SHOW SCHEDULE
9-3-25
CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR
GOOD EVENING: The show begins in Beijing, watching the trio of Xi, Putin and Kim review the display of offensive weapons and offensive battalions.
FIRST HOUR
9-915
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 1.mp3 Guest:
Colonel Jeff McCausland,
United States Army retired artilleryman,
CBS News,
Dickinson College visiting professor, and
Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy CEO. Global Geopolitics and Military Displays
Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses a Beijing military parade featuring
Xi Jinping,
Kim Jong-un, and
Vladimir Putin, interpreting it as a message of strength and innovation, not peace, while downplaying the US role in WWII. He also covers the static battle lines in Ukraine, European proposals for a military force, and US involvement in Middle East conflicts in Yemen and Gaza, noting a tactical agreement with the
Houthis.
915-930
: John Batchelor 09-03 segment 2.mp3 Guest:
Colonel Jeff McCausland,
United States Army retired artilleryman,
CBS News,
Dickinson College visiting professor, and
Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy CEO. Pentagon's Evolving Mission and Global Order
Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses the new national military strategy emphasizing homeland defense as the primary mission for the
Department of Defense, shifting from an international "cop on the beat" role to a domestic one. This is reflected in increased border forces and
Caribbean operations.
McCausland also touches on China's ambition to establish a new global order, returning to its perceived historical position as a superpower, utilizing organizations like
BRICS and the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization.930-945
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 3.mp3 Guest:
John Cochrane at the
Hoover Institution. Federal Reserve Independence and Financial Regulation
John Cochrane explores the complex debate on whether financial regulation should be integrated with or separated from monetary policy and less independent of
Congress. He raises concerns about the
Fed's independence, its failure to foresee the
Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and the "too big to fail" phenomenon.
Cochrane also discusses the risks of the
Fed monetizing debt, its stance on stablecoins, and how its actions influence fiscal policy.
945-1000
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 4.mp3 Guest:
John Cochrane of the
Hoover Institution. Reforming the Federal Reserve's Role
John Cochrane addresses proposals to reorganize the
Federal Reserve, questioning whether it should become more political or have its scope narrowed to monetary policy, his preferred option. He criticizes the
Fed'spandemic response, specifically its decision to print trillions of dollars for deficits, which he argues was a choice leading to the 2022 inflation.
Cochrane also examines the wisdom of
Quantitative Easing (QE), suggesting it had limited economic impact but expanded the
Fed's political influence.
SECOND HOUR
10-1015
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 5.mp3 Guests:
Gordon Chang and
General Blaine Holt,
US Air Force General, retired. China's Historical Revisionism and Autocratic Alliances
Gordon Chang and
General Blaine Holtdiscuss China's military parade, led by
Xi Jinping, which falsely claims Chinese victory over Japan in WWII, omitting the US and Allied contributions.
Holt views the parade as theater for a crumbling
Belt and Road Initiative, not a united front. They note India's absence from the parade due to animosity with China. Despite appearances,
Putin and
Kim Jong-un also have underlying animosity towards
Xi Jinping, making their alliance one of expediency, not unity.1015-1030
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 6.mp3 Guests:
Gordon Chang and
Peter Huessy, President of
Geostrategic Analysis, a fellow at the
National Institute for Deterrent Studies. China's Nuclear Ambitions and Arms Control Challenges
Peter Huessy describes China's nuclear weapons as tools for coercion and hegemonic goals, a stark contrast to the US view of deterrence. He notes China's rapid nuclear buildup, exceeding
Soviet Union rates during the
Cold War.
Huessy and
Gordon Chang discuss the imminent expiration of the
New Start treaty with Russia and the absence of arms control talks with China, which has historically aided proliferation. This signals a "brave new world" with zero legal restraint on nuclear weapons.1030-1045
: John Batchelor 09-03 segment 7.mp3 Guests:
Gordon Chang and
Captain James Fanell,
United States Navy retired, intelligence officer for the
Seventh Fleet and for the
Indo-Pacific Theater. Pacific Tensions: Philippines, China, and US Naval Strategy
Captain James Fanell and
Gordon Chang analyze China's strategic ambition to subjugate the
Philippines, building militarized islands in the
South China Sea.
Fanell highlights
Scarborough Shoal as a critical "cork in the bottle," potentially used by China as a military base. He notes the
Philippines' new forward operating base with anti-ship missiles in the
Bashi Channel as a counter.
Fanell suggests a reinvigorated
US Navymorale and a shift in the
Pentagon's approach to deter China.1045-1100
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 8.mp3 Guests:
Gordon Chang and
Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the
Lexington Institute. Venezuela, Guyana, and US Deterrence in the Caribbean
Rebecca Grant discusses
Guyana'sburgeoning oil wealth and
Venezuela's threatening territorial claims under
Maduro, who also opposes democracy. She and
Gordon Chang analyze a significant
US Navy presence off
Venezuela's coast, including destroyers and a
Marine Expeditionary Unit, as a strong deterrent against
Maduro's actions and his alliances with Russia and China.
Grantindicates improving morale and combat readiness within the
US Navy, emphasizing its vital role in global operations.
THIRD HOUR
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 9.mp3 Guest:
Brett Arends of
Market Watch (
Return on Investment). Bond Market Anxiety and Federal Reserve Pressures
Brett Arends explains the bond market's current unhappiness stems from unsustainable national debt and uncertainty surrounding
President Trump's tariffs. He clarifies that the
Fedcontrols short-term rates, while the bond market sets long-term rates.
Arends warns that
Trump's pressure on the
Fed to cut short-term rates could paradoxically cause long-term rates, including mortgage rates, to rise, hurting the economy and exacerbating market nervousness. He emphasizes the need for fiscal sustainability.
1100-1115
: John Batchelor 09-03 segment 9.mp3 Guest:
Brett Arends of
Market Watch (
Return on Investment). Bond Market Anxiety and Federal Reserve Pressures
Brett Arends explains the bond market's current unhappiness stems from unsustainable national debt and uncertainty surrounding
President Trump's tariffs. He clarifies that the
Fedcontrols short-term rates, while the bond market sets long-term rates.
Arends warns that
Trump's pressure on the
Fed to cut short-term rates could paradoxically cause long-term rates, including mortgage rates, to rise, hurting the economy and exacerbating market nervousness. He emphasizes the need for fiscal sustainability.
1115-1130
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 10.mp3 Guest:
Brett Arends of
Market Watch. Addressing Bond Market Turmoil
Brett Arends explains that the troubled bond market stems from unsustainable national debt and recent court rulings questioning
President Trump's tariffs. He advises
Donald Trump to support
Federal Reserve independence, abandon attacks on
Jerome Powell and
Lisa Cook, and work with
Congress on tariffs to ensure fiscal sustainability and calm market anxieties.
Arends notes that gold's all-time high reflects a lack of market confidence.1130-1145
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 11.mp3 Guest:
Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website
Behind the Black. New Discoveries in Space and Planetary Science
Bob Zimmerman highlights new solar research using the
European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter probe, improving predictions of solar events that impact Earth's technology. He discusses the uniqueness of stars,
Juice's Venus flyby en route to Jupiter, and Mars' chaotic mantle structure.
Zimmermanemphasizes Mars' ample near-surface ice, making it attractive for colonization, and presents an exoplanet found in an accretion disc, challenging planetary formation theories.1145-1200
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 12.mp3 Guest:
Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website
Behind the Black. NASA Unionization and SpaceX Milestones
Bob Zimmerman addresses the recent executive order by
President Trumpeliminating unions at
NASA and other agencies, arguing that government unions are inefficient and costly. He then praises
SpaceX's achievements, including a
Falcon 9 first stage completing its 30th flight—a new reuse record.
Zimmerman notes
SpaceX is significantly reducing launch costs and enabling new space technologies like
Starlink, also mentioning the reuse of a
Starship super heavy booster.
FOURTH HOUR
12-1215
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 13.mp3 Guest:
Simon Constable writing for
The Wall Street Journal and other distinguished publications. European Politics, Commodities, and Digital Identity Debates
Simon Constable reports on pleasant weather in the
South of France and seasonal produce. He reviews commodity prices, noting gold's all-time high, coffee's surge, and orange juice's decline.
Constable discusses political crises in France, with
President Macronfacing a no-confidence vote, and the UK, where
Keir Starmer struggles with spending cuts and migration. He advocates for digital national ID cards as the only reasonable solution to migration.1215-1230
: John Batchelor 09-03 segment 14.mp3 Guest:
Simon Constable writing for
The Wall Street Journal and other distinguished publications. The Rise of AI in Romance
Simon Constable shares surprising polling data from the
Kinsey Institute on romantic engagement with AI. He reveals that 16% of single adult Americans romantically interact with AI, with
Gen Z being the most likely cohort at 33%. Furthermore, 44% of single Americans dating AI believe emotional support from an AI partner is superior to human support, highlighting a stark generational shift in romantic relationships.1230-1245
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 15.mp3 Guest:
Janatyn Sayeh from the
Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Iran's Nuclear Dilemma and Regional Threats
Janatyn Sayeh discusses the looming snapback mechanism of the
2015 JCPOA, which could reinstate
UN sanctions on Iran if it fails to comply with demands. Iran's non-compliance has its currency hitting new lows, yet Tehran threatens regional war and exiting the
NPT if sanctions return.
Sayeh notes Iran seeks rearmament, primarily from China, with
Belarus and
North Korea acting as potential intermediaries for Russian weapons.1245-100 AM
John Batchelor 09-03 segment 16.mp3 Guest:
Ivana Stradner from the
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Autocracy and Protests in the Western Balkans
Ivana Stradner reports on mass protests in Belgrade demanding snap elections following a fatal accident and criticizing
President Alexander Vučić's autocratic regime, which she likens to "
Belarus 2.0".
Vučić is accused of corruption and suppressing free media, while fostering close military and economic ties with China and Russia to maintain power and "blackmail" the West.
Stradner expresses concern over the repression against Serbian people.