129: Iran is closer to freedom than you think, with Armin Navabi

128: Iran, Gaza and the new American right, with Sohrab Ahmari

Jul 3, 20261h 17mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Rettig Gur welcomes Sohrab Ahmari, a conservative author, editor, and commentator, for a deep dive into the shifting geopolitical landscape and the American political right. Drawing on his unique background as an Iranian-born convert to Catholicism, Ahmari offers a nuanced analysis of the strain in U.S.-Israel relations and the broader rise of antisemitism in modern political discourse. The discussion explores the unsettling intersection of legitimate policy critique and the resurgence of hateful tropes. Ahmari presents a psychoanalytic perspective on why antisemitism functions as a "suturing point" for societal anxieties, allowing individuals to project internal contradictions onto a single figure. The conversation also tackles the complex "moral imaginary" of Israel in the West, with both participants debating whether growing international opposition is driven by genuine concern over Israeli policies, such as settlement expansion and military conduct, or by deeper, irrational prejudices. Throughout the episode, the two engage in a candid exchange about the ethical dilemmas of statecraft, the necessity of a Jewish state, and the exhausting burden of being viewed simultaneously as a moral beacon and a global villain.

127: Does Islam hate Jews? With Prof. Meir Litvak

Jun 30, 20261h 4mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Rettig Gur welcomes Professor Meir Litvak, a leading expert on Middle Eastern history and Islamist movements from Tel Aviv University, to explore the complex and often misunderstood history of Jewish-Muslim relations. The conversation traces the historical trajectory from the early encounters between the Prophet Muhammad and the Jewish tribes of Medina to the contemporary rise of modern political anti-Semitism in the Islamic world. Professor Litvak provides a nuanced historical framework, detailing how the traditional Islamic concept of the Dhimmi—a system of protection and tolerance for non-Muslims paired with social and legal discrimination—evolved over centuries. He challenges both the narrative of a pre-modern golden age of perfect harmony and the myth of perpetual, intense persecution. The discussion highlights how internal crises within the Muslim world, such as colonial penetration in the 19th century and the geopolitical upheavals of the 20th century, shifted attitudes. They examine how the collapse of traditional power structures led to the adoption of European-style conspiracy theories, such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which transformed ancient religious animosities into the virulent political anti-Semitism observed in many modern Islamist movements today.

126: Will your kid's best friend be a robot? With Dr. Micah Goodman

Jun 25, 20261h 25mSummary

In this episode, the host welcomes back Dr. Micah Goodman, a prominent public intellectual, to navigate the profound and often unsettling landscape of artificial intelligence. Moving beyond the common view of AI as just another technological tool, Goodman presents a radical framework: we are no longer using intelligence to build tools, but rather building technology that generates intelligence itself. He likens this shift to a scientific singularity, a point where traditional rules break down and the future becomes impossible to predict. The discussion explores the tension between the technology’s immense potential for human benefit and the catastrophic risks identified by experts, including the concept of a self-preservation instinct in non-conscious systems. Goodman explains the "arms race" dynamic, detailing why global competition and the "prisoner’s dilemma" between corporations and nations make it difficult to prioritize safety over speed. By examining how AI models function as black boxes—often exhibiting emergent behaviors and problem-solving skills they were never explicitly taught—the conversation highlights the existential stakes of humanity’s current trajectory, questioning who truly has the authority to lead us into this unprecedented new era.

125: Did Netanyahu misread Trump? With Ross Douthat

Jun 21, 20261h 7mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Rettig Gur sits down with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat to analyze the evolving U.S.-Israel relationship in the aftermath of recent military conflicts. The conversation centers on the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran, exploring whether the Trump administration’s approach was a strategic success or a case of miscalculation. Douthat offers insight into the internal dynamics of the White House, suggesting that the decision-making process was influenced by Trump’s preference for top-down regime change models, similar to his experiences in Venezuela. The hosts discuss the limitations of American military endurance and the reality that the U.S. was never prepared to sustain the long-term, high-pain conflict that Israel faced. They also examine the role of regional actors, specifically the Gulf states, in shaping the expectations that led to this war. Finally, the discussion shifts to the broader cultural and political obsession with Israel in the Western world. Douthat addresses the unique intensity of anti-Israel protests compared to other global conflicts, arguing that the phenomenon is rooted in the specific, historical role Israel occupies within the American moral and political imagination.

124: Vance, Iran and the fight inside Trumpworld, with Matt Continetti

Jun 17, 20261h 7mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Gur sits down with Matthew Continetti, director of Domestic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, to analyze the shifting landscape of American foreign policy toward Iran. The discussion centers on the current uncertainty regarding a potential ceasefire deal with Iran, specifically concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Continetti and Gur examine how this move represents a dramatic pivot in Donald Trump’s administration, highlighting the tension between the president’s short-term political goals and the long-term objective of maintaining global American power. The conversation explores the internal power dynamics within the Trump administration, where competing factions—ranging from hawkish advisors to those advocating for negotiation—constantly vie for influence. Continetti characterizes Trump’s governing style as inherently unpredictable, likening his approach to a juggler managing volatile crises rather than adhering to a rigid ideology. They also weigh the recent tactical successes against Iran—such as the degradation of key infrastructure—against the broader, destabilizing consequences of an American withdrawal from regional assertiveness. Ultimately, the episode serves as a deep dive into the complex, often contradictory nature of Trump’s foreign policy and the high-stakes navigation of U.S.-Israel relations.

123: Batya Ungar-Sargon on why the left turned on the Jews

Jun 14, 20261h 4mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Rettig Gur sits down with political commentator and author Batya Ungar-Sargon to discuss her book, The Jews and the Left. The conversation explores the historical arc of the Jewish experience in America, contrasting it with the troubled history of Jewish emancipation in Europe. Ungar-Sargon argues that unlike the conditional, secular, and often failed emancipation offered in Europe, American Jews were welcomed as founding partners in the nation from its inception. She highlights that the country’s religious and conservative origins provided a uniquely safe haven for Jewish people, grounded in a belief in inalienable rights imbued by a Creator. A central theme of the discussion is the author’s critique of the modern American Jewish community for largely embracing a narrative of victimhood, which she views as a betrayal of their true history and a shift toward alignment with left-wing identity politics. The two also analyze the evolving relationship between the Jewish community and American political movements, addressing concerns about antisemitism on both sides of the ideological spectrum and the vital importance of remembering America’s historical commitment to Jewish inclusion.

122: When will the war with Iran end?

Jun 8, 202645 minSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, the host explores the complex and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, framing the current hostilities not as a sudden or isolated conflict, but as a continuation of a decades-long strategic struggle. The discussion delves into the unpredictable nature of U.S. foreign policy under President Trump, suggesting that the administration's oscillating approach—alternating between aggressive rhetoric and attempts to de-escalate—serves as a calculated political tactic rather than a sign of indecision. A significant portion of the episode contrasts the Israeli and American perspectives on the war. While the U.S. may view the conflict as a temporary crisis to be managed, Israel views it as an existential fight against a regime ideologically committed to its destruction. Haviv highlights how Israel’s democratic resilience, technological innovation, and survival instinct provide it with structural advantages in this long-term confrontation. Ultimately, the host argues that the Iranian regime’s own rigidity and commitment to a revolutionary ideology prevent it from pivoting, suggesting that the cycle of conflict will persist until the regime itself faces a fundamental reckoning.

121: Who blinks first? The battle for Hormuz, with Rich Goldberg

Jun 7, 20261h 4mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, the host sits down with Rich Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to analyze the current military and political standoff between the United States and Iran. The discussion centers on the potential for a breakthrough in relations and whether the current U.S. administration possesses the political stamina to permanently neutralize Iran’s regional threats. Goldberg provides a detailed assessment of Iran’s military capabilities, arguing that recent operations have significantly degraded their nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure, pushing their programs back by years. However, the conversation also addresses the challenges of asymmetric warfare, particularly Iran’s ability to disrupt global shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. They explore the complexities of "missile cities" and underground facilities that remain difficult to penetrate. The dialogue further examines the internal fragility of the Iranian regime, weighing the regime’s ideological "martyrdom complex" and high pain tolerance against the mounting economic pressure and domestic instability that threaten their long-term survival. Ultimately, they assess whether the current strategy of blockade and deterrence can force the regime into submission without triggering a broader regional conflict.

120: Sam Harris on tribalism, religion, and what actually saves us

Jun 1, 20261h 55mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Gur sits down with neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris to explore the intersection of tribalism, global political polarization, and the defense of open societies. The conversation centers on Harris’s long-standing concerns regarding jihadism and the survival of secular, democratic values. Harris argues that many Western observers suffer from a dangerous moral confusion, often filtered through a simplistic, race-based lens that obscures the reality of violent ideological conflicts. The discussion shifts to the broader decline of objective discourse, as both men examine how social media algorithms and information silos have exacerbated generational radicalization. Harris posits that the current digital landscape serves as a distortion machine, preventing a shared understanding of facts and fueling a civilizational "autoimmune disorder." Finally, the two discuss the volatile climate surrounding Israel, with Harris offering a provocative critique of the term "Zionism," suggesting that its use as a label for national existence unnecessarily invites an adversarial burden of proof that no other country is required to bear. The episode provides a sobering analysis of how Western intellectual culture is struggling to navigate an increasingly polarized and deceptive information age.

119: Canada’s Jewish reckoning, with Prof. Gil Troy

May 30, 20261h 17mSummary

In this episode of Ask Haviv Anything, host Haviv Rettig Gur is joined by historian and author Professor Gil Troy to explore the complex history and current crisis facing the Canadian Jewish community. The conversation examines why Canada, despite its reputation for multiculturalism and stability, is experiencing a sharp rise in antisemitism, including reports of violence and arson targeting Jewish institutions. Professor Troy, a scholar of both North American history and Zionism, offers a provocative analysis of what he terms the Europeanization of Canada. He argues that while the United States has historically relied on individualistic values and religious traditions to resist radical ideologies, Canada’s post-national identity and lack of a strong, unified sense of self have left it vulnerable to political extremism. They discuss how the Canadian Jewish community, which historically remained more insular, educated, and Zionist than its American counterpart, now finds itself at a difficult impasse. The discussion also touches on the distinct historical arc of Canadian Jewry, the impact of post-WWII immigration, and the tensions inherent in a society that emphasizes collective order over the radical individual rights that define the American experience.