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The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.

news & politics history

All Episodes

2:44

S8 Ep284: HEADLINE: Iran and Hezbollah Lose Strategic...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

HEADLINE: Iran and Hezbollah Lose Strategic Foothold as Maduro Regime Collapses. Jonathan Schanzer discusses the collapse of the Maduro regime, describing it as a "gut punch" to Iran and Hezbollah, who utilized Venezuela for training and illicit finance. Following the earlier fall of Syria's Assad regime, Schanzer observes that Iran is losing key allies like "rapid fire dominoes".1845 CARACAS

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6:13

S8 Ep283: SHOW 1-5-26 THE SHOW BEGINS IN DOUBTS ABOUT...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

SHOW1-5-26 THE SHOW BEGINS IN DOUBTS ABOUT VENEZUELA, NIGERIA, SYRIA, RUSSIA, CHINA 1936 KENYA 1. NIGERIA AIRSTRIKE AND THE JIHADIST SHIFT Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown Edmund Fitton-Brown analyzes a US airstrike against ISIS in Nigeria, discussing the growing jihadist threat in West Africa's "ungoverned spaces." He highlights a strategic shift where African juntas reject Western support for Russian mercenaries, who offer security without governance conditions, inadvertently boosting local support

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9:48

S8 Ep283: HAMAS AND THE IMPOSSIBLE RECONSTRUCTION...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

HAMAS AND THE IMPOSSIBLE RECONSTRUCTION Colleague Peter Berkowitz. Peter Berkowitz argues that Hamas, as a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot, remains committed to Israel's destruction, making peace impossible. He criticizes the "Project Sunrise" reconstruction plan, noting that US-led development is futile without first disarming and deradicalizing Gaza, a task only the IDF can currently achieve given Hamas's refusal to surrender. NUMBER 15 1868 NAZARETH

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6:45

S8 Ep283: THE IMPOSSIBLE DMZ Colleague John Hardie....

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

THE IMPOSSIBLE DMZ Colleague John Hardie. Hardie discusses the complexities of implementing a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Ukraine, citing disagreements over sovereignty and administration. Regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, he notes Russia is unlikely to return control to Ukraine. He concludes that peace deals requiring Ukraine to cede territory are "poison pills" likely to fail. NUMBER 14 1943 PARTISANS IN UKRAINE

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11:09

S8 Ep283: RUSSIA'S MAXIMALIST DEMANDS Colleague John...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

RUSSIA'S MAXIMALIST DEMANDS Colleague John Hardie. John Hardie outlines Russia's unyielding demands for peace, including territorial concessions and barring Ukraine from NATO. He notes that while Zelensky is nearing agreement with the West on security guarantees, the gap with Russia remains wide. Hardie urges the Trumpadministration to increase pressure to force Putin to compromise. NUMBER 13 1881 UKRAINE

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8:03

S8 Ep283: THE RIGHTWARD SHIFT IN ELECTIONS Colleagues...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

THE RIGHTWARD SHIFT IN ELECTIONS Colleagues Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo. Araújopredicts the US action in Venezuela will energize the Latin American right, specifically boosting the Bolsonaromovement in Brazil. Peña Esclusa forecasts electoral defeats for the left in Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia, arguing the region is turning away from narco-socialism toward US-aligned conservative leadership. NUMBER 12 1956 BRAZIL

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11:42

S8 Ep283: PANIC AMONG THE LATIN LEFT Colleagues...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

PANIC AMONG THE LATIN LEFT Colleagues Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo. Ernesto Araújoexplains that leftist leaders like Lula and Petro fear the US action against Maduro because their power structures share similar corruption. Peña Esclusa adds that Colombian President Petro is terrified because his campaign was funded by Venezuelan drug money, making him vulnerable to the exposure of these secrets. NUMBER 11 1910 BRAZIL NATIONAL LIBRARY

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5:34

S8 Ep283: US DEMANDS: TERRORISTS OUT Colleague...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

US DEMANDS: TERRORISTS OUT Colleague Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Peña Esclusa supports US demands for Iran, Hezbollah, and the ELN to be expelled from Venezuela, asserting the population shares these desires. He characterizes Maduro as a drug lord and a threat to Western security, criticizing European leftists who condemn the operation for failing to recognize the regime's criminal nature. NUMBER 10 1886 BOGOTA

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12:21

S8 Ep283: THE FALL OF MADURO Colleagues Alejandro...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

THE FALL OF MADURO Colleagues Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo. Alejandro Peña Esclusacelebrates the swift US capture of Maduro as Venezuela's liberation. He argues Vice President Delcy Rodriguez must now dismantle the "Cartel of the Suns" to avoid Maduro's fate. Ernesto Araújo frames this as a decisive victory for freedom, forcing a choice between democracy and criminal syndicates. NUMBER 9 1876 BOLIVAR ENTERS CARACAS

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5:19

S8 Ep283: LEBANESE ARMY COLLUSION Colleague David...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

LEBANESE ARMY COLLUSION Colleague David Daoud. Daoud highlights the compromised nature of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), citing a recent incident where an LAF soldier killed alongside Hezbollah members received a joint funeral. He argues this collusion makes the LAF an untrustworthy partner for Israel, as sectarian loyalties often supersede national duty, leading to dangerous intelligence leaks. NUMBER 8 1895 BEIRUT RR

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14:26

S8 Ep283: HEZBOLLAH'S LATIN AMERICAN FINANCING...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

HEZBOLLAH'S LATIN AMERICAN FINANCING Colleague David Daoud. David Daoud details Hezbollah'sdeep entrenchment in Venezuela, used to challenge US hegemony. He explains how the group exploits Latin Americannetworks, illicit trade, and legitimate business fronts within expatriate communities to generate essential funding, compensating for losses in Lebanon and serving Iran's broader strategy in the Western Hemisphere. NUMBER 71899 MERIDA VENEZUELA

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5:28

S8 Ep283: WESTERN AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS Colleague Akmed...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

WESTERN AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS Colleague Akmed Sharawari. Sharawaridiscusses recent British and Frenchairstrikes against ISIS weapons caches in Syria. He notes that despite opposing the central government, ISISremains a universal threat. The chaos following the Assad regime's fall has allowed ISIS cells to regroup in urban areas, necessitating Westernintervention to destroy their stolen arsenals. NUMBER 61924 ALEPPO

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12:27

S8 Ep283: SECTARIAN WARFARE IN SYRIA Colleague Akmed...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

SECTARIAN WARFARE IN SYRIA Colleague Ahmad Sharawari. Ahmad Sharawari reports on escalating violence between Syria's Alawite minority and the central government led by former jihadist Al-Shara. He explains that regime remnants and Russian influence are fueling Alawite defiance, while Druze and Kurdish factions also resist integration, complicating US hopes for a stable, unified post-Assad state. NUMBER 5 1921 ALEPPO

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6:57

S8 Ep283: 2026: A HOLLOW SUPERPOWER Colleagues Gordon...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

2026: A HOLLOW SUPERPOWER Colleagues Gordon Chang and Charles Burton. Chang and Burton speculate that the US operation in Venezuela exposes China's inability to protect its allies, making Beijing appear "hollow." Chang argues this weakens China's threat against Taiwan, while Burton suggests that with China's economy failing and its allies collapsing, the regime faces internal instability and a loss of global prestige. NUMBER 4 11906 Road to india

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12:53

S8 Ep283: CHINA'S OIL LOSS IN VENEZUELA Colleagues...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

CHINA'S OIL LOSS IN VENEZUELA Colleagues Gordon Chang and Charles Burton. The guests discuss how the US removal of Maduro disrupts China's oil supply, leaving Beijing with billions in unpaid debt. They note that Chinesemilitary equipment failed to detect the US operation, embarrassing Beijing. Burton suggests Canada faces a difficult choice between aligning with US hemispheric security or appeasing China. NUMBER 3 1899 open door

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5:09

S8 Ep283: EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN ALLIANCE VS. TURKEY...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN ALLIANCE VS. TURKEY Colleague Edmund Fitton-Brown. Fitton-Brownexamines the cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel as a necessary pushback against Turkish President Erdogan's neo-Ottoman expansionism. He argues Erdogan's aggressive rhetoric regarding Jerusalem and maritime claims threatens regional stability, necessitating a unified defense from these democracies to counter Turkish overreach in the Mediterranean. NUMBER 2 1887 Cyprus

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12:46

S8 Ep283: NIGERIA AIRSTRIKE AND THE JIHADIST SHIFT...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/06

NIGERIA AIRSTRIKE AND THE JIHADIST SHIFT Colleague Edmund Fitton-Brown. Edmund Fitton-Brownanalyzes a US airstrike against ISIS in Nigeria, discussing the growing jihadist threat in West Africa's "ungoverned spaces." He highlights a strategic shift where African juntas reject Western support for Russian mercenaries, who offer security without governance conditions, inadvertently boosting local support for Al-Qaeda coalitions like JNIM. NUMBER 1 1949 Nigeria

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4:27

S8 Ep282: PREVIEW FOR LATER TONIGHT FREEDOM VS....

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/05

PREVIEW FOR LATER TONIGHT FREEDOM VS. NARCO-TERRORISM IN THE AMERICAS Colleagues Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Pena Esclusa. Former Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo discusses the divide between democratic forces and "narco-terrorism" in Brazil and Venezuela. He argues that momentum favors freedom, asserting that US support under the Trump administration is vital to defeating criminal power systems and supporting the Venezuelan opposition. 1930 BOLIVAR IN CARACAS

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13:05

S8 Ep268: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY AND DELAYED...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/02

TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY AND DELAYED REHABILITATION Colleague Joseph Torigian. Torigian outlines Xi Jinping's entry into Tsinghua University via political recommendation and his navigation of "princeling" stigma by working at the grassroots level. The segment covers his marriage to singer Peng Liyuan, noting their shared history of persecution. It also explains Xi Zhongxun's delayed rehabilitation, attributed to political tensions with Deng Xiaoping, who utilized Xi's skills but remained wary of his

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7:20

S8 Ep268: FAMILY TRAUMA AND XI JINPING'S EXILE TO THE...

The John Batchelor Show ·

2026/01/02

FAMILY TRAUMA AND XI JINPING'S EXILE TO THE NORTHWEST Colleague Joseph Torigian. The narrative shifts to the family's trauma, describing a teenage Xi Jinping escaping detention only to be denounced by his starving mother for the family's safety. Torigian discusses Xi Jinping's exile to the "sacred" but impoverished Northwest, which exposed him to peasant realities. Meanwhile, an imprisoned Xi Zhongxun wrote unanswered letters to leadership, pleading for relief and expressing concern over the

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5,669 results

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