The John Batchelor Show

Recommendations for a New Syria Policy. Guest: Josh Rogin and Bill Roggio. Josh Rogin recommends that the US prepare to lift the terrorism designation on Syria to support reconstruction and counter adversarial influence. He argues the current Al-Shara government is the only viable partner for stability and that US bureaucratic inertia is currently benefiting China , Russia , and Iran . 16 DAMASCUS...

The $216 Billion Rebuild of Syria. Guest: Josh Rogin and Bill Roggio. Josh Rogin reports that Syria requires $216 billion for reconstruction following the fall of the Assad regime. He explains that US "State Sponsor of Terrorism" sanctions prevent American businesses from bidding on contracts, leaving an opening for Chinese and Russian technology to dominate the new government's infrastructure. 15...

Hezbollah's Shadow Banking System. Guest: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio. Ahmad Sharawi examines Al-Qard Al-Hassan , Hezbollah 's financial arm that provides social services and interest-free loans outside the official banking system. Although Israel has targeted its branches, the Lebanese government is hesitant to shut it down, allowing it to sustain the group's operations through gold-backed fina...

Hezbollah's Shadow Banking System. Guest: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio. Ahmad Sharawi examines Al-Qard Al-Hassan , Hezbollah 's financial arm that provides social services and interest-free loans outside the official banking system. Although Israel has targeted its branches, the Lebanese government is hesitant to shut it down, allowing it to sustain the group's operations through gold-backed fina...

Eurasian Interests in Middle East Conflict. Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill Roggio. Guests discuss how Russia and China are benefiting from America's Middle East difficulties, often frustrating US objectives on the nuclear file. Fitton-Brown notes the Europeans have been "anemic," failing to coordinate a forceful naval presence to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains reliably open for global en...

The Flaws of the Iran Memorandum. Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill Roggio. Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the current US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, calling it a failure of negotiation that incorporates "every Iranian trick." He argues Iran's core goals—the destruction of Israel and the expulsion of US influence—remain unchanged, and that the US has displayed a defeatist lack of patience....

Resurgent Piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Guest: Bridget Toomey and Bill Roggio. Bridget Toomey reports a resurgence of Somali piracy, with three ships recently captured for ransom in the Gulf of Aden . Bill Roggio links this spike to Al-Shabaab 's growth and suggests that pirate networks may be coordinating with the Houthis to facilitate weapons smuggling and increase regional instability. 10 1721

Iran's Economic Demands in Switzerland. Guest: Jonathan Sayeh  and Bill Roggio. Jonathan Sayeh argues that Iran is seeking a systemic economic lifeline through billions in unfrozen assets. He criticizes recent US oil waivers as a sign of caving to pressure. Iran aims to link a Lebanon ceasefire to negotiations to delay nuclear discussions and drive a wedge. 9 1705

The Crisis in Air Force Procurement. Guest: General Blaine Holt and Gordon Chang. General Blaine Holt critiques the broken US procurement system, specifically the Air Force 's contradictory stance on retiring the A-10 Warthog while keeping the B-52 bomber for a century. He advocates for reform to break contractor monopolies, allowing the military to innovate faster and field cheaper equipment. 8 1...

The Failure to Counter Chinese Influence. Guest: Bill Gertz and Gordon Chang. Bill Gertz details a GAO report revealing that the US spent $1.2 billion on countering Chinese influence without evaluating its impact. The discussion highlights the superior effectiveness of Chinese information warfare, which outspends the US significantly to shape global narratives while American efforts lack a cohesiv...

The Slow-Motion Coup in Bolivia. Guest: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. The segment addresses the crisis in Bolivia , where Evo Morales is accused of orchestrating a "slow motion coup" via blockades. Ernesto Araújo criticizes Brazilian President Lula 's silence on the matter, while Alejandro Peña Esclusa suggests that regional support for the elected government may finally lead to Moral...

Latin America's Shift to the Right. Guest: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Guests discuss the right-wing political shift in Latin America following Abelardo De La Espriella 's apparent victory in Colombia . They compare his security-focused platform to the Bukele model in El Salvador , emphasizing a mandate to combat the organized crime that has historically penetrated the region's poli...

The Legality and Lethality of Armed Conflict. Guest: Henry Sokolski. Henry Sokolski analyzes a public memo from Admiral Brad Cooper regarding the legitimacy of lethal force. They discuss the necessity of proportionality in conflict, arguing that avoiding civilian targets like nuclear reactors is a military requirement for success, as destroying essential infrastructure alienates populations and co...

Hamas Sidelined in Regional Talks. Guest: Samuel Ben-Ur and Bill Roggio. Samuel Ben-Ur explains why Hamas has been sidelined in recent Iranian negotiations compared to Hezbollah . Relations soured when Hamas failed to support Iranian strikes against Qatari targets. Currently, Hamas remains funded by Qatar and Turkey while maintaining a brutal "reign of terror" over the portions of Gaza it still co...

Pakistan as a Strategic Mediator. Guest: Ambassador Hussain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. John Batchelor examines Pakistan 's role as a mediator between the United States and Iran . Ambassador Haqqani explains that Pakistan provided an "exit ramp" for the Trump administration by utilizing its unique access to the IRGC and Iran's power structure to facilitate communication and avoid further military esc...

The Fog of Diplomacy in the Strait of Hormuz. Guest: Ambassador Hussain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. Guests discuss competing headlines regarding "progress" in US-Iran negotiations and ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz . Ambassador Haqqani notes neither side has achieved its original war aims, while Bill Roggio argues the US lacks the military will to reopen the Strait, leaving Iran with the st...

STREAMING THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, FEATURING BILL ROGGIO, HUSAIN HAQQANI, SAMUEL BEN-UR, 6-22-26 1903 PERSIA The provided text is a transcript from the John Batchelor Show featuring a deep-dive discussion on the fragile diplomatic landscape involving the United States , Iran , and Israel . The participants analyze the "ceaseless fire" in Lebanon and the Straits of Hormuz , questionin...

Preview for Later Today: Guest: Samuel Ben-Ur. Samuel Ben-Ur, from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , identifies Hamas as being sustained by funding and political cover from Qatar and Turkey . He questions their roles as mediators while providing terror groups shelter. 1922 GAZA GREAT MOSQUE

Preview for Later Today: Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown. Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding as a disastrous negotiation. He argues the deal incorporates Iranian tricks, frontloads their benefits, and undermines the United States and its regional ally, Israel . 1721 PERSIA

Preview for Later Today: Guest: John Hardie. John Hardie explains Ukraine 's efforts to address manpower issues through new service commitment rules and increased pay. Despite these challenges, funding remains secure through the current defense budget and significant loans from European partners. 1917 

Preview for Later Today: Guest: General Blaine Holt. General Blaine Holt advocates for urgent military procurement reform. He highlights the shift from rapid wartime innovation to decades-long delays, blaming a "mafioso machine" of lobbyists and bureaucrats for staggering costs and inefficiencies. 1922 France

Preview for Later Today: Guest: Josh Rogin. Josh Rogin examines the implications of lifting Syria 's state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation. He discusses how this move could potentially provide a legal path for victims to settle long-standing court judgments and collect millions in compensation. 1920 Damascus

Preview for Later Today: Guest: Henry Sokolski. Henry Sokolski analyzes Admiral Cooper 's recent remarks regarding the relationship between military lethality and proportionality. He explores the policy implications of this stance, specifically concerning risks to critical infrastructure and international nuclear safety. 1945

(3) In the setting of Londinium, 92 AD , Gaius and Germanicus engage in a series of debates comparing the struggles of the ancient Roman Empire to the paradigms of power and exhaustion in the 21st century. Meteorology, Myth, and the Miracles of D-Day. Reviewing the film Pressure , the pair discusses how meteorological "miracles" and "preternatural discipline" decided the fate of D-Day . They concl...

C(2) In the setting of Londinium, 92 AD , Gaius and Germanicus engage in a series of debates comparing the struggles of the ancient Roman Empire to the paradigms of power and exhaustion in the 21st century. The Tired Emperor and the Limits of Grandeur. The duo explores the physical and metaphorical exhaustion of the "emperor," critiquing his focus on aesthetic "baubles"—such as the reflecting pool...