Part of complete coverage from  By John Avlon, CNN Contributor  updated 12:37 PM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  (CNN) -- Welcome to The Big Three -- a CNN Radio podcast on the big three stories of the week, featuring three contributors who write for CNN Opinion -- myself, my bride, Margaret Hoover, and political comedian Dean Obeidallah, who is of no relation (as far as we know).  We each come to the conversation from a different perspective -- center, right and left -- but we all share a commitment to smart, funny, civil conversation. And we're all big Yalta buffs.  To listen, click on the Soundcloud audio player on this page. Or find us on iTunes.  The Big Three stories of this week: the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, the Republican Party's attempt to modernize and President Barack Obama's trip to Israel.  Iraq: With Margaret as a veteran of the Bush administration and Dean an Arab-American, there are sharp disagreements on the impact of the Iraq War. I remain darkly fascinated by the enduring partisan divide over whether the war was a mistake -- with conservatives and liberals taking mirror image positions, and centrists and independents like myself pushing national opinion over to the mistake side of the ledger.  One contemporary question: Is intervention fatigue slowing America's impulse to stop the slaughter in Syria, where more than 70,000 have been killed while the world watches?  Become a fan of CNNOpinion  Stay up to date on the latest opinion, analysis and conversations through social media. Join us at  . We welcome your ideas and comments.  GOP modernization: With the Republican Party releasing an "autopsy" report on the mistakes that were made throughout the 2012 election, Margaret is marking the release of the paperback edition of her book "American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party."  After the paranoid-style party I saw at the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend, she's got her work cut out for her -- but with Sen. Rob Portman coming out in support of the freedom for same-sex couples to marry, there just might be some hope at the end of this culture war conflict.  Obama in Israel: After being attacked throughout the election as being a weak ally to Israel, Obama was given the red carpet treatment this week. But his newfound friendship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu masks a time of real tension and high stakes throughout the region -- including the prospect of protests over stalled peace talks, a potentially nuclear Iran and the bloodshed in Syria.  Is this the environment in which a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can succeed?  The opinions in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon.  Part of complete coverage on  updated 12:37 PM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  Welcome to "The Big Three" -- a CNN Radio podcast on the big three stories of the week, featuring three contributors who write for CNN Opinion: John Avlon, Margaret Hoover, and political comedian Dean Obeidallah.  updated 12:59 PM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  Ruben Navarrette says being a good parent is about teaching adult children to stand on their own two feet.  updated 8:41 AM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  Doug Kendall and Tom Donnelly say, with important gay rights and marriage equality cases looming, all Americans should have the opportunity to see the Supreme Court in action.  updated 12:51 PM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  CNN columnist John Sutter says the lack of legal protection pushes people back into the closet.  updated 11:35 AM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  Peter Sprigg says the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is fraught with moral and legal problems.  updated 8:21 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2013  Dean Obeidallah says presidents have long used humor to reach the public, but Obama has elevated the practice that skillfully flattens adversaries.  updated 10:36 AM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013  Arthur Caplan says no drug can shed light on Aurora suspect James Holmes' mindset, despite Hollywood's belief otherwise.  updated 2:09 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2013  "Antiques Roadshow" appraiser Nicholas Dawes says luck, a sharp eye and an understanding of supply and demand are key for the average yard-saler.  updated 5:34 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2013  Rachel Simmons says that to prevent more Steubenvilles, girls need to be taught to be allies, not rivals.  updated 7:52 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2013  Chris Marquardt says immigration reform has to solve the problem of families torn apart due to detention and deportation.  updated 10:24 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2013  Ahead of Supreme Court hearings, CNN creates an "LGBT rights calculator" to help readers explore the issues.  updated 12:16 PM EDT, Wed March 20, 2013  He was home drinking tea when armed men came and took him away for reasons unknown. Now, the writer must pay for news of his fate, knowing he may not be seen again.  Most popular stories right now
John Avlon introduces a new podcast featuring the voices of three CNN Opinion contributors exchanging views on the top three stories of the week