The John Batchelor Show

1900 KABUL
Tragic Abbey Gate Bombing Ends Withdrawal
Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson, Part Two: US Marines and 82nd Airborne soldiers manage overwhelming, hazardous crowds at Hamid Karzai International Airport's perimeter gates. State Department delays and shifting visa guidelines create immense confusion, prompting the CIA to utilize Afghan National Strike Units (NSU) to secure the airfield. On August 26, 2021, freed ISIS-K terrorist Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonates a suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, despite Marine snipers previously spotting a suspect matching intelligence descriptions. The tragic blast kills 13 USservice members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians, concluding a turbulent withdrawal marked by significant intelligence warnings and procedural failures. (2)

1842 KABUL

Military Warnings Unheeded Before Kabul Evacuation
Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson, authors of Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden's Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End, Part One: Diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad negotiates the 2020 Doha agreement with the Taliban, marginalizing the Afghan national government. Although military leaders strongly urge retaining Bagram Airfield as a defensible hub for evacuation, President Biden enforces a strict 600-troop limit, forcing Bagram's abandonment. Administration officials repeatedly promote an inflated figure of 300,000 Afghan security forces, disregarding widespread corruption and non-existent "ghost units." Consequently, closing Bagram releases thousands of Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS-K prisoners. Delays by the State Department in declaring a Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) trigger catastrophic chaos at Hamid Karzai International Airport as Kabul falls. (1)

Ancient Proxy Wars Precede Bronze Collapse
Eric H. Cline, Part Two: The Amarna archive exposes intense proxy warfare between Egypt and the Hittite Empireacross Canaanite city-states. King Rib-Hadda of Byblos writes over 60 desperate letters pleading for Egyptian archers against Hittite-backed rulers Abdi-Ashirta and Aziru of Amurru. Concurrently, Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem reports constant siege and regional conflict to the Pharaoh. Social network analysis highlights the critical role of royal messengers in maintaining international connections. Ultimately, this interconnected Late Bronze Age globalized network collapses around 1177 BCE due to mega-droughts, famines, earthquakes, and invasions by the mysterious Sea Peoples, initiating a 400-year Dark Age. (2)

1842
Bronze Age Clay Tablets Uncover Diplomacy
Eric H. Cline, author of Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed, Part One: Discovered in 1886 at Amarna, Egypt, the Amarna letters consist of roughly 380 clay tablets written in Akkadian cuneiform from the 14th century BCE. British Egyptologists Archibald Henry Sayce and E. A. Wallis Budge compete to acquire these artifacts for the British Museum. German scholar Hugo Winckler and the "Young Berliners" lead the scientific breakthrough in translating and categorizing the archives. The correspondence reveals complex diplomatic exchanges between Pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten and rival great powers in Babylon, Assyria, and the Hittite Empire. Significantly, the archives contain the earliest non-biblical references to CanaaniteJerusalem under King Abdi-Heba. (1)

1658 NEW MODEL ARMY
Rogue Diplomat Shifts Allegiance To King
Dennis Sewell, Part Two: In 1655, George Downing negotiates a secret treaty with France's Cardinal Mazarin, conducting late-night discussions entirely in Latin. Later appointed ambassador to Holland, Downing conducts economic espionage to undermine Dutch commercial maritime dominance. Following Oliver Cromwell's death and the collapse of Richard Cromwell's regime, Downing opportunistically offers his intelligence services to the exiled King Charles II. Upon the Restoration, Downing secures royal favor by ruthlessly hunting down and capturing the regicides who signed Charles I's death warrant. Through political maneuverings, espionage, and property acquisition, Downing amasses immense wealth and leaves his mark on Downing Street. (2)

CAPTION 1653 CROMWELL MOCKED
Harvard Scholar Leads Cromwell Military Intelligence
Dennis Sewell, author of Cromwell's Spy: From the American Colonies to the English Civil War, Part One: George Downing, a graduate of Harvard College's first class, demonstrates exceptional fluency in conversational Latin. After returning to England, Downing joins Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army as a chaplain and preacher. Recognizing Downing's combination of intelligence and cold-blooded ruthlessness, Cromwell appoints him Scoutmaster General, heading military intelligence. Downing builds extensive spy networks in Edinburgh during the English Civil Wars and secures administrative control over Scotland using New England Puritans. Furthermore, Downing arranges for captured Scottish prisoners of war to be shipped as forced labor to Massachusetts ironworks and Barbados sugar plantations while acquiring valuable London real estate. (1)

CAPTION COOLIDGE AND THE BANKERS
Harding Wins Landslide Following Heated Conventions
David Pietrusza, Part Two: The 1920 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco requires 44 grueling ballots under the two-thirds rule to select Ohio Governor James M. Cox, pairing him with vice-presidential nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt. The campaign unfolds amid national unrest, highlighted by anarchist bombings targeting Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer and Socialist Eugene V. Debs running from prison. Warren G. Harding secures a massive landslide victory, garnering 16 million votes and 404 electoral votes after running a front-porch campaign in Marion, Ohio. Following Harding's death in 1923, Calvin Coolidge assumes the presidency, restoring public trust before Herbert Hoover and FDR shape subsequent presidential eras. (2)

CAPTION TAFT, HARDING, ROBERT LINCOLN
Presidents Converge During Critical Election Year
David Pietrusza, author of 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents, Part One: Woodrow Wilson suffers a debilitating stroke in October 1919, leaving him incapacitated while his wife and physician obscure his true condition. Wilson remains obsessed with passing the League of Nations, which becomes the defining battleground of the 1920 presidential election. Former President Theodore Roosevelt, a fierce critic of Wilson's foreign policy neutrality, passes away in January 1919. Meanwhile, Senator Warren G. Harding emerges as an agreeable, moderate contender from Ohio. Prominent vice-presidential hopefuls emerge, including ambitious Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt and Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge. Additionally, humanitarian food administrator Herbert Hoover attracts interest from both major political parties. (1)

CAPTION  JANUARY 1960
CONTENTS OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW,  9-11-2026

Global Currents: From Mission History to Interstellar Visitors

This broadcast overview explores a diverse range of current events and cultural history, beginning with a look at California's coastal missions and the potential impact of a super El Niño. The narrative transitions into legal and political updates, specifically addressing mail-in ballot validation and the preservation of a historic casino sign in Las Vegas. Economic and geopolitical concerns are highlighted through rising fuel prices and military tensions at Middle Easternshipping choke points. Scientific discussions follow, covering the geological formation of Italy, the growth of commercial space travel, and the study of interstellar comets. Finally, the broadcast highlights a literary biography of George Sand, celebrating her as a groundbreaking French novelist and intellectual.

California History Disasters And Ocean Swells
Jeff Bliss speaks from San Luis Obispo, describing the 1772 Spanish mission built to project military and religious control in early California. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, he recalls being in San Luis Obispo preparing to fly to San Francisco when the attacks occurred, noting how generational memory of the event has shifted over time. Additionally, he discusses the severe damage along the Southern California coastline caused by Hurricane Marie's high heat, humidity, and massive swells that eroded beaches and threatened Amtrak rail lines. Finally, he highlights efforts to restore the iconic Circus Circus clown sign in Las Vegas. (1)


Legal Challenges To Postal Voting Rules
Richard Epstein analyzes the appellate court decision halting the Trump administration's proposed Postal Service mail-in voting rules. Epstein argues that while the government claims postal regulatory authority to combat potential fraud, applying restrictive envelope and documentation requirements acts as a harmful monopoly power over state election procedures. He emphasizes that the Postal Service lacks the necessary equipment, programs, or execution capability to process millions of ballots neutrally before the election, risking widespread voter disqualification. Epstein also criticizes President Trump's campaign promise to distribute $5,000 checks to adult citizens if Republicans win Congress, calling it an unfeasible and populist bribe. (2)Inflation Pressures And Local Pennsylvania Elections
Jim McTague reports on economic and political developments in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Rising gas prices—reaching $4.26 at Costco and up to $4.60 elsewhere—alongside diesel exceeding $6 per gallon, are squeezing family budgets and slowing retail activity across the region. Dining out costs have also increased substantially. On the political front, McTague discusses a visit from a campaign canvasser for Republican state representative candidate Tom Jones, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Malone. Notably, the canvasser actively avoided discussing Donald Trump, highlighting how local candidates in this traditionally Republican county are downplaying national party affiliations. (3)


Wines And Cuisine Of Monferrato Italy
Lorenzo Fiori explores the Monferrato region in Piedmont, Italy, highlighting its picturesque landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, and historic villages. He details the region's rich viticultural offerings, including Barbera red wines, Dolcetto, white wines such as Gavi, Cortese, and Arneis, as well as Asti Spumante and Vermouth. Fiori also describes regional culinary specialties, such as agnolotti—stuffed meat pasta served with butter, sage, or roast sauce—alongside beef tartare, truffles, and amaretti biscuits paired with Moscato d'Asti. He recommends visiting during September and October to experience the vibrant autumn colors, ideal weather, and seasonal food pairings. (4)











Small Business Trends And AI Concerns
Gene Marks discusses current economic conditions, noting strong corporate profits alongside owner concerns over rising regulations and labor costs. Warning of inevitable market contractions, he advises business owners to build cash reserves and credit lines. Marks also addresses workplace artificial intelligence trends, observing that younger workers often fear AI job displacement due to economic uncertainty, driving higher enrollment in trade and technical schools. Furthermore, he notes widespread distrust among business owners toward big tech executives regarding data privacy and security, even as businesses selectively adopt AI tools to enhance productivity. (5)


Literary Legacy Of Novelist George Sand
Fiona Sampson, author of Becoming George, Part Two: Sampson discusses French author George Sand (Aurore Dupin), examining her distinct appearance, unconventional attire, and public identity in 19th-century Paris. Sand broke social taboos through her independent lifestyle, extramarital affairs, and progressive writings on women, ecology, and working-class lives. Sampson outlines Sand's complex personal relationships, including her tense dynamic with her daughter Solange, her supportive role for her son Maurice, and her nine-year relationship with composer Frédéric Chopin, whose artistic output she enabled. Additionally, Sampson highlights Sand's deep literary friendship and correspondence with Gustave Flaubert and her enduring influence on modern literature. (6)

 
Nuclear Proliferation And Orbital Space Warfare
Henry Sokolski examines non-proliferation concerns surrounding Saudi Arabia's pursuit of domestic nuclear power and uranium enrichment capabilities. He questions proposed inspection arrangements and "black box" proposals, highlighting technical limits in detecting clandestine material diversion and warning of security risks in active war zones. Turning to space security, Sokolski describes a war game simulating a 2039 crisis between the United States and China over space-based interceptor networks like "Golden Dome." He warns that orbital systems designed for missile defense could also be deployed offensively to conduct space launch blockades or disable satellites, urging public debate over primary orbital military missions. (7)


Commercial Space Boom And Planetary Exploration
Bob Zimmerman, author of the 2017 policy paper Capitalism in Space, outlines a commercial space boom, predicting 14 operational rockets launching by early 2027—half of them American—which will significantly lower orbital launch costs and expand private enterprise. He details corporate developments involving Firefly, Relativity, Vast's commercial space station plans, and Europe's Exploration Company. Zimmerman also highlights India's efforts to privatize its space sector under Prime Minister Modi. Moving to planetary exploration, he notes the Curiosity rover's milestone climb up Mount Sharp on Mars, past discoveries of unique interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, and Chandra X-ray Observatoryfindings revealing low-energy X-ray objects across distant galaxies. (8)V

CAPTION 1849 SACRAMENTO CITY

STREAMING MAKING OF JBS WITH JEFF BLISS AND MICHAEL VLAHOS, 9-11-2026.

Live Streaming weekdays 8-9 AM ET on The John Batchelor Show Substack page

San Luis Obispo, 9/11 Remembrance, and Broken Rules of War
Jeff Bliss and Michael Vlahos ("Germanicus") join host John Batchelor. Bliss provides a live report from San Luis Obispo, California, beginning with an exploration of the region's Spanish missions and historical landmarks, such as Hearst Castle, while transitioning into a discussion regarding the legacy of the film Citizen Kane. A significant portion of the exchange is dedicated to personal reflections on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and how the event reshaped the American political and cultural landscape. The speakers also examine recent extreme weather events on the coast, including massive waves caused by Hurricane Marie and their impact on local infrastructure. Finally, the narrative shifts to a broader geopolitical critique involving Germanicus, who discusses the breakdown of international shipping rules and the controversial nature of war crime tribunals. (1)