country of Pushkin, Tolstoy and Chaikovsky.

[@donkeychan491]

These talking heads couldn't care less how many Ukrainians die in this pointless war. They just want to tweak Putin's nose.

[@cpmcmanaman]

How many Palestinians have died? You guys aren’t even recognizing the Palestinians as humans. This is how the Sioux must have felt…

[@ridgegameren6921]

Another trip around neocon corner

[@Zyzyx442]

Not sure I like the idea of Israel becoming less secular, more radical, more likud, more extremism, more intolerenace and homophobia. In the end there will be no difference between HAMAS and the IDF if this is the path Israel takes.

[@DirkusTurkess]

One of them takes glee in murdering babies, the other atleast has the decency to pretend to feel bad.

[@patriciakimball8150]

Don’t worry; not a chance.

[@donkeychan491]

Religious minorities will eventually overwhelm all secular states since they have more children. The same applies to Europe.

[@deborahdean8867]

What about the observant jews who are non Zionist?

[@Sphere723]

Yeah, its not hard to figure out why there's a softening of support for Israel when you look at who is in Bibi's cabinet. These are people who want a fundementalist Jewish state cleansed of Arabs. Even the majority of Isrealis find them repulsive. Hell, Netayanhu doesnt even like them, and was forced to appoint them in order to stay Prime Minister(and out of jail.)

[@MrNiuj]

I hope you have a Gazan on the next episode. Highly doubtful though.

[@davidjones6389]

There is no relativism that makes this right.

[@andrewbaldwin4454]

It should be Mosab Hassan Yousef, the author of "Son of Hamas." And they should never have that evil Russophobe, Ben Hodges, on as a guest again.

[@dickjivas5996]

we don't need the opinion of terrorists

[@everybodyhadtopayandpay8]

Ferguson is sounding increasingly deranged

[@rueben335]

Who honestly believes this Let General???