The Western Spirit - With Ariel Whitman

Ariel Whitman
  • 4.7 (16)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

My name is Ariel Whitman and I live in the heart of Israel. I am the host of a podcast series focusing on the challenges of the West, in the 21st century, from a conservative, classically liberal, and libertarian perspective. We will touch on all current issues while giving emphasis to our lives here in the State of Israel and, more broadly, in the West. Amongst the interviews you will hear from world famous philosophers, intellectuals, government officials, and even ordinary citizens with fascinating stories, from here in Israel and from around the world.

  1. 3d ago

    Labour Is Bringing in Refugees From Gaza - "This Will Be a Disaster!" | Suella Braverman

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.com📚 Get your copy of Suella Braverman’s book, Patriot: Empire, Betrayal and Hope, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918944040Former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman joins Ariel Whitman to discuss Britain's immigration crisis, the rise of antisemitism and Islamism, and what happened when she confronted London's police leadership over pro-Palestinian demonstrations after October 7.We discuss why she believes Britain has lost control of immigration, why her own parents' immigrant background doesn't contradict her position, Labour's approach to Gaza refugees, and how the Conservative Party failed to defend its own principles.📌 I wish to thank the Ayn Rand Institute in Israel for sponsoring this episode and helping us spread the word! Check out their group meet-ups here 👉🏼 https://www.meetup.com/israeli-students-of-objectivismChapters00:00Introduction and Guest Background02:04UK Foreign Policy and Recent Tensions03:59October Seventh and Its Aftermath in the UK06:04The Rise of Anti-Semitic Marches and Police Response08:05Political Failures and the Sacking of Suella Braverman11:01The Role of Immigration and Islamism in UK Security14:13Police Tactics and the Culture of Cowardice17:08The Disintegration of the Conservative Party20:04The Impact of Weak Leadership on Extremism23:14The Future of Immigration and National Identity27:00Brexit, Regulations, and Northern Ireland31:52The Cultural Decline and Loss of Patriotism36:14The Rise of Anti-Israel Sentiment and Political Shifts39:54The Importance of Supporting Israel and Countering Terrorism44:58The Call for Courageous Leadership and National Revival49:47Reflections on Britain’s Future and Personal Identity53:59The Threat of Anti-Semitism and Political Courage#SuellaBraverman #UKPolitics #Immigration #Israel #TheWesternSpirit

  2. 4d ago

    I Asked a Young Conservative About Trump His Answer Stunned Me | Matthew Continetti

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comDonald Trump has publicly attacked Tucker Carlson. So why won't JD Vance turn against him? And could this conflict threaten Vance's presidential ambitions in 2028?Matthew Continetti, Wall Street Journal columnist and author of The Right, joins Ariel Whitman to discuss the growing divisions within the Republican Party, the surprising disillusionment of young conservatives with Trump, and the future of the MAGA movement.They also explore the 2026 midterm elections, America's changing relationship with Israel, and Continetti's warning that a Democratic victory in 2028 could bring new sanctions against the Jewish state.Is the American right heading toward a political and ideological breaking point?Chapters00:00Introduction and guest background01:20US midterm elections and polling insights04:03Senate and House race predictions07:07Economic issues and inflation in campaigns09:47Tariffs, trade wars, and affordability14:03Republican messaging and cultural issues18:04Voter behavior and candidate perceptions21:51Potential congressional investigations and policies27:12JD Vance, Trump, and political evolution33:02Israel's political landscape and US support36:58The influence of social media and youth voters42:13American success, external threats, and social cohesion49:07The shift from patriotism to anti-American sentiment55:01Future predictions for US and Israeli politics#MatthewContinetti #JDVance #TuckerCarlson

  3. 5d ago

    Why Was Netanyahu Sending Millions in Cash to Hamas Before October 7? | Oded Forer

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comBefore October 7, Israel pursued a policy that allowed millions of dollars in Qatari cash to enter Gaza while Hamas remained in control. In this episode of The Western Spirit, Israeli MK Oded Forer delivers a fierce critique of Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies toward Hamas in the years leading up to the October 7 massacre.Forer argues that the warning signs were already there — from Hamas’s growing strength to repeated rounds of violence — and that Israeli leaders failed to change course. He explains why he believes Netanyahu’s government pursued the wrong strategy toward Gaza, why money continued flowing into the territory, and what he says Israel should have done differently before October 7.The conversation also goes beyond Gaza. Forer challenges Netanyahu’s image as a right-wing leader, discusses Israel’s political leadership and national security doctrine, and explains what he believes must change after the failures exposed by October 7.This is a conversation about Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas, October 7, Qatar, Gaza, Israeli security policy, and the decisions that preceded the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history.Chapters00:00Introduction to the Israeli Elections and Key Issues02:15What Defines the Right Wing in Israeli Politics04:10Zionism, Economy, and Individual Freedom05:08Security Policies and Netanyahu's Leadership06:44The October Seventh Hamas Attack and Leadership Response10:00Intelligence Warnings and Security Failures13:31Managing Hamas and Military Strategy18:49Assessing Netanyahu's Security Decisions22:02Israeli Security and Military Management28:39Polls, Elections, and Political Strategies30:20Israel's Immigration, Aliyah, and International Relations36:27US-Israel Relations and Financial Support44:49Economic Policies, Agriculture, and Market Reforms50:37Demographics, Education, and National Survival56:06Election Outlook and Future Challenges#Israel #Netanyahu #October7 #Hamas #OdedForer #Gaza #IsraeliPolitics #Qatar #MiddleEast #TheWesternSpirit

  4. Oct 13

    JD Vance Won’t Get the Nomination Unless He Breaks With Tucker | Victor Davis Hanson

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.com📚 Get Victor Davis Hanson’s new book, The Counterrevolution: The Fall and Rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/victor-davis-hanson/the-counterrevolution/9781541607842/⁠Victor Davis Hanson joins The Western Spirit for a wide-ranging conversation about Donald Trump, Iran, JD Vance, Tucker Carlson, Israel, antisemitism, and the growing divisions inside the American right.Hanson explains why he believes JD Vance will eventually have to confront Tucker Carlson, and why remaining silent about what Hanson describes as antisemitism could have serious consequences for Vance's political future. Hanson also discusses his own history with Carlson and why he decided he could no longer remain silent about Carlson's comments on Israel.The conversation also turns to Trump and Iran. Hanson argues that an electoral setback in the midterms could actually make Trump less constrained rather than more cautious, as Trump thinks about his remaining time in office, the war with Iran, and his political legacy.Finally, Hanson offers a provocative explanation for changing Western attitudes toward Israel and Jews: why sympathy can come more easily when Jews are perceived as victims, and why a powerful, confident Israel can provoke a very different reaction.Chapters00:00Introduction and guest overview01:06Current US political climate and midterm predictions02:00Historical trends in US midterm elections03:05Economic indicators and inflation challenges04:02Impact of Biden’s foreign policy and Iran05:37US military and Middle East strategy07:07Midterm election strategies and potential outcomes08:32Tightening races and campaign funding09:29Achievements of the Trump administration10:23Border security and immigration policy11:18US military recruitment and DEI issues12:17Greenland, Latin America, and global influence13:15The left’s shift and anti-Israel activism17:36Anti-Israel sentiment and its roots18:38US public opinion on Israel and Middle East politics22:28Wealthy immigrant communities and political influence25:46Jewish community success and perceptions29:22Challenges facing Israel and Netanyahu’s leadership36:38Trump’s foreign policy and potential 2024 strategies41:35The MAGA movement as an idea beyond Trump47:23The internal struggles within US political factions55:46The risks of international pressure on Israel01:01:55Israel’s security and complacency risks01:10:55The importance of Israeli deterrence and strength01:12:19The future of Israel and US-Israel relations#VictorDavisHanson #DonaldTrump #JDVance #TuckerCarlson #Iran #Israel

  5. Oct 12

    Tucker Carlson Ended Our Friendship. Then I Watched Him Change | Rod Dreher

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comThe National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) is an international gathering of public figures, journalists, scholars and students who see conservatism as closely tied to the nation, national independence and the revival of distinctive national traditions. The next conference will take place in Jerusalem from October 6–8, 2026, bringing together leading Israeli and international voices to debate national sovereignty, security, immigration, foreign policy, religion, family and the future of democratic government.More information: https://nationalconservatism.org/natcon-jerusalem-2026/en/about/Rod Dreher joins The Western Spirit for a wide-ranging conversation about the political and cultural crisis unfolding across the West. Dreher discusses his broken friendship with Tucker Carlson, why he says he no longer recognizes the man he once knew, and his concerns about the direction of parts of the American right.Dreher also reveals what he has told JD Vance privately about antisemitism and racism on the right and why he believes Vance will eventually have to take a stand. The conversation explores the transformation of American conservatism, Israel's increasingly contentious place in right-wing politics, and the forces reshaping the Republican coalition.The conversation then turns to Europe, mass migration, Islam, political radicalization and Dreher's warning that the conditions associated with civil conflict are already present in parts of Europe — leaving the continent, in his words, “waiting for a spark to set it off.”Chapters:00:00 The Weimar Republic and America Today02:44 What Rod Dreher Saw in Washington05:02 Are We Recreating Weimar’s Conditions?07:43 Christian Nationalism and Thin Theology11:06 Tucker Carlson, Antisemitism, and Political Leadership23:06 What Changed in Tucker Carlson?29:17 Loneliness, Community, and Radicalization42:02 Christianity, Islam, and the West50:17 The Internet, Memory, and Antisemitism55:49 Israel, October 7, and the Future of U.S.–Israel Relations#RodDreher #TuckerCarlson #JDVance #Europe #Israel #Conservatism #NatCon #westernspirit

  6. Oct 7

    They’re Preparing for Full-Blown Economic Warfare Against Israel | Mark Dubowitz

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comMark Dubowitz has spent decades thinking about sanctions, economic pressure and Iran. Today, he is chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and co-founder of its Center on Economic and Financial Power. In this episode of The Western Spirit, Dubowitz warns that Israel is facing a new kind of campaign—one fought not only with missiles and armies, but through financial, economic, diplomatic and political pressure. He argues that tools developed to isolate adversaries such as Iran could increasingly be used against Israel itself.We also get into the battle taking place inside American politics. Dubowitz discusses Tucker Carlson, his late father Richard Carlson, and what he sees as a disturbing rise of antisemitism on parts of both the American right and left. He explains why he believes the stakes extend far beyond Israel—and why Americans should pay attention.This is a conversation about Iran, Israel, sanctions, economic warfare, antisemitism and the political forces reshaping the United States and the West.Chapters00:00Introduction: The Global Offensive Against Israel01:12Mark Dubowitz's Background and Focus on Iran02:20Sanctions Architecture and Its Turn Against Israel04:44International Efforts to Sanction West Bank Businesses06:46De-risking and Its Impact on Israeli and Global Banks08:39The Future of US Sanctions and Political Support for Israel10:34Israel's Military Strength vs Diplomatic Isolation11:51Public Support for Israel in the US and Political Trends14:31The Role of Political Rhetoric and Leadership in Israel17:46The Need for Responsible Politics and Coalition Building23:23The Influence of Anti-Israel Propaganda and Fractures in US Politics27:22The Rise of Anti-Semitism and Political Extremism in America33:46US and Israeli Strategies for the Future37:48Iran's Weakened Regime and Future Threats45:56The Political Landscape in the US and Its Impact on Israel54:46The Safety of Jews in America and the Path Forward#MarkDubowitz #Israel #TuckerCarlson #Iran #Antisemitism #WesternSpirit

  7. Oct 6

    Who’s Pouring Money Into the Pro-Palestine Protests? | Balázs Orbán

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comAfter 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán's Fidesz has lost control of Hungary. In this episode of The Western Spirit, Balázs Orbán discusses the political upheaval that followed and lays out his case against Hungary's new government, Brussels and the direction Europe is taking. He argues that critics spent years portraying the Orbán government as authoritarian, only for the new government to target conservative politicians and institutions after taking power.We also discuss mass immigration and the European Union, Hungary's long-running confrontation with Brussels over border policy, Europe's economic trajectory, and Balázs Orbán's argument that immigration is changing Western European societies. He explains why he believes national sovereignty remains central to Hungary's political future.The conversation also turns to Israel: Hungary's relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, the International Criminal Court, European attitudes toward Israel, pro-Hamas activism, sanctions, and the growing political divide over Israel across Europe. Balázs Orbán also explains why he believes the West is stagnating—and why national and patriotic political movements will remain a major force in European politics.Chapters00:00Hungary's governance and migration dynamics02:27The recent Hungarian election and its implications04:26Perceptions versus reality of Orban's government05:44Media control and censorship in Hungary08:27Judicial reforms and rule of law concerns11:13The liberal deep state and democratic threats14:38Media landscape and foreign influence16:48Electoral challenges and future leadership18:49European trends and Hungary as a model22:01European Union policies and Hungary's position26:28Hungary's stance on immigration and border control29:35Demographic trends and family policies35:35Lessons for Europe and the West40:07Hungary-Israel relations and European perceptions44:03Israel's image in Europe and geopolitical factors50:46The influence of leftist and Islamist alliances55:55Patriotic movements and cultural resilience01:00:00European sanctions, energy, and globalism01:01:27Closing remarks and lessons for the future#Hungary #BalazsOrban #ViktorOrban #Europe #Immigration #EuropeanUnion #Brussels #Israel #Netanyahu #Politics #NationalConservatism #WesternSpirit

  8. Oct 5

    "Jews Are Incapable of Fighting Antisemitism" | Adam Milstein

    💥 Help keep The Western Spirit independent: https://buymeacoffee.com/WesternSpirit❤️ Support us on YouTube with Super Thanks — click the Thanks button below the video.📩 Business & advertising: thewesternspiritpodcast@gmail.comAdam Milstein joins The Western Spirit for a wide-ranging conversation about antisemitism, radical Islam, Qatar’s influence in America, Israel, American politics, and the growing divisions inside both the Republican and Democratic parties.Milstein argues that Americans are underestimating the threat posed by radical Islam and warns that the United States could follow the path he believes Europe has taken. He also delivers a striking criticism of the Jewish community’s response to antisemitism, recounting conversations with wealthy Jews who, he says, are afraid to speak publicly or even financially support the fight because they fear the consequences.The conversation also turns to Qatar and Washington, with Milstein alleging that Qatar has built extraordinary political and media influence in the United States. He discusses Tucker Carlson, JD Vance, the DSA, the Democratic Party, the conservative movement, Iran, Israel, and why he believes political movements on both the left and right are being transformed.Milstein also gets personal, explaining how watching his own daughters lose their connection to Judaism pushed him closer to Jewish life and faith — and why he ultimately concluded that his fight against antisemitism had to reach far beyond the Jewish community.Learn more about infidel awareness month here: https://InfidelAwareness.com#AdamMilstein #Antisemitism #Israel #Qatar #RadicalIslam #AmericanPolitics #TuckerCarlson #JDVance #TheWesternSpirit

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4.7
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

My name is Ariel Whitman and I live in the heart of Israel. I am the host of a podcast series focusing on the challenges of the West, in the 21st century, from a conservative, classically liberal, and libertarian perspective. We will touch on all current issues while giving emphasis to our lives here in the State of Israel and, more broadly, in the West. Amongst the interviews you will hear from world famous philosophers, intellectuals, government officials, and even ordinary citizens with fascinating stories, from here in Israel and from around the world.

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