The John Batchelor Show

Monday 6 October 2014

Air Date: 
October 06, 2014

Photo, above: Hong Kong demonstrations for democracy: Chinese troops destroyed the statue Goddess of Democracy in Tiananmen Square in 1989. The regime sedulously censors information about those events. This memorial statue was recreated by Thomas Marsh

JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW.

Co-hosts: Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, The Great Voice of the Great Lakes & Gordon Chang, Forbes.com.

Hour One

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 1, Block A:   Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: Pakistani Taliban group urges jihadists in Iraq and Syria 'to reconcile'  Omar Khalid al Khorasani, a top leader in Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, offered to help mediate the dispute between the Islamic State and the Al Nusrah Front and other jihadist rivals. 9 UN troops killed in Mali ambush Yesterday's ambush in Gao is the worst attack on UN forces since they took over security responsibilities in the summer of 2013. Jihadist group loyal to Taliban, al Qaeda claims to have captured Afghan district  Both the Taliban and Junood al Fida, a jihadist group loyal to the Taliban and al Qaeda, have claimed that the Registan district in the southern Kandahar province has fallen to the jihadists. Afghan officials quickly denied the claim as "exaggerated." (1 of 2)

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 1, Block B: Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: Pakistani Taliban group urges jihadists in Iraq and Syria 'to reconcile'  Omar Khalid al Khorasani, a top leader in Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, offered to help mediate the dispute between the Islamic State and the Al Nusrah Front and other jihadist rivals. 9 UN troops killed in Mali ambush Yesterday's ambush in Gao is the worst attack on UN forces since they took over security responsibilities in the summer of 2013. Jihadist group loyal to Taliban, al Qaeda claims to have captured Afghan district  Both the Taliban and Junood al Fida, a jihadist group loyal to the Taliban and al Qaeda, have claimed that the Registan district in the southern Kandahar province has fallen to the jihadists. Afghan officials quickly denied the claim as "exaggerated." (2 of 2)

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 1, Block C: Claudia Rosett, FDD, in re: Beijing promised to Hong Kong that by 2017 democracy would obtain in Hong Kong.  It recently has decreed that, instead, the Communist suzerains – not actually Communist; just a dictatorship – now assert that they will choose candidates; that the people may have permission to vote on their hand-chosen candidates.  In China, it's only in Hong Kong that people can commemorate Tien An Men 25 years ago.  Martin Lee keeps in his office a model of the Tien An men goddess of liberty which the tanks destroyed then.  This Beijing govt has whitewashed all the memories so young people on Mainland are less afraid of their govt than they ought to be. In Shanghai, some people supported the Hong Kong protests and demanded the vote.  The game of chicken we've just seen in HK was where the tyrants cynically and deeply insultingly tried to pull on HK the ploy it uses on the Mainland: If you bother to vote according to our method, then you'll be endorsing our decisions of :leaders."  If Beijing repeated the mass murders it committed in Tien An Men, then the rest of the world would be horrified but likely fall prey to financial considerations and do nothing The world's biggest dictatorship is trying  ingest Hong Kong. Not easy.  The demos are existential threats to the Party so we cannot rule out massive violence, Renmin Jrbao spoke of the demos as "counterrevolutionary," and so a suitable target for obliteration.   In Beijing 25 years ago, the city went from being a place where people wanted to talk about irrigation projects to one where everybody spouted the Gettysburg Address.

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 1, Block D:  Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, The Great Voice of the Great Lakes, & Gordon Chang, Forbes.com, in re:  The Chamberlain govt thought that if it didn't say anything rude about the Nazis, it'd be safe.  History shows that doesn’t work,  For he people of the US, of the West, if you really want to se change in China and it commits violence, then boycott American companies that do business in China.  US noncommitment, tepid response, is no good. Jeff Bader, former advisor to Pres Obama and now at Brookings, says, "Hong Kong people don’t want democracy, are happy with Beijing's deeds; should just quit demonstrating and [knuckle under].  The strength of the US comes not from the political class but from the citizenry.  If you don’t stand up for he rights of others, that makes it difficult to do so for others. The US now is cousining  up with crony capitalism not only in the US but in China!  Meeting next month between Obama and Xi? – Obama intends to be soft and mild.  This is precisely the wrong attitude for American interests.    Hong Kong: things inevitably will go wrong in the upcoming negotiations between demonstrators and regime; then it's possible that the number on the streets could go up to 200,000.

Hour Two

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 2, Block A: David M Drucker, Washington Examiner Senior Congressional correspondent, in re: The Washington Nationals (the Nats, not Gnats) are not going to be swept.  That other team, nameless, used to be associated with the National Football League – what do you call them?  I just call them a bad football team.  [Beltway Caucasoids?] Kansas: ab9ut four weeks ago they cleaned house; running vs a guy who's got excellent TV ads, which went unchallenged all through August.  Gene Countryman call Pat Robert's office in February to speak to the people of Wichita and all Kansas on KNSS. The young person conveyed: He does national TV; why would he want to go on a local show?   A senator with that attitude will be cause people to be displeased back at home.  The residency issue  had a big impact.  Everybody hates Washington, even Washingtonians.  In Kansas people genuinely are frustrated, not by Roberts's voting, but by the appearance that he doesn’t care. 

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 2, Block B: David M Drucker, Washington Examiner Senior Congressional correspondent, in re: The other playoffs: the elections.  The Democrats have anxiety; "start to point fingers" – e.g., blaming Harry Reid for losses -  "I'd rather have Schumer" – and Sestak blaming the Commander-in-Chief.   Dems stand in a circle shooting each other.  Washington is designed for everyone to take all credit when possible and blame others when things go south. "Run out the legislative clock."  The First Lady's schedule published today: she's done selective campaigning; going to Michigan for Mr Peters, then Iowa.   . . .

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 2, Block C:  Scott Gottlieb AEI, in re: Spain’s health minister says a nurse who treated a missionary from Sierra Leone for Ebola at a Madrid hospital has tested positive for the disease, in what is the first reported incident of transmission outside Africa.  Health Minister Ana Mato said on Monday the female nurse was part of the medical team that treated a 69-year-old Spanish priest, who died in a hospital last month after being flown back from Sierra Leone, where he was posted.  No guaranteed drug against ebola; we ask mfrs to start making their various proposed drugs now so the when we find out which work, we can immediately begin sing them. Need Western regulators to come together to [decided] which to accepts – Western because the drug mfrs will turn to their own natl regulators before proceeding.  We do not have the luxury of time.   Ebola is named for a river in Congo.  Has a 70-90% death rate but hitherto has always burned itself out.  As Africa's GDP rose and jet travel increased, it was likely that this would occur.  A cautionary note for the future.   India has a lot of bilateral trade with Africa, dense urban populations and a less-developed health infrastructure.   . . .  Could get high viral loads earlier in the illness – what would happen if virus in blood peaked earlier, or got sequestered in lungs (not blood, liver, GI tract) so you cough more out? Would make it more contagious.  A serious early problem was the panic among health workers, who demanded that if they got sick and dies the govt would care for their families, and the govts refused so the health workers were obliged to quit.  The nurse in Spain among many other took proper precautions yet got sick anyway.  WHO is spoken of very badly  - tragic bungling: false pronouncements, then refused help from the CDC among others. As soon as this is resolved, need to have a cold look at the WHO. 

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 2, Block D:  Michael Tomasky, Daily Beast, in re: Can American still win wars?

Hour Three

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 3, Block A:  Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Decision by Sweden to recognize Palestinians:  "Sweden sees itself as a friend of both sides."  Back-door process of the Palestinian Authority's getting recognized.   In 2003, Golani Brigade held a meeting during a firefight; in a bldg that had been paid for by Sweden for PA.  Has been playing a duplicitous role for a long time  Israeli oppo  leader Herzog and others  all raised the issue with the Swedish ambassador, who then backed down.  The question is  recognition Is a violation of the peace treaty between Palestinians and Israel. "We see Sweden's  role in the BDS . . .   funding anti-Israel groups that engage in hostile propaganda and incitement.  Swedish PM appointed a Minister of Urbanization who had been on Marmara flotilla.  Josh Ernest, White House rep, made careless remarks – truly, rudeness from the WH toward the Israeli prime minister.  Israel is not bldg settlements in Jerusalem.  n fact, it was announced two years ago that Israel will build housing for both Arabs and Jews.  Arabs now are able to buy apartments anywhere, while Jews are unable to buy apartments in many parts of Jerusalem.  Sweden is not alone n making this trouble: Denmark and Finland also are advancing pranks: a huge factor is increasing Muslim populations.  Jews now in f=danger if they wear a yarmulka in Oslo,

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 3, Block B:  Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Israel I sending three mobile clinics to the ebola-affected nations.  Everybody's late to this; speed counts a great deal. Israel sent a training crew to Cameroon in early September;  sent personal-protection gear.  Have an IsraAid clinic long since established in Sierra Leone/ Also providing medical eqpt to  the countries where the virus has appeared.  In Iran: Khamenei is photographed bedridden. He issued a Statement via the New Horizons conference, an annual meeting where the US and other nations are viciously attacked;  attendees always include 9/11 truthers, Holocaust deniers.  At Parchin, where weaponization of nuclear materials occurs and which the IAEA has been prevented from inspecting since 2005, apparently the regime is testing nuclear triggers. [Note: this is  critical stage.]  ISNA reports that an explosion was heard and that lit up the night sky; that windows were shattered 12 km away, two killed and many injured. 

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 3, Block Ci:  Ann Marlowe, Hudson Institute, in re: In a speech broadcasted on the Libya National Channel on Oct. 3, head of Tripoli-based National Salvation Government Omar al-Hassi called for the U.N. Mission in Libya, ambassadors and foreign organizations to return to their headquarters in Tripoli, saying the city is secure and stable, LANA reported. Al-Hassi's government is the rival of the internationally recognized House of Representatives, based in Tobruk. Libya continues to experience instability and clashes among militant groups.

Benghazi has seen a surge in attempted and successful high-level assassinations over the past couple of days by Islamist militants, RIA Novosti reported Oct. 6. Reports of the killings began surfacing Oct. 4 and, over the weekend, militants launched a series of attacks on security officials, killing several police officers. The situation in Libya continues to deteriorate as a variety of stakeholders contend for control of key territories, including the Benina air base on the outskirts of Benghazi.

Islamic State militants appeared on the streets of Darnah, a city in eastern Libya, for the first time Oct. 6, waving flags and shouting slogans, Sky News Arabia reported. The reports follow news that the city's Shoura Council of Islamic Youth declared allegiance to the militant group Oct. 4. The situation in Libya continues to deteriorate as several opposing groups vie for control of infrastructure and territory, but it is unlikely that international actors will intervene in the crisis anytime soon.

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 3, Block D:   John Tamny, RealClearMarkets, in re: The tens of billions that will follow Bill Gross to Janus are a reminder that credit is always and everywhere "easy" to access for those who are skilled at allocating economic resources, thus multiplying them (credit) in the process.  More important, it exposes the Fed's rate and QE machinations as destroyers of credit that rob the economy and markets of vitality.   Bill Gross's Pimco Exit Relieves the Fed of All Its Clothing

Hour Four

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 4, Block A:  Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast, in re: Why ISIS Is Putin’s Problem, Too
 Abu Omar served with the U.S.-trained Georgian army, spent time in jail

and emerged a jihadi. Now at the top of the ISIS leadership, he wants to take the war to Russia.
 ISIS on Georgia’s Mind
 A glimpse at the problems of coalition building: Tbilisi would like help fight ISIS, but weighs the many risks from its own jihadists – and from Russia.
 (1 of 2)

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 4, Block B:  Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast, in re: Why ISIS Is Putin’s Problem, Too
 Abu Omar served with the U.S.-trained Georgian army, spent time in jail . . .  (2 of 2)

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 4, Block C: Joshua Green, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Boston Globe, in re:  THE NEW POLITICS OF THE OLD   How the rise of Reagan seniors helps Republicans this fall.  With less than six weeks to go until the midterm elections, control of the Senate is up for grabs. But whatever the outcome, Republicans will end up with significant gains in both houses of Congress. That’s because the GOP has a demographic advantage in midterm elections that mirrors the one Democrats enjoy from the rising wave of young, female, and Hispanic voters who reliably turn out in presidential elections. The Republicans’ advantage: old people.

Monday  6 October  2014  / Hour 4, Block D:   Robert Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com, in re: More quality control problems in Russia  Stratolaunch and Sierra Nevada team up

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