The John Batchelor Show

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-20-26John Batchelor with Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani. This discussion addresses the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. The participants analyze the effectiveness of American air power, concluding that bombing campaigns alone cannot achieve regime change without a massive ground presence that the U.S. currently lacks the political will to deploy. The conversation highlights regional vulnerabilities, specifically the threat posed by Iranian drones and the potential closure of vital maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Additionally, the panel addresses the difficulty of building a credible Iranian resistance and the ongoing challenge of neutralizing Hamas leadership now operating from Turkey. Ultimately, the experts characterize the situation as a war of vanities with no clear exit strategy for either side. (1)Note: the pasted text contained the same paragraph twice, so I formatted it once. Corrections applied: John Batchelor and Husain Haqqani.

STREAMING MAKING JBS, 7-20-262015 YEMENJohn Batchelor with Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani. This discussion addresses the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. The participants analyze the effectiveness of American air power, concluding that bombing campaigns alone cannot achieve regime change without a massive ground presence that the U.S. currently lacks the political will to deploy. The conversation highlights regional vulnerabilities, specifically the threat posed by Iranian drones and the potential closure of vital maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Additionally, the panel addresses the difficulty of building a credible Iranian resistance and the ongoing challenge of neutralizing Hamas leadership now operating from Turkey. Ultimately, the experts characterize the situation as a war of vanities with no clear exit strategy for either side. (1)Note: the pasted text contained the same paragraph twice, so I formatted it once. Corrections applied: John Batchelor and Husain Haqqani.

David Daoud. Israel has begun a phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon, testing whether the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) can effectively disarm Hezbollah in "pilot zones." David Daoud expresses skepticism, noting Lebanon is already attempting to backtrack on its legal commitments and reverse agreed-upon sequences. Success depends on whether the U.S. will hold Lebanon's feet to the fire or permit Israel to retake territory if the LAF fails. (16)2012

David Daoud. Iraq has issued a circular to banks to comply with U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah financiers and pro-Syrian politicians. However, David Daoud argues this measure is largely symbolic, as it does not touch powerful local militias like Kata'ib Hezbollah. Furthermore, Iraqi religious shrines continue to provide financial support to Hezbollahthrough various media and charitable branches, allowing Iraq to remain a significant financial channel. (15)1994

Jonathan SAYEH. U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure have caused widespread power outages, yet the regime remains dug in under the leadership of Ahmad Vahidi. Tehran views its ability to throttle the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Seaas a strategic victory that forces U.S. coordination. By using inexpensive missiles and drones through the Houthis, Irancan drive up oil prices and exert leverage without sustaining high costs. (14)1993

John Hardie. President Zelensky's dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has sparked wartime protests and unease among Western partners. Fedorov was a key driver of drone innovation and anti-corruption reforms in procurement. His firing is attributed to clashes with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom protesters characterize as an unpopular "Soviet-style butcher." There are indications Zelensky may reverse course by reinstating Fedorov and potentially firing Syrskyi. (13)1993

Edmund Fitton-Brown. The U.S. continues a naval blockade intended to reduce Iran to bankruptcy, as Tehranmaintains "impossible demands" regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Edmund Fitton-Brown suggests while Russia and China provide intelligence and resupply, they are unlikely to take serious risks to save the regime. Ultimately, the conflict may depend on national patience, with the U.S. capable of sustaining pressure until the Iranian leadership is forced to compromise. (12)1990 YEMEN

Edmund Fitton-Brown. The long-standing truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia has unraveled as the group attempts to break a decade-long blockade. Edmund Fitton-Brown explains the Houthis now control major Yemeni state organs and possess the capability to strike deep into Saudi territory. While air campaigns have hurt the group, they remain difficult to deter because they view the suffering of the Yemeni people as a badge of martyrdom. (11)1962

Samuel Ben-Ur and Bill Roggio. The Hamas political bureau has relocated to Istanbul, choosing Khalil al-Hayya as a leader closely aligned with Iran and Hezbollah. Inside Gaza, Hamas continues to obstruct food distribution and hijack aid supplies. While Israel successfully eliminated several military commanders, the organization has yet to name replacements. New "pilot zones" are being explored to distribute aid through Palestinian alternatives, potentially bypassing Hamas control. (10)1962 YEMEN

Bridget Toomey. The Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, targeting ports and vessels in the Red Sea to demand compensation for the civil war. While their missile capabilities rely on Iran, the Houthis have refined domestic drone production using Chinese components. Shippers are already rerouting around Africa, as even the threat of sporadic attacks makes transiting the Bab al-Mandeb a risk global enterprises are unwilling to take. (9)1962 SOVIET EMBASSY YEMEN

Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo. In Venezuela, "pot-banging" protests reflect deep public anger toward an illegitimate interim government that failed to manage earthquake recovery. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on Brazil following Lula's refusal to fight organized crime and his alignment with the BRICS currency initiative. Ernesto Araújo argues these tariffs are a geopolitical tool to pressure Brazil back into the "free world" and away from totalitarian influences. (8)1962 YEMMEN

Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo. Alejandro Peña Esclusa highlights CIA-documented election interference in Venezuela spanning 20 years, delegitimizing the current regime. In Brazil, the Supreme Court is restricting visits to the popular but ill Jair Bolsonaro, a move Ernesto Araújo describes as micromanaging the upcoming election. These actions by Lula da Silva's allies signal a fear of Bolsonaro's influence, leading to a breakdown of legal standards in the country. (7)1960 YEMEN

Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus Marta. An experiment with "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon involves Israeli troop withdrawals and replacement by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. In Washington, 103 Democrats signed a resolution to deny aid to Israel, a move Hoenlein attributes to political intimidation rather than violations of law. Furthermore, a reported detention of Ro Khanna in a military zone was characterized as a "concocted" confrontation. (6)1968

Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus MCCOTTER. Iran has expanded its attacks to seven countries, including strikes on desalination plants in Kuwait and a ballistic missile fired at Saudi Arabia. Malcolm Hoenlein reports the U.S. is hitting infrastructure near Bandar Abbas to isolate Iran's ability to harass shipping. Additionally, the Houthis have escalated threats against the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, acting as a "wholly dependent" tool of Iranian regional pressure. (5)1949

Melik Kaylan and Gordon Chang. Melik Kaylan suggests Putin is increasingly isolated, facing potential threats from his own Praetorian guards as domestic desperation grows. However, the dismissal of Ukraine's popular defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, may have inadvertently delayed Putin's demise. Fedorov, credited with turning the tide of war through digital innovation and anti-corruption audits, was sacked following infighting with "Old Guard" military leadership, sparking protests in Kyiv. (4)1916 YEMEN

Alan Tonelson and Gordon Chang. Despite a trade truce declared last October, the U.S. remains dependent on China for rare earths and critical minerals. Alan Tonelson notes that while China's domestic economy is weak, it maintains a "chokehold" on products essential for AI and military technology. The Trump administration's decision to remove trade sanctions on Hong Kong is viewed as a puzzling move that may create a hole in the sanctions regime. (3)1902 YEMEN

Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. Experts argue maximalist positions prevent resolution as Iran views survival as victory while the U.S. relies on ineffective bombing. Roggio emphasizes that despite pressure, the regime remains capable of striking ships, functioning as its version of a nuclear weapon. Both analysts suggest building an effective resistance takes time and secrecy, elements currently lacking in the noisy political environments of Washington and Israel. (2)1894 YEMEN

Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. A tanker fire in the Straits of Hormuz and consecutive days of missile exchanges signal a "war restart." Ambassador Haqqani argues neither side can afford to look weak, leading to a stalemate of aerial bombing without a clear plan for regime change. Roggio and Haqqani agree air power alone cannot secure ground, and the estimated 600,000 troops required for a ground invasion is "science fiction." (1)1767 YEMEN

Guests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Corruption of Hollywood and the Sacred Canon. Regarding the Hollywood remake of the Odyssey, Germanicus characterizes the production as a "Hail Mary" by a "cesspool of corruption" known as Hollywood to remain relevant while "hemorrhaging talent." He labels the film an "abomination" and a "short shrift" to a sacred work of literature. Despite this, he sees a "beacon of hope" in the possibility that the film's failure will drive the younger generation to seek out the original texts. He emphasizes that the Iliad and Odyssey were not "fantasy" but the civilizational canon of Greco-Roman antiquity, acting as "sacred works" that dictated how to live and think. Gaius notes that these epics were originally meant to be "chanted" or "sung" and that they traditionally ended with "calm after the violence" rather than mere spectacle. They conclude that Hollywood has "cheapened our sensibility" and "raped our legacy" by failing to respect these foundational pillars of Western identity. (3)

Guests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Imperial Decay of the American Order. The discussion shifts to the deterioration of American institutions, which Germanicus claims are now indistinguishable from the 3rd-century Roman imperial system. He describes a "long unraveling" of the constitutional order where Congress has become "nothing" and the Supreme Court is forced to uphold basic tenets it wasn't designed to enforce. This "emperor system" is characterized by an executive branch that is increasingly detached from reality regarding global economic stability and military resources. Furthermore, he asserts that the political establishment is too corrupt to produce genuine leaders, resulting in "pygmies" who are incapable of challenging the prevailing delusions. He warns that the U.S. is at a historical "inflection point" similar to when the Roman Empire began to collapse after centuries of dominance, noting that current leaders risk a global "economic fault" or famine by pursuing unsustainable escalations in Eurasia. (2)SULLAGuests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Ritual of Combat and Modern Delusions. Germanicusargues that for the Romans, war and ceremony were inextricably linked, using triumphs and gladiatorial spectacles to forge a shared identity between the people and the military. These rituals were "incarnations of the spirit of Rome" triumphing over "barbaric" enemies, providing a form of "ecstatic participatory" fulfillment. He notes a parallel in modern America, which uses "ecstatic vicarity" through high-tech war footage and video games to maintain a similar bond. However, he warns that the U.S. dangerously underestimates adversaries like Iran by viewing them as "barbarians" rather than a sophisticated, 2,500-year-old culture. He laments the loss of the "sobriety" that guided Cold War leadership—where the stakes of nuclear confrontation were understood—noting that current American policy reflects a "gods of war" complex born from the easy successes of the early 1990s. Gaius adds that this technological display creates a "fog of war" where the enemy's own capabilities and "vote" in the conflict are often ignored. (1)

Guests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Ritual of Combat and Modern Delusions. Germanicusargues that for the Romans, war and ceremony were inextricably linked, using triumphs and gladiatorial spectacles to forge a shared identity between the people and the military. These rituals were "incarnations of the spirit of Rome" triumphing over "barbaric" enemies, providing a form of "ecstatic participatory" fulfillment. He notes a parallel in modern America, which uses "ecstatic vicarity" through high-tech war footage and video games to maintain a similar bond. However, he warns that the U.S. dangerously underestimates adversaries like Iran by viewing them as "barbarians" rather than a sophisticated, 2,500-year-old culture. He laments the loss of the "sobriety" that guided Cold War leadership—where the stakes of nuclear confrontation were understood—noting that current American policy reflects a "gods of war" complex born from the easy successes of the early 1990s. Gaius adds that this technological display creates a "fog of war" where the enemy's own capabilities and "vote" in the conflict are often ignored. (1)

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. The final segment covers the reign of James II, whose open Catholicism and attempts to bypass Parliament alienated his natural Tory supporters. This tension birthed England's first political parties: the Whigs and the Tories. When James had a son, raising the prospect of a perpetual Catholic dynasty, seven leaders invited William of Orange to intervene. William landed in 1688, and James II fled, resulting in the Glorious Revolution. The era concluded with William and Mary as Protestant regents, establishing a constitutional framework that profoundly influenced the founding fathers of America. (8)1655

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. Stability was sought through the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. While some reforms remained, the new regime took grotesque revenge on the regicides, even digging up and hanging Cromwell's corpse. Charles II's reign was characterized by a vibrant court culture, the expansion of trade via the East India Company, and the growth of the British Empire. The segment also highlights the polymath Margaret Cavendish, who wrote the pioneering science-fiction work The Blazing World, reflecting the era's fascination with science and power. Despite the "jollity," the Anglican Church forcefully suppressed religious dissenters like the Quakers. (7)1650

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. In 1649, Charles I was tried and executed in public, a shocking event that horrified European monarchs. The segment explores the establishment of the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. John Lambert drafted the Instrument of Government, England's first written constitution, which included checks and balances and religious protections for Protestants. Although Cromwell refused the crown, his rule relied on military strength and the imposition of Puritan values, such as banning Christmas celebrations. Upon Cromwell's death in 1658, his son Richard failed to maintain control, leading the nation back into political chaos. (6)2650

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. This segment details the rise of the New Model Army, a professionalized force led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and the committed Puritan Oliver Cromwell. Following the decisive Battle of Naseby in 1645, the King's forces were routed. Internal debates emerged over the future of the nation, notably the Putney Debates, where radical Levelers argued for manhood suffrage against Henry Ireton, who favored property-based voting. After Charles made a secret treaty with the Scots, leading to a second civil war, Ireton and other radicals concluded that the King must be tried for treason to ensure public safety. (5)1650

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. During the Personal Rule, Charles expanded the "Ship Money" tax to inland counties, leading to a landmark legal battle over the King's right to declare emergencies without Parliament. Religious tensions peaked as Archbishop William Laud imposed high-church practices, which many saw as a "popish plot." After failing to force a new prayer book on Scotland, Charles was compelled to recall Parliament, which then executed his minister Strafford. The crisis culminated in Charles's failed attempt to arrest five MPs inside the House of Commons, forcing him to flee London to gather an army for the coming Civil War. (4)1650

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. Conflict intensifies between Charles I and Parliament, led by legal giant Edward Coke, who championed the Petition of Right to limit monarchical power. The segment discusses the assassination of the unpopular Buckingham by John Felton, a disgruntled soldier inspired by parliamentary grievances. To fund his reign without Parliament, Charles utilized "forced loans" and imprisoned those who refused to pay, sparking debates over habeas corpus and common law. In 1629, Charles dismissed Parliament entirely, beginning a decade of "Personal Rule" while continuing to collect controversial taxes like tonnage and poundage. (3)

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. The focus shifts to Charles I and his favorite advisor, the Duke of Buckingham. In a bizarre 1623 incident, Charles and Buckingham traveled in disguise to Madrid to secure a marriage with the Spanish Infanta, hoping to gain wealth and influence. The mission was a humiliating failure, leading to a shift toward war with Spain. James I ended his reign ill and disillusioned as his peaceful foreign policy collapsed. Upon his death in 1625, the 24-year-old Charles I inherited a massive debt of one million pounds, forcing an immediate and fractious confrontation with Parliament. (2)22642

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. This segment introduces James I, the first monarch to rule both England and Scotland, who faced a kingdom deeply divided by religion. It details the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, an attempt by radical Catholics to destroy the political elite, which fueled a lasting anti-Catholic paranoia and a fear of "popish" tyranny. Healey explains the rise of the "middling sort," a prosperous and literate group of peasant farmers and gentry who began dominating Parliament. Beset by inflation and the high costs of a "military revolution," James struggled financially and sought to avoid expensive continental wars. (1)1840

Matthew Longo, The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain. Thirty years after the event, Matthew Longo returns to the border to reflect on the legacy of the picnic and the nature of freedom. The site of the former "death zone" has ironically become the most green part of Europe—a "green belt" of pastoral woodlands. Longo interviews the aging survivors, including Nemeth, Agnes, and Laslo, a curator of documents who describes the unremarkable-looking spot as Anus Mundi. The final discussion explores the evolving meaning of liberty, contrasting Isaiah Berlin's "negative liberty" (freedom from state interference and freedom of movement) with Hannah Arendt's concept of "plurality" and solidarity. Longo notes a "perverse irony": many East Germans who successfully fled to the West were ultimately disappointed by the version of freedom they found, which lacked the sense of community and solidarity they had experienced in the East. In a modern world where walls are being rebuilt and xenophobia is rising, the story of the Pan-European Picnic serves as a prompt to rethink how the euphoria of 1989 transitioned into the embattled state of liberalism today. (4)

Matthew Longo, The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain. As the picnic date of August 19, 1989, approaches, the atmosphere is "fraught" with tension. Thousands of East Germans (GDR) have flooded into Hungary, pretending to be on summer vacation but actually acting as refugees hoping for a chance to cross into the West. They camp at places like Ferto Rakos, where they are stalked by Stasi informers who take down names and instill terror. Meanwhile, in Budapest, Miklos Nemeth and other reformers view the picnic as "Operation Human Shield"—a test to see if the nearby Soviet army will intervene. On the day of the picnic, two unlikely heroes emerge: Norbert, a hard-drinking West German adventurer with a scars-and-mercenary past, and Agnes, an elderly local woman. Because Norbert has a West German passport and Agnes is too old to fear the state, they act as "guardian angels," helping terrified East Germans navigate the borderlands. The event itself is chaotic and plagued by rain, resembling a "Woodstock" in the woods. When a mass of nearly a thousand East Germans suddenly rushes the border gate, a moment of extreme panic occurs as champagne bottles pop; many refugees, conditioned by fear, mistake the sound for gunshots. However, the Hungarian border guards make a "tremendous moral choice" not to shoot, allowing the mass of people to flee into Austriawithout a single drop of bloodshed. (3)1956

Matthew Longo, The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain. The focus shifts from political elites to young activists in the Hungarian "borderlands." In late June 1989, inspired by a speech from Otto von Habsburg, a young woman named Maria and a man named Ferenc hatch an audacious plan in the city of Debrecen: they will throw a party—the Pan-European Picnic—at the Iron Curtain itself. Maria, showing incredible initiative in a country with few phones, begins calling government officials and border guards to organize the event. The original vision for the picnic was "euphorically ignorant": the organizers imagined a thin fence where Hungarians and Austrians could pass sausages and beer to one another. In reality, the Iron Curtain was a "death zone" several kilometers wide, filled with watchtowers, dogs, and layers of fencing. However, the process of de-electrifying and dismantling the fence was moving faster than expected. The organizers eventually secured a location near the town of Sopron and convinced the authorities to allow a one-time-only opening of a border gate, allowing Austrians to cross into Hungary to celebrate "European togetherness." (2)1930 BUDAPEST

Matthew Longo, The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain. This segment focuses on the high-level political maneuvers that set the stage for the collapse of the Iron Curtain, beginning with a Warsaw Pactmeeting on July 6, 1989. The primary figures are Miklos Nemeth, the young, Harvard-educated Prime Minister of Hungary and a reformer, and Nicolae Ceausescu, the "old guard" dictator of Romania. During the meeting, a furious Ceausescu berates Nemeth for betraying socialism and undermining the Warsaw Pact, even refusing to address him as "comrade." Nemeth, however, finds a silent ally in Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet leader, who gives him a subtle "wink" to signal protection against the hardliners. Nemeth's radical goal was to dismantle the physical Iron Curtain—not just for ideological reasons, but because the technology (mines, electric wires) was decades old, ineffective, and too expensive to maintain. In a secret March 1989 meeting at the Kremlin, Gorbachev gave Nemeth a "green light," telling him that the border was Hungary's problem to manage. This meeting also touched on the sensitive presence of a secret Soviet nuclear arsenal in Hungary, which Gorbachev insisted remain hidden from his own defense ministers. Nemeth left Moscowfeeling that while Gorbachev wouldn't stop him, the Soviet leader's own position was precarious, and a hardline coup remained a constant threat. (1)1800

Brett Forrest, The Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars. The final segment of Forrest's account explores the dark possibilities of Billy's fate and the FBI's high-level awareness of the case. While some contacts suggested Billy might have simply disappeared into Russia or traveled to the Far East, Anastasia Mikhailovska offers a much bleaker theory: that Billy was taken into custody, tortured for information, and his body disposed of in a lake in one of the breakaway republics of Eastern Ukraine. This blunt assessment stands in contrast to more optimistic theories but aligns with the brutal reality of the Donbas conflict. Back in Washington, Forrest attends a retirement party at the Department of Justice, where he encounters Paul Abate. At the time Billy went to Russia, Abate was the Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit field office—the man who would have overseen Billy's handlers and the investigation into his disappearance. By 2018, Abate had risen to become the third-highest-ranking official in the entire FBI. When Forrest approaches him, Abate reveals that he already knows who Forrest is and is intimately familiar with the Riley case, despite no stories having been published yet. This high-level recognition suggests that the "secret wars" the Rileys felt trapped inside were well-known and carefully monitored at the top of the American intelligence apparatus. (4)1867 MOSCOW

Brett Forrest, The Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars. In this segment, Forrest details his own investigation in Russia, aided by his personal history of living in Moscow and Kyiv for fifteen years. He teams up with Dmitri Turin, a private investigator hired by the Rileys after they realized the FBI would not help them. Forrest seeks to meet Mikhail Pollenov, the manager of the volunteer fighter camp where Billy stayed in Rostov-on-Don, but Pollenov refuses to meet. He does, however, find Elena Gorbacheva, a photojournalist who had taken pictures of Billy on the day he arrived. Another key contact is "the general," a former member of the Russian services and a longtime friend of Forrest, who introduces him to Anastasia Mikhailovska, a woman who becomes critical to the investigation. Forrest visits Rostov-on-Don in the summer of 2018, noting the city's historic connection to the Cossacks and its modern role as a staging point for Russian military activities in Ukraine. He discovers that the volunteer camp Billy visited had been largely "cleaned out" by the time of the 2018 World Cup. The segment also explores the administrative nature of Billy's role as a CHS, explaining how the FBI's post-9/11 "re-engineering project" sought to turn the bureau into an intelligence agency by recruiting people like Billy to gather information on terrorist conspiracies. A major point of intrigue is Billy's "Volga sojourn," a trip he took to cities like Volgograd and Ulyanovsk shortly after arriving in Russia, which perplexed his parents as it took him away from the Ukrainian border. Finally, Forrest notes the suspicious timing of a visit by Tim Rhames, Billy's main FBI handler, who appeared at the Riley home for the first time ever immediately after Billy went missing. (3)1891

Brett Forrest, The Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars. The story shifts to 2017 when Brett Forrest, a Wall Street Journal correspondent, receives a tip from Bob Foresman, an American financier with deep ties to the Russian and Ukrainian power structures. Foresman reveals the outlines of a "story of great depth": a young Michigan man who worked for the FBI in counterterrorism had disappeared in Russia, after which his handlers visited his family, confiscated their electronics, and then effectively "shut the Rileys out." Forrest visits the Rileys in the winter and finds a family living through a tragedy but fueled by a relentless energy to find their son. The timeline of Billy's final known movements is established through his WhatsApp messages to his mother. He arrived in Moscow, met with contacts named Mikhail Pollenov and Elena Gorbacheva, and then took a train to Rostov-on-Don, a staging ground for the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Billy told his parents he intended to join a "humanitarian mission" delivering food and medical supplies to civilians in the war zone. While he was a self-taught expert on the region and could read Russian well, his parents remained uncertain if his humanitarian goals were his true or only purpose. On June 24, 2015, while his parents were on a bicycle trip, Billy sent a final, cryptic message stating that "plans have changed," ending all further communication. (2)1898

Brett Forrest, The Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars. This segment introduces the core of the mystery surrounding Billy Riley, a young man from Oxford, Michigan, who disappeared after traveling to Russia in May 2015. Billy is described as a product of the post-9/11 era whose life was fundamentally redirected by that event, leading him to develop a deep, self-taught expertise in global conflicts, religions, and foreign languages while operating from his parents' home as a "keyboard commando." His prolific internet activities eventually drew the attention of the Detroit FBI, who recruited him as a Confidential Human Source (CHS)—a type of freelance operative or "informant." The narrative highlights the tension between Billy's imaginative world and his physical reality; although he had not traveled widely, he was handling increasingly dangerous assignments for the FBI. One such assignment involved an online relationship with an individual in the Philippines suspected of being linked to Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic terror group allied with ISIS. Though Billy nearly traveled to Manila in December 2014 to meet this person, he backed out at the airport. However, by May 2015, he was determined to seek adventure in Russia, specifically heading toward the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine. His parents, Terry and Bill Riley, were aware he worked for "the men"—his name for his FBI handlers—but Billy had become adept at being "coy," sharing just enough to intrigue them without keeping them fully informed. Notably, despite growing up in a traditional Catholic environment, Billy had converted to Islam through personal study, often reading the Quran in his Catholic school classes. The night before his fateful departure for Moscow, he met with his main FBI handler for dinner, a meeting shrouded in mystery that left his mother with a sense of parental intuition that something was wrong. (1)1900

Jeremy Zakis updates listeners on the four magpie families that have reclaimed his property, peacefully coexisting with his dog, Dallas. He highlights the birds' advanced cognitive abilities, explaining how they recognize friendly humans and pass this generational trust down to their younger offspring in residential areas. (4)

Jeremy Zakis and John Batchelor explore the deep-rooted drinking culture in cricket, citing Ben Stokes' retirement and the legacy of Sir Garry Sobers. They also discuss the "death" of Bazball, an aggressive strategy that proved physically unsustainable and unsuccessful during long five-day Test matches for England. (1)1920                                                                                                                                                      

Jeremy Zakis recounts a dramatic incident where a 60-year-old cyclist in New South Wales accidentally rode over a six-foot eastern brown snake, which then became entangled in her bike's chain. Remarkably, the woman survived a "dry bite" without venom, illustrating the unpredictable dangers posed by Australian wildlife. (3)

Jeremy Zakis details Australia's preparations for a potential record-breaking "Super El Niño," which threatens to trigger extreme heat and devastating eucalyptus forest fires. Concurrently, John Batchelor reports on the severe smoke and air quality issues in New England resulting from massive wildfires in Canada. (2)

Charles Spicer concludes that after the war, Christie and Conwell-Evans published a limited-run book, None So Blind, detailing their ignored warnings to the government. Though Martin Gilbert later attempted to correct the record, these amateur spies largely slipped from historical memory. Tennant died in 1962, his contributions unacknowledged. Conwell-Evans lived modestly until 1968, having advised five Prime Ministers. Grahame Christie, a heroic and modest figure, committed suicide in 1971 at age 91. Their story remains a testament to the "blindness" of official diplomacy and the bravery of those who tried to "civilize" the Nazis to avert global catastrophe. (16)1943

Charles Spicer recounts how, at the Nuremberg trials, Ribbentrop tried to use his pre-war Fellowship efforts as a defense, claiming he had always worked for peace. Göring remained unrepentant, while Hess insisted on wearing his flying boots in the witness box. Spicer notes that after the war, Vansittart and the Foreign Office obscured their connections to the German resistance to avoid admitting that more energetic diplomacy might have prevented the conflict. The Oster Conspiracy of 1938 is highlighted as a more effective, though overlooked, opportunity than the famous 1944 bomb plot, as Hitler's grip on power was not yet absolute during the earlier crisis. (15)19353

Charles Spicer describes how, following the May 1940 retreat at Dunkirk, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, finally acting on the intelligence Christie had provided for years. The polemic Guilty Men was published, simplifying the blame for the war onto appeasers like Chamberlain and Baldwin. Meanwhile, Lord Lothian, serving as ambassador to the US, successfully mobilized the "arsenal of democracy" by persuading Roosevelt and the American public to support Britain. The segment also notes the Rudolf Hess mystery, as the deputy Führer flew to Scotland in 1941, mistakenly believing his Fellowship connections could facilitate a peace treaty with the British elite. (14)1939

Charles Spicer relates how, in the summer of 1939, Ernest Tennant undertook an incognito mission to meet Ribbentrop, hoping to find a path to peace. He returned with warnings that Hitler was focused on Poland and prepared for a ten-year war. While London believed the information, Chamberlain's antipathy toward Stalin led to a slow, failed attempt at an alliance with Moscow, allowing Ribbentrop to secure a pact with the Soviets first. Spicer echoes Churchill's sentiment that this was an "unnecessary war," highlighting multiple missed opportunities to support the German resistance and remove the dictator before the global catastrophe began. (12)1935

Charles Spicer describes how, as 1939 began, the diplomatic situation worsened due to the catastrophic appointments of Henderson and Ribbentrop. Henderson, the "arch-appeaser," fed Chamberlain's natural tendencies and suppressed reports that might upset Hitler. Conversely, Ribbentrop had become irrational and vitriolic toward the British, feeling socially snubbed. Despite accurate intelligence from Christie and Conwell-Evans flowing to Halifax, the Foreign Secretary vacillated between their warnings and Henderson's appeasement. Although the Fellowship's activities were suspended after the invasion of Prague, it remained a vital conduit for information that the official British embassy in Berlin failed to provide. (11)1940

Charles Spicer recounts how, by September 1938, the amateur spies learned of the Oster Conspiracy, a robust plan by German military and police units to arrest Hitler and prevent war. Spicer argues this was a credible arrangement that could have succeeded had Britain supported the resistance. Instead, Chamberlain's "Plan Zed"—his personal flights to meet Hitler—undermined the conspirators by robbing them of their casus belli. Intelligence regarding this plot reached the cabinet and was referenced in minutes, but it was never acted upon. Consequently, Hitler gained the Sudetenland and vital armament works without a fight, effectively fueling his future war machine. (10)1940

Charles Spicer describes how, during the 1937 coronation of George VI, Ribbentrop hosted a chaotic, overcrowded party at the German embassy. Despite the champagne-fueled festivities, the event was a social failure that highlighted the growing friction between the two cultures. Meanwhile, Vansittart realized the traditional intelligence services had poor access to the Nazi leadership. He established a parallel network—"Van's Detective Agency"—utilizing Christie and Conwell-Evans as private intelligence sources. Conwell-Evans, previously optimistic, underwent a total volte-face in 1937, bravely shifting his focus to gathering intelligence through his high-level German networks to warn the Britishgovernment. (7)1945

Charles Spicer explains that by late 1937, the Fellowship was being monitored by MI5 and penetrated by the NKVD. Soviet spy Kim Philby was even hired to manage the organization's PR, feeding information to Stalin, who feared an Anglo-German alliance against Russia. In November, Lord Halifax visited the Berghof. While he was appalled by Hitler's suggestion to shoot Indian protestors, the dictator successfully fooled Halifax into believing he did not want war. This meeting left the British cabinet with a dangerously false sense of security, as they prioritized Hitler's protestations over the warnings of amateur spies like Christie. (8)1938

Charles Spicer describes how, during the 1937 coronation of George VI, Ribbentrop hosted a chaotic, overcrowded party at the German embassy. Despite the champagne-fueled festivities, the event was a social failure that highlighted the growing friction between the two cultures. Meanwhile, Vansittart realized the traditional intelligence services had poor access to the Nazi leadership. He established a parallel network—"Van's Detective Agency"—utilizing Christie and Conwell-Evans as private intelligence sources. Conwell-Evans, previously optimistic, underwent a total volte-face in 1937, bravely shifting his focus to gathering intelligence through his high-level German networks to warn the Britishgovernment. (7)1940

Charles Spicer relates how Ribbentrop arrived at Victoria Station as the new German ambassador with a mission to neutralize Britain through a show of friendship. However, his tenure was a disaster; he was socially clumsy, notoriously giving a Hitler salute to the King. His wife, Annelies, was equally thin-skinned and offended by the British habit of teasing. Simultaneously, Nevile Henderson became the British ambassador to Berlin. Henderson, an arch-appeaser who admired the regime's efficiency, was paranoid about upsetting Hitler, further complicating the efforts of amateur spies to communicate the true nature of the Nazi threat to Whitehall. (6)1945