The John Batchelor Show

China's Nuclear Threat to Japan — Jack Burnham — Burnham documents China's escalated nuclear threats against Japan, explicitly threatening nuclear weapons deployment if Tokyo militarily intervenes in Taiwan conflict scenarios, marking a significant shift from Chinese minimal deterrence posture toward aggressive nuclear coercion. Burnhamcharacterizes this escalation as reflecting Chinese regional anxiety regarding American-led alliance structures, particularly strengthening U.S.-Japan security cooperation. Burnham recommends robust reinforcement of American-Japanese alliance relationships and extended nuclear deterrence commitments as essential counterbalance to Chinesenuclear blackmail and regional hegemonic ambitions. 1951 LAS VEGAS

DeepSeek's Security Backdoors — Jack Burnham — Burnham reports that the Chinese AI model DeepSeekgenerates code containing severe security vulnerabilities when queried regarding Chinese Communist Party-sensitive topics including Tibet, Xinjiang, and Taiwan, demonstrating that the model contains embedded political surveillance and control mechanisms. Burnham characterizes DeepSeek as possessing a "split personality": technical competence in general programming tasks combined with sophisticated political filtering and censorship capabilities. Burnhamrecommends urgent prohibition of such Chinese AI models from American critical infrastructure, government systems, and defense networks due to inherent security risks and embedded espionage capabilities. 1956

The King vs. Grubby Politics — Gregory Copley — Copley highlights the pervasive economic pessimism and political instability characterizing the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Starmer's governance, which has adopted economically contractionary fiscal policies and welfare constraints. Copley contrasts the government's questionable political tactics with King Charles III's robust, positive institutional influence through diplomatic engagements and constitutional authority. Copley notes that the monarch possesses reserve powers to prorogue (suspend) parliament if the constitutional structure is threatened by governmental overreach, providing ultimate constitutional safeguard against executive abuse transcending democratic checks. 1910 WINDSOR

Strategic Independence After China — Gregory Copley — Copley traces Australia's historical American security dependency to the 1941 Singapore surrender and subsequent reliance on U.S. military protection against regional threats. Copley notes that Canada possesses potential opportunity to fundamentally rethink military procurement and strategic positioning amid escalating political rifts with the Trump administration. Copley observes that both Commonwealthnations are gradually recognizing the diminishing salience of China as a peer threat and consequently reconsidering the necessity of independent strategic capabilities alongside their continuing participation in the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance. 1944 BURMA

Peace Envoys and Russian Consistency — Gregory Copley — Copley analyzes the Trump administration's envoys visiting Moscow, contrasting Russia's remarkably consistent long-term strategic objectives with perceived Americaninconsistency and shifting priorities. Copley predicts that U.S.-Russia negotiations will result in substantial territorial concessions to Russia, generating alarm among European allies regarding American commitment to regional security. Copley highlights President Putin's upcoming state visit to India as strategically critical for establishing Russia's post-China global positioning and diversifying geopolitical relationships independent of Western European and Americanengagement frameworks. 1914 RUSSIA ARTILLERY

Maduro's Tenuous Position — Gregory Copley — Copley asserts that Nicolás Maduro's political position has become increasingly tenuous following U.S. designation of Venezuelan airspace as a no-fly zone and the systematic loss of Maduro's regional political allies among Latin American governments. Copley suggests that Maduro strategically hopes American domestic political divisions will constrain President Trump's willingness to execute military intervention, providing temporal window for regime consolidation. Copley emphasizes that with both China and Russiaweakened by their respective strategic overextensions, Maduro lacks external patrons capable of sustaining his regime, making exile increasingly likely as Trump administration pressure intensifies. 1896 CASTRO AND CABINET

UK Budget Backlash — Joseph Sternberg — Sternberg analyzes the public and parliamentary backlash against Chancellor Rachel Reeves' budget, which raises aggregate taxation to record peacetime levels despite pre-election assurances of fiscal restraint. Sternberg argues that these substantial tax increases combined with welfare expansion will systematically stifle economic growth, eroding business confidence and investment. Sternberg documents public perception that the Labour government deliberately misrepresented the fiscal situation regarding the alleged "black hole," violating electoral promises and generating widespread voter disaffection regarding governmental transparency and fiscal management. 1940 LONDON

Brussels Attempts Deregulation — Joseph Sternberg — Sternberg describes the European Union's complex multi-institutional governance structure and recent tentative moves toward deregulation, particularly regarding climate reporting requirements and digital technology regulations. Sternberg argues that Brussels officials are gradually acknowledging that excessive regulatory frameworks systematically damage economic competitiveness and drive entrepreneurs from European jurisdictions toward more favorable regulatory environments. Sternberg emphasizes that these modest deregulatory reforms confront a race against accelerating economic decline, requiring more aggressive structural reforms to restore European competitiveness relative to American and Chinese competitors. 1906 BRUSSELS

Ukraine as Buffer State — Mary Kissel — Kissel articulates core U.S. strategic interests in Ukraine beyond ideological commitments: Ukraine's role as a critical geographic buffer against Russian expansion into Western Europeand its status as a major agricultural producer essential for global food security and economic stability. Kissel defends U.S. diplomatic engagement with Syrian leader Al-Sharaa, arguing that countering Russian regional influence in Syriajustifies negotiating with new Damascus authorities. Kissel expresses skepticism regarding whether Al-Sharaa will fulfill counter-terrorism commitments following receipt of U.S. sanctions relief, highlighting the perennial tension between incentivizing behavioral change and verification of compliance. 1854 ODESSA

State Department Strategy and Moscow — Mary Kissel — Kissel explains that State Department strategic objectives prioritize implementing President Trump's directive to remove Maduro from Venezuelan power while ensuring American national security and hemispheric stability. Kissel details that Trump envoys currently in Moscow encounter Putin's two-track negotiating strategy: offering economic incentives for Russian reintegration into global markets while simultaneously demanding substantial Ukrainian territorial concessions and NATO exclusion from Eastern Europe. Kissel emphasizes the strategic complexity of reconciling U.S. interests in Ukrainian sovereignty with Russian security demands regarding sphere of influence and buffer state arrangements. 1961 BERLIN

Strong Economy and Rate Cuts — Elizabeth Peek — Peek documents that the U.S. economy remains robustly strong, with aggregate consumer spending outpacing inflation rate accumulation, indicating sustained purchasing power and economic vitality. Peek acknowledges that labor market sentiment remains weak despite aggregate employment statistics, reflecting worker anxiety regarding job security and wage growth relative to cost-of-living increases. Peek predicts the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates in December responding to softening employment indicators and deflationary pressures. Peek highlights ongoing uncertainty regarding potential emergency tariff implementation pending Supreme Court constitutional review and validation of executive authority over international trade policy. 1907 NYSE

Crypto Winter vs. AI Substance — Elizabeth Peek — Peek argues that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency price fluctuations lack underlying economic valuation fundamentals, unlike equities where corporate earnings directly drive share valuations, rendering current market volatility economically inexplicable. Peek contrasts cryptocurrency speculation with artificial intelligence, which she characterizes not as speculative bubble but as a profound systemic transformation affecting how civilization functions at foundational levels. Peek emphasizes that despite elevated valuations for AIcompanies including Nvidia, the underlying technological transformation justifies substantial market capitalization, distinguishing AI from unsustainable cryptocurrency enthusiasm lacking intrinsic value generation mechanisms. 1910 NYC FINANCIALS

PREVIEW — Jack Burnham — The Hidden Dangers of Chinese AI Deep Seek. John Batchelor speaks with Jack Burnham, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracy, regarding the Chinese artificial intelligence model Deep Seek. Burnham warns that despite public claims regarding the software's cost efficiency and technical effectiveness, Deep Seek functions strategically as a "back door" providing Chinese leadership direct access to American users' data, devices, and computational infrastructure, posing profound national security risks including potential espionage, intellectual property theft, and surveillance capabilities that exceed publicly disclosed functionalities. 1942

PREVIEW — Gregory Copley — King Charles III and the German State Visit. Gregory Copley discusses the strategic success of King Charles III in representing state institutional continuity and constitutional authority amidst pervasive political division fracturing British governance. Copley highlights the symbolic and political significance of the Kingwelcoming German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on a formal state visit, demonstrating that the British Crownremains institutionally strong, politically independent, and distinct from the "grubby politics" currently destabilizing British government and parliamentary institutions, thereby preserving constitutional monarchy's stabilizing role transcending partisan conflict. 1808 BANK OF ENGLAND

PREVIEW — Joseph Sternberg — The Failure of the "Brussels Effect." Joseph Sternberg of the Wall Street Journalcritiques the "Brussels Effect," a regulatory theory positing that heavy European Union regulatory standards would enable European companies to achieve competitive advantage through compliance-driven market dynamics. Sternbergcharacterizes this strategic approach as "total nonsense," demonstrating that EU regulatory frameworks have systematically stifled the growth of major technology startups and innovative enterprises compared to the dynamism of Silicon Valley, producing technological and economic underperformance. Sternberg reports that Brussels officials are gradually accepting this uncomfortable reality and reconsidering the regulatory framework's strategic efficacy. 1884 BRUSSELS

PREVIEW — Peter Berkowitz — The Erosion of Liberal Education by Scientism. Berkowitz analyzes the decline of liberal education, attributing its systematic degradation to the ascendance of "scientism" and nineteenth-century positivism, a philosophical doctrine that dismisses the humanities—including literature, philosophy, and cultural studies—as mere entertainment and aesthetic indulgence rather than substantive knowledge. Berkowitz argues that this reductionist epistemology privileges exclusively scientific data and quantifiable empiricism as constituting legitimate knowledge, fundamentally delegitimizing humanistic inquiry. This ideological shift has profoundly damaged university curricula, displacing classical texts, philosophical traditions, and literary analysis with utilitarian STEM-focused education, eroding the comprehensive intellectual formation traditionally central to liberal education. 1850 NASSAU HALL

PREVIEW — Mary Kissel — Missing Diplomatic Memory and the Russian Challenge. Kissel argues that current U.S.diplomats possess insufficient institutional memory and negotiating experience to effectively engage a nuclear-armed peer competitor like the former Soviet Union, now resurgent as Russia under Putin. Kissel emphasizes that the U.S. currently lacks a Senate-confirmed ambassador to Russia, critically limiting the American embassy's political influence and direct access to White House decision-making structures. Kissel documents that this ambassadorial vacancy reflects deeper institutional erosion of American diplomatic expertise and strategic communication capabilities regarding Russiannegotiations, creating dangerous capacity gaps precisely when Moscow possesses nuclear weapons and elevated geopolitical ambitions. 1931 STALIN & GORKY

PREVIEW — Elizabeth Peek — The Economic Conundrum: Strong Spending, Low Confidence. Peek analyzes the apparent economic contradiction wherein strong GDP growth and robust retail spending metrics coexist with persistently low consumer confidence and widespread economic pessimism. Peek attributes this paradoxical dynamic to acute affordability crises affecting substantial population cohorts and a deteriorating labor market characterized by declining hiring, wage stagnation relative to inflation, and employment insecurity. Peek characterizes this bifurcated economic experience as a "K-shaped economy," wherein stock market gains and asset appreciation benefit relatively privileged populations, while widespread financial anxiety, housing unaffordability, and discretionary spending constraints generate diffuse economic distress among middle and working-class populations. 1890 HARLEM HEIGHTS

SHOW 12-1 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1919 KABUL RIVER "John Batchelor 12-01 segment 1.mp3" Headline: DC Shooting, Afghan Veteran, and the Threat of Blue on Green Attacks Guest: John Batchelor, Bill Rajio. 50 Word Summary: The DC tragedy, allegedly involving Afghan national Ramanula Lakenwal, is discussed as a possible "blue on green" attack. Lakenwal was a veteran of the Afghan National Army Special Unit, potentially associated with CIA-backed Zero units. Concerns are raised about the vetting process for Afghans and the potential political motivation of the attack due to its proximity to the White House.

Iran's Aggressive Posture, Sanctions Evasion, and 'Fake Reform' — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, Jonathan Sayeh— Sayeh characterizes Iran as an active predator state, systematically seizing commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and progressively advancing its nuclear weapons program toward weapons-grade fissile material production. Batchelor documents that despite US sanctions regimes, Iran currently exports more petroleum than during the previous administration, suggesting inadequate enforcement rigor and possible sanctions evasion through intermediary nations. Sayeh characterizes Iranian regime tactics as employing "fake reform," superficially tolerating hijab violations while simultaneously intensifying internal security crackdowns, executions, and suppression of political dissent, creating a facade of liberalization masking deepening authoritarianism. 1870 TEHRAN

US Designates Muslim Brotherhood Branches and Ideological Threat — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, Edmund Fitton-Brown — Fitton-Brown describes the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) as a secretive, transnational organization with deliberately decentralized hierarchical structure designed to obscure leadership and maintain operational security. Fitton-Brown articulates the organization's long-term strategic objective: establishment of a global Islamic caliphatestructure superseding nation-states. Batchelor reports that the US formally designated violent Muslim Brotherhoodaffiliates operating in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt as terrorist organizations. Roggio notes conspicuously that Turkishand Qatari Muslim Brotherhood branches were omitted from designation, likely because those nations are viewed as strategically important US policy facilitators requiring diplomatic accommodation. 1900 ISTANBUL POST OFFICE

Palestinian Islamic Jihad Presence in Syria and Iranian Ties — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, Akmed Sharawari — Sharawari documents that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) maintains operational presence in Syria, conducting activities from refugee camps adjacent to Damascus, maintaining historical organizational relationships with the Assadregime structure. Roggio emphasizes that PIJ functions as a crucial Iranian proxy organization, receiving weapons, financial resources, and operational guidance from Tehran's security apparatus. Batchelor notes that although PIJ was a major participant in the October 7th attacks on Israel, Shara's current government is reluctant to provide full institutional sponsorship due to significant associated political and security risks from Israeli retaliation. 1920 DAMASCUS

Hamas Reemerges in Southern Syria Near Golan Heights — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, Akmed Sharawari — Sharawari reports that Hamas has been systematically rebuilding military infrastructure in southern Syria, reportedly coordinating with Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood networks operating near the Golan Heights in the village of Bei Jin. Roggio notes that Syria's new government under Shara is unlikely to conduct forceful suppression operations due to widespread domestic sympathy for Palestinian causes among the Syrian population. Batchelor emphasizes that Israel'sstrategic position on Mount Hermon provides significant tactical advantage against threats originating from both Syriaand Lebanon, enabling rapid response to emerging security threats. 1500

Lebanon's Failure to Disarm Hezbollah Amid Regeneration — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, David Daoud — Roggio documents that the Lebanese government continues to systematically refuse enforcement of Hezbollahdisarmament provisions negotiated in the ceasefire agreement one year prior, instead employing rhetorical frameworks of "dialogue and consensus." Daoud reports that the Trump administration is growing impatient with this intransigence, explicitly setting deadlines for Lebanese compliance and action. Batchelor emphasizes that Hezbollah is regenerating with unprecedented speed, focusing on easily manufactured assets including drone swarms, rendering the Lebanesestrategic concept of "containment" operationally meaningless and strategically ineffective in limiting Hezbollahcapabilities. 1902 CARACAS

Hezbollah Regeneration and Israel's Targeted Killing of Hashem Safieddine — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, David Daoud — Daoud reports that Hezbollah is actively regenerating military capabilities throughout Lebanon, systematically violating the ceasefire agreement through infrastructure reconstruction and weapons procurement. Roggiodocuments that Israel successfully targeted and killed Hashem Safieddine, identified as Hezbollah's top military logistics officer overseeing reconstruction operations. Batchelor notes that Iran has reportedly allocated $2 billion for Hezbollah reconstruction and operational purposes, demonstrating Tehran's commitment to sustaining the organization despite military setbacks. Daoud details Israeli Defense Force operations including air strikes, drone operations, and ground-based policing activities against Hezbollah assets throughout Lebanon. 1836 BEIRUT

The Evolution of Drone Warfare in Ukraine — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, John Hardie — Roggio examines drone warfare's significant but sometimes exaggerated role in the Ukraine conflict, tracing technological evolution from ISRreconnaissance drones like the TB2 to FPV (First Person View) drones, bomber drones, and emergent interceptor drone systems. Hardie identifies a consistent pattern: Ukraine consistently leads in innovative military technology development and deployment, while Russia demonstrates superior capability in rapidly scaling technologies to mass production and tactical integration, occasionally achieving operational effectiveness superior to the original Ukrainian innovations. Batchelor emphasizes this dynamic reflects fundamentally different military cultures and organizational capabilities.

Ukraine Talks Lack Firm Position Amid Russian Maximalist Demands — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, John Hardie — Batchelor reports that US Envoy Witkoff is proceeding to Moscow for negotiations, but the American and Ukrainian negotiating positions remain unsettled and insufficiently coordinated, particularly regarding territorial concessions and security guarantee structures. Hardie characterizes Russian demands as fundamentally maximalist, claiming territory including strategically defensible portions of Donetsk that Russian forces have not militarily conquered. Roggio documents that President Putin remains overconfident regarding the conflict trajectory, apparently believing that prolonging the war will ultimately yield more favorable settlement terms and territorial gains than immediate negotiation. 1921

Maduro Suffers Blow as Honduran Leftist Candidate Loses — John Batchelor, Ernesto Araujo, Alejandro Peña Esclusa — Peña Esclusa interprets the Venezuelan-backed candidate's defeat in the Honduras presidential election as a significant strategic setback for Maduro and the Venezuelan regime. Araujo identifies this outcome as reflecting a broader hemispheric political realignment wherein voters systematically reject the ideological alliance of socialism with organized crime networks, instead shifting toward Western-oriented center-right governance. Batchelor credits USdiplomatic engagement and strategic influence as a significant contributing factor in these regional political realignments favorable to American interests and democratic governance norms. 1905 HONDURAS

Diplomacy with Threat: US Tries to Talk Maduro Out of Power — John Batchelor, Alejandro Peña Esclusa, Ernesto Araujo — Batchelor reports that President Trump confirmed a direct phone call with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as part of US diplomatic efforts encouraging his peaceful voluntary departure from power, efforts implicitly backed by the threat of military force. Peña Esclusa documents that Maduro is articulating unacceptable preconditions for departure, including total amnesty from prosecution and continued control of the Venezuelan armed forces. Araujo emphasizes that the transition will be further complicated by military officials implicated in large-scale corruption, drug trafficking operations, and documented human rights violations requiring accountability. 1922 CARACAS

Pro-Iran Militias Dominate Iraqi Elections; Iran Losing Control of Houthis — John Batchelor, Thaddeus Martin, Malcolm Hoenlein — Batchelor reports that pro-Iran militias and their political front organizations consolidated unprecedented power in Iraq's recent election, generating concern among American officials regarding Iranian regional influence expansion. Martin documents a counterintuitive development: Iran appears to be losing operational control over the Houthis in Yemen, its most strategically critical proxy force in the region. Hoenlein concludes with positive news regarding the Bene Manasseh, descendants of the ancient lost Israelite tribe, returning to Israel and establishing community and cultural presence.

Netanyahu Pardon Request, Hostages, and Israel's Iron Laser Dome — John Batchelor, Thaddeus Martin, Malcolm Hoenlein — Batchelor discusses Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's pardon request addressing his corruption charges involving luxury items including Cuban cigars and French champagne, though formal acceptance may require admission of culpability. Hoenlein reports that Israel is demanding the return of the final two remaining hostages from Gaza. Martin highlights Israel's deployment of the "Iron Laser Dome" defense system, which effectively counters inexpensive drones and rockets at minimal cost, approximately $50 per interception, providing asymmetric defensive advantage against financially constrained adversaries. 1922 UNDER FIRE 2ND GAZA WAR

China's Self-Reliant Trade Philosophy and Military Ambitions — John Batchelor, Gordon Chang, Alan Tonelson— Chang explains China's strategic trade philosophy, viewing commerce not as reciprocal exchange but as a temporary necessity until achieving complete self-reliance in all manufactured products. Chang traces this doctrine to classical Chinese strategic thought, emphasizing the goal of China exporting everything while importing nothing. Tonelsoncharacterizes current Chinese leadership implementation of this doctrine as ominous, explicitly oriented toward preparing China for military conflict and establishing complete dominance of global manufacturing capabilities independent of external supply chains. 1906

Skepticism Over China's Renewed Promise to Buy US Farm Products — John Batchelor, Gordon Chang, Alan Tonelson — Chang and Tonelson express skepticism regarding China's latest promises to expand American agricultural purchases, particularly soybeans, reiterating unfulfilled commitments from the 2020 Phase One trade agreement. Tonelson cites China's well-documented history of violating trade commitments and bilateral agreements. Batchelorraises concern that agricultural sector lobbying is disproportionately influencing American trade policy, potentially obscuring critical deficiencies in US manufacturing competitiveness and structural national security vulnerabilities. 1959

Jihadists Remain a Threat: Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio — Batchelor and Roggio argue that jihadist organizations including Al-Qaeda and Islamic State remain a critical national security threat. Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) leaders, including Osama He and Aif Yahi Gori, have been designated as high-value targets with a $10 million reward for intelligence. Roggio documents that this group is systematically building infrastructure and operational capability in Afghanistan, enabled by Taliban toleration, raising concerns analogous to pre-9/11 conditions that enabled the original Al-Qaeda attack planning. 1900 THE SUBCONTINENT

DC Shooting, Afghan Veteran, and the Threat of Blue on Green Attacks — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio — The Washington DC tragedy, allegedly perpetrated by Afghan national Ramanula Lakenwal, is examined as a possible "blue on green" attack pattern. Lakenwal served as a veteran of the Afghan National Army Special Unit, potentially associated with CIA-backed Zero units operating covert counterterrorism missions. Roggio and Batchelor raise critical concerns regarding the vetting procedures for Afghan nationals and the potential political motivation of the attack given its proximity to the White House, suggesting possible ideological rather than criminal motivation. 1878 AFHANISTAN

PREVIEW — Gordon G. Chang — American Enterprise in China: Frustration and the Shift to Supply Webs. John Batchelor and Chang discuss American enterprises encountering significant market opportunities in China but experiencing persistent disappointment, frustration, and strategic retreat due to China's "pirate stance" on intellectual property protection. American businesses, though historically overly optimistic regarding trade expansion trends, are systematically developing alternative sourcing arrangements—constructing "supply webs" rather than centralized supply chains—as they confront the serious, escalating trade friction and intellectual property theft. 1918 PEKING UNIVERSITY

PREVIEW — David Daoud — Escalation in Israeli Policing Activity Against Hezbollah. John Batchelor and Daouddiscuss heightened Israeli security operations against Hezbollah along Israel's northern border, indicating Hezbollah'srapid organizational regeneration. While the IDF rarely provides operational commentary, Daoud has documented a significant escalation in recent operations—transitioning from drone reconnaissance strikes to sustained, intensive air strikes designed to ensure target destruction and elimination of leadership cadres. 1900 BEIRUT

PREVIEW — Edmund Fitton Brown — Muslim Brotherhood: Decentralization, Violent Roots, and Tactical Opportunism. Fitton Brown explains that the Muslim Brotherhood, parent organization of Hamas, employs a decentralized "variable geometry" operational model enabling tactical flexibility. Although the organization has never formally disavowed its original revolutionary and violent foundational teachings, it strategically deploys tactical opportunism—adopting gradualist, non-violent methodologies in liberal democracies including the United States and Great Britain, while transitioning to explicit violence when circumstances permit, as exemplified by Hamas's conduct in Gaza. 1870 ISTANBUL

PREVIEW — John Hardie — The Evolution of Drone Warfare in the Ukraine Conflict. Hardie analyzes the expanding, evolving role of unmanned systems in the Ukraine war. Early intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones, including the Turkish TB2, became progressively less effective as Russia improved integrated air defense capabilities. Subsequently, FPV (first-person view) combat drones became operationally critical, supplementing larger bomber-category unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—often adapted agricultural equipment—deployed by both combatants, particularly Ukraine, to deliver precision munitions against distributed targets. 1953

PREVIEW — Bill Roggio — The Threat of "Blue on Green" Attacks. Roggio addresses "blue on green" attacks, wherein Afghan security personnel, including national army and police units, attacked American and NATO forces throughout Afghanistan. The Taliban frequently orchestrated these insider attacks, which peaked dramatically between 2009 and 2013. This threat remains tragically relevant following a recent attack in the District of Columbia allegedly perpetrated by an Afghan veteran, reportedly a former special forces member previously attached to the CIA. 1867 KHYBER PASS

PREVIEW — Alan Tonelson — Worries Over Agriculture Driving US-China Trade Policy. John Batchelor and Tonelson examine Tonelson's concern that the Trump administration is allowing soybeans and agricultural interests to dominate U.S.-China trade policy formulation. While Tonelson views the administration's overall trade strategy as substantially superior to previous approaches, he expresses serious concern that prioritizing agricultural constituencies for political reasons—maintaining electoral base support—systematically undermines U.S. national security interests and critical manufacturing sector development. 1930 HONG KONG Unvanquished edited Document · MD 

3/3. The Regicide Debate — Gaius and Germanicus examine the history and implications of killing monarchs and emperors, particularly regarding modern political leadership. Germanicus uses the execution of Charles I in 1649following the English Civil War as the seminal regicide precedent; Charles I was executed publicly after refusing to defend himself in court. Gaius explains that regicide recurs throughout imperial history because the sacred monarch's authority embodies the totality of society itself; metaphorically, the monarch's body represents the body of all citizens collectively. Germanicus distinguishes between legitimate regicide—eliminating a king who betrayed his societal mission (like Caligula)—and capricious execution like Charles I's, Louis XVI's, or Nicholas II's, which constitutes ritual delegitimation. Gaius notes that Charles I's execution ultimately delegitimized the regicides themselves, causing the nation to reject them and resulting in Cromwell's short-lived Protectorship. Germanicus warns that contemporary opposition entertaining regicidal ideas against "Emperor Trump" appears unaware they are entering this long historical tradition of regicide, which invariably triggers general conflict among factions, since millions of faithful supporters embrace the emperor. Gaius emphasizes that while individual men may be killed, opposition attempting to slay the high office itself confronts an institution that is undying, all-powerful, and ultimately indestructible, creating structural conditions for catastrophic escalation and societal fragmentation reminiscent of cracked mirrors that cannot be adequately mended without the binding emotional adhesive of fraternity and shared national purpose. 1649

2/3. The Civic Communion Debate — Gaius observes that despite ceremonial declarations of national strength, the United States remains profoundly fragmented domestically. Germanicus presents French philosophical recommendations for "Civic Communion," emphasizing shared, major institutions—Religion, Military, Education, Healthcare—where citizens belong to each other transcending immutable background characteristics. Germanicushighlights that the US prioritizes enshrining individual rights and liberty but neglects fraternity, the concept providing implicit kinship and reciprocal obligation among citizens. Gaius articulates French exceptionalism, which embraces those joining the French civilizational sphere; the French concept of laïcité requires that kinship to France supersede sectarian and identitarian attachments. Germanicus emphasizes that the US has failed to cultivate the idea of constituting a "people" and lacks emotional bonds necessary for sustained national unity. Gaius notes this fragmentation was temporarily healed during the World Wars but is now fully developed, resembling divisions of the 1840s-1850s. Germanicus describes contemporary American society as characterized by "bile and rancor," where citizens are rewarded for denouncing American institutions, rendering reestablishment of "imagined kinship" extraordinarily difficult and requiring fundamental reconceptualization of national identity and shared purpose. 1908 FRENCH GRAND PRIX

1/3. The Peace Debate — In a Londinium wine bar during a storm in 91 AD, Gaius and Germanicus philosophize about service and contemporary geopolitics, centering on the modern concept of "peace," particularly regarding Ukrainedespite ongoing conflicts in Venezuela and Hezbollah rearmament. Germanicus asserts that "peace" functions as a euphemism for defeat, deployed by the side facing inevitable submission to avoid public humiliation. Germanicus argues that Russia's protracted attrition strategy is culminating, evidenced by recent media reports of meteoric desertions and massive irrecoverable casualties exceeding 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers monthly, suggesting Ukraine approaches structural collapse. Gaius emphasizes that Europe lacks deployable military capacity and sustained fighting capability, necessitating a negotiated peace settlement to avoid the humiliation of military defeat. Germanicus notes that neoconservatives remain unusually silent, lacking control of the current administration, establishment Democraticinfluence, and weakened by collateral damage from Israel's Gaza campaign to their "endless war" doctrine. Gaiuscontends that the United States' only viable leverage for Russia involves promises of economic investment, reestablishing European energy linkages, and modernizing resource extraction through joint ventures. Germanicusidentifies three conditions for a viable treaty: Ukrainian neutrality, Russian reintegration, and attractive arrangements regarding Donbass, coupled with Ukraine affirming non-discrimination toward Russian-speaking populations. 1968

8/8. Conservation Battles: From the Extinction of the Ivory Bill to the Political Fight over Wolves — Dan Flores — The twentieth century witnessed simultaneous conservation efforts and continuing ecological tragedy, notably the probable extinction of the iconic ivory-billed woodpecker following industrial logging of its remaining habitat. Florescredits Rachel Carson's Silent Spring with catalyzing public ecological awareness, contributing to landmark legislation including the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Flores emphasizes that despite compelling scientific evidence demonstrating wolves and coyotes' essential ecological value, wildlife recovery remains politically intractable due to persisting ideologies of human exceptionalism and deep-seated cultural antipathy toward apex predators, reflecting unresolved tensions between wilderness conservation and rural extractive economies. 1844 AUDOBON

7/8. The Western Safari, Sheridan's Irony, and the Scientific Ignorance Driving the Wolf Slaughter — Dan Flores— The mid-nineteenth-century American West became a safari destination for wealthy European nobility who engaged in serial, unjustified massacres of wildlife, meticulously recording kill counts as trophy tallies. Flores documents a historical irony: General Philip Sheridan, traditionally maligned as a villain, actually protested the systematic buffaloslaughter and subsequently protected Yellowstone fauna. Flores emphasizes that wolves were poisoned ubiquitously throughout this period due to unscientific Old World superstitions and profound ecological ignorance, reflecting medieval prejudices rather than empirical understanding of predator-prey dynamics and ecosystem function.

6/8. The Great Slaughter: Audubon's Regret and the Lewis and Clark Grizzly Massacre — Dan Flores — The opening of the American West initiated an unprecedented destruction of animal populations. Flores documents that John James Audubon, while initially killing wildlife subjects for his ornithological artwork, eventually expressed profound regret regarding the systematic destruction of mammals including buffalo herds. Flores notes that the Lewis and Clark Expedition mirrored prevailing colonial attitudes; Meriwether Lewis permitted subordinates to transform grizzly bearhunting into recreational sport, resulting in at least half of the 37 encountered bears being killed without apparent practical justification, representing callous wastage of irreplaceable fauna.

       5/8. Thoreau, Extinction Denial, and the Destruction of America's Beaver Engineers — Dan Flores — Nineteenth-century intellectuals including Henry David Thoreau lamented the systematic extermination of iconic American fauna. Flores documents that the concept of species extinction was initially incomprehensible to European ideology, which posited a divinely perfect creation precluding permanent species loss. Flores emphasizes that beavers, functioning as immense ecological engineers reshaping aquatic and riparian landscapes, exemplified catastrophic loss; their pelts became commodity targets for the emergent global market economy, driving enterprises like the American Fur Company and precipitating near-total beaver annihilation throughout continental North America.

4/8. The Second Eurasian Invasion: Herding Culture, Wolves, and the Birth of the Global Market Economy — Dan Flores — European colonists expressed astonishment regarding the extraordinary abundance of American wildlife following the catastrophic population decline of Native American societies. Flores explains that European settlers possessed a distinctive herding culture and ideology of human exceptionalism—the conviction that animals lack souls and exist solely as human resources. Flores documents that colonists immediately targeted apex predators, particularly wolves, for systematic elimination. Flores argues that this predator-eradication philosophy, combined with the emergence of the global market economy and Adam Smith's ideas of rational self-interest, transformed wild animals into commodities, exemplified by the systematic fur trade targeting beaver populations.

3/8. Ten Thousand Years of Kinship: Native American Hunter-Gatherers and Ecological Balance — Dan Flores — Following the Pliocene extinction event, North America entered a 10,000-year period characterized by hunter-gatherer societies achieving sophisticated ecological equilibrium. Flores documents that Native American peoples consciously maintained deliberately restricted human populations (fewer than five million inhabitants) to preserve biodiversity and prevent further species loss, resulting in only one documented extinction during this extended period. Flores emphasizes that these indigenous societies conceptualized wild animals as kin, celebrating them through oral traditions, stories, and sacred ceremonies, with coyote and raven functioning as ancient deities and archetypal trickster figures within cosmological frameworks. 1870

2/8. Clovis Culture and the American Extinction: Early Humans as Ecological Simplifiers — Dan Flores — The Clovis culture, emerging approximately 13,000 years ago, rapidly spread across North America in a remarkably brief timeframe. Flores connects the Clovis expansion to the "American extinction," wherein large megafauna including mammoths disappeared with striking rapidity. Flores explains that emerging scientific consensus attributes this ecological simplification to humans functioning as novel apex predators, potentially engaging in surplus killing behavior and inducing genomic isolation within animal populations, effectively severing breeding populations and accelerating extinction processes.