The John Batchelor Show

HEADLINE: Strategic Partnership: Russia Barters Advanced Military Technology, Including Nuclear Submarine Capabilities, for North Korean Munitions GUEST NAME: Professor Bruce Bechtol SUMMARY: Professor Bruce Bechtol details the North Korea-Russia strategic partnership. Russia pays for North Korean munitions with military technology, including nuclear submarine capability, while their special operations forces fought fiercely in Ukraine.

HEADLINE: Strategic Partnership: Russia Barters Advanced Military Technology, Including Nuclear Submarine Capabilities, for North Korean Munitions GUEST NAME: Professor Bruce Bechtol SUMMARY: Professor Bruce Bechtol details the North Korea-Russia strategic partnership. Russia pays for North Korean munitions with military technology, including nuclear submarine capability, while their special operations forces fought fiercely in Ukraine.1955 KIM IL-SUNG

HEADLINE: Iran's Nuclear Standoff Continues; Tehran Seeks Russian Help and New Iraq Smuggling Routes to Support Proxies GUEST NAME: Jonathan Sayah SUMMARY: Jonathan Sayah analyzes Iran's difficult juncture with the IAEA regarding nuclear transparency and reconstitution fears, noting Russian aid and Iranian efforts to sustain proxies via new smuggling routes through Iraq.

HEADLINE: Iran's Nuclear Standoff Continues; Tehran Seeks Russian Help and New Iraq Smuggling Routes to Support Proxies GUEST NAME: Jonathan Sayah SUMMARY: Jonathan Sayah analyzes Iran's difficult juncture with the IAEA regarding nuclear transparency and reconstitution fears, noting Russian aid and Iranian efforts to sustain proxies via new smuggling routes through Iraq. 1870 TEHRAN

HEADLINE: IDF Advances in Gaza City; Expert Cautions Against Incoherent Hostage Deals and Untrustworthy Multinational Policing Forces GUEST NAME: David Daoud SUMMARY: David Daoud analyzes IDF Gaza operations, noting Hamas links a ceasefire deal to gaining legitimacy. He cautions against relying on new anti-Hamas militias or a multinational policing force.

HEADLINE: IDF Advances in Gaza City; Expert Cautions Against Incoherent Hostage Deals and Untrustworthy Multinational Policing Forces GUEST NAME: David Daoud SUMMARY: David Daoud analyzes IDF Gaza operations, noting Hamas links a ceasefire deal to gaining legitimacy. He cautions against relying on new anti-Hamas militias or a multinational policing force. 1965 GAZA POWS

HEADLINE: Escalation Risk: NATO Allies Accuse Russia of Airspace Violations, Raising Concerns Over Miscalculation GUEST NAME: General Blaine Holt SUMMARY: General Blaine Holt analyzes escalating NATO-Russia tensions from alleged airspace violations, stressing the danger of miscalculation. He advocates for non-military, de-escalatory approaches to avoid a nuclear flashpoint. 1958

HEADLINE: Escalation Risk: NATO Allies Accuse Russia of Airspace Violations, Raising Concerns Over Miscalculation GUEST NAME: General Blaine Holt SUMMARY: General Blaine Holt analyzes escalating NATO-Russia tensions from alleged airspace violations, stressing the danger of miscalculation. He advocates for non-military, de-escalatory approaches to avoid a nuclear flashpoint. 1958

HEADLINE: Venezuelan Opposition Authorizes US Military Action as Maduro Writes to Trump Amid Economic Collapse and Political Persecution GUEST NAME: Alejandro Peña Esclusa SUMMARY: Alejandro Peña Esclusa details Venezuela's economic crisis, reports the opposition supports US military action against Maduro, and notes troubled Colombian President Petro's drug links.

HEADLINE: Venezuelan Opposition Authorizes US Military Action as Maduro Writes to Trump Amid Economic Collapse and Political Persecution GUEST NAME: Alejandro Peña Esclusa SUMMARY: Alejandro Peña Esclusa details Venezuela's economic crisis, reports the opposition supports US military action against Maduro, and notes troubled Colombian President Petro's drug links. 1948 Caracas

HEADLINE: Syrian President al-Sharaa Attends UN General Assembly, Lobbies US Officials for Sanctions Relief, Including the Caesar Act GUEST NAME: Ahmad Sharawi SUMMARY: Ahmad Sharawi discusses Syrian President al-Sharaa's unprecedented UN visit to lobby for sanctions relief, including the Caesar Act, despite concerns regarding human rights and necessary guarantees for justice. 1899 DAMASCUS

HEADLINE: Houthi Daily Attacks on Israel Continue, Underscoring Failure to Deal with Militia and Impact on Red Sea Shipping GUEST NAME: Bridget Toomey SUMMARY: Bridget Toomey reports Houthi daily attacks against Israel continue, disrupting Red Sea shipping. Ending the threat likely requires an international ground offensive, which currently remains beyond imagining. 1965 YEMEN CIVIL WAR

HEADLINE: Israel's Dual Crisis: Analyzing Netanyahu's Conflict with the Activist Supreme Court and the Post-October 7th Tragedy GUEST NAME: Peter Berkowitz SUMMARY: Peter Berkowitz details Israel's crisis: the activist Supreme Court, Netanyahu's trial/judicial reform, and the high optimism before the October 7th attack, stressing balanced leadership.

HEADLINE: Israel's Dual Crisis: Analyzing Netanyahu's Conflict with the Activist Supreme Court and the Post-October 7th Tragedy GUEST NAME: Peter Berkowitz SUMMARY: Peter Berkowitz details Israel's crisis: the activist Supreme Court, Netanyahu's trial/judicial reform, and the high optimism before the October 7th attack, stressing balanced leadership.

HEADLINE: Bagram Air Base Inaccessible as Saudi Arabia Seeks Pakistani Nuclear Umbrella for Regional Security Assurance GUEST NAME: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani SUMMARY: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani discuss President Trump's unlikely ambition to retake Bagram, analyzing the new Saudi-Pakistan nuclear umbrella pact as a strategic signal against perceived US unreliability.

HEADLINE: Bagram Air Base Inaccessible as Saudi Arabia Seeks Pakistani Nuclear Umbrella for Regional Security Assurance GUEST NAME: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani SUMMARY: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani discuss President Trump's unlikely ambition to retake Bagram, analyzing the new Saudi-Pakistan nuclear umbrella pact as a strategic signal against perceived US unreliability. 2940 KHYBER PASS

PREVIEW: Russia's MiG-31 Violation Over Estonia Signals Hypersonic Missile Capability GUEST: General Blaine Holt SUMMARY: Russia used the old MiG-31K model (last made in 1994) to violate Estonia's airspace, signaling air force capability, specifically its ability to carry the nuclear-capable Kinzhal hypersonic missile. 1945 ZHUKOV

PREVIEW: Al-Qaeda-Linked Taliban Use Bagram Air Base as Military Location GUEST: Bill Roggio SUMMARY: The al-Qaeda-linked Taliban use Bagram Air Base as a military base, maintaining the abandoned Afghan aircraft and helicopters, likely supported by the Pakistanis or the Chinese. 1919 KABUL RIVER

PREVIEW: GUEST: Jonathan Sayah SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Jonathan Sayah of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)about Iran reorganizing its reach to resupply Lebanese Hezbollah after losing the Syria corridor. Iran is using Iraq and newly discovered Iranian units in Syria to continue funding proxies, demonstrating that Iranian influence has not totally reached an impasse. The discussion also reveals that Iran leveraged the chaos in Syria to develop a very particular unit used for operations in Europe. 1870 TEHRAN

PREVIEW: GUEST: Ahmad Sharawi SUMMARY: John Batchelor interviews Ahmad Sharawi of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)about the unprecedented moment of Ahmad al-Sharaa addressing the UN General Assembly in the guise of the Syrian President. Al-Sharaa is identified as a former jihadist and the leader of al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. This development is important because al-Sharaa is the first Syrian president to attend the United Nations General Assembly since 1967. 1886 DAMASCUS