Photo, left: X-47B.
 
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
 
Co-host: Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, The Great Voice of the Great Lakes; and author, Liberty Risen
Hour One
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 1, Block A: Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: Islamic State captures dam, overruns base in western Iraq More than 120 Iraqi soldiers, including the commander of the 1st Iraqi Army Division, are reported to have been killed after the Islamic State took control of the Thar Thar dam and a military barracks.  READ MORE →
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 1, Block B: Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: Al Qaeda, jihadist allies declare victory over Syrian regime in key city  The "Battle of Victory" coalition, which includes the Al Nusrah Front and several other jihadist groups, has declared victory in the city of Jisr Al Shughur. The battle for the city began several days ago and was the next step in the jihadists' plans for conquering all of northwestern Syria. A highly influential al Qaeda-linked ideologue was reportedly wounded in the fighting.   READ MORE →
White House says hostages, including American, killed in counterterrorism operation  The White House says that two hostages, including an American, were killed in a counterterrorism "operation" in January. The two perished in an attack that also killed Ahmed Farouq, a prominent al Qaeda leader. Declassified documents recovered in Osama bin Laden's compound identified a jihadist by that name as an up and coming leader. Adam Gadahn, an American al Qaeda spokesman, was also killed in a separate operation.   READ MORE →
Al Nusrah Front, allies launch new offensives against Syrian regime  The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria, and its allies formed a new coalition to battle regime forces in the northern city of Jisr Al Shughur. The alliance is modeled after the coalition that took control of the city of Idlib late last month. 
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 1, Block C:  Christian Whiton, DC Advisory, in re:  Detroit skipped the summer of love and went straight to the riots.  . . . The next US president will inherit a flailing foreign policy.  Scott Walker sees the threats and explains them straightforwardly and truthfully.
Three Reasons Scott Walker Is Still the Likely Nominee http://bit.ly/WalkerGOP Jeb Bush announced his exploratory PAC in mid-December, and led most Republican polls for the next month. In late January, Scott Walker wowed the audience at the Iowa Freedom Summit, and rivaled or surpassed Bush in polls for the two months that followed. This month, Marco Rubio declared his candidacy; two brand new polls now show him on top.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 1, Block D:  Gordon Chang, Forbes.com, in re: .  1. Defending the yuan: China is spending $100 billion per month to protect the falling yuan.  With accelerated decline of reserves, China could run out in a year or so.   2. Abe and China in DC: US Defense Secretary sat with Mr Abe in Japan; mutual defense treaty began in the 1960s.   . . .  Be concerned about China not ten years from now but perhaps in the coming months.    3. Xi Jinping and Nepal emergency: China is sending a search and rescue team to Nepal; China has conveyed that it does not want Nepal to accept Taiwan's immediate offer of help; Nepal has complied; ergo, Nepali people will die because some Nepali has decided to honor Beijing's snit. This is an additional, deeply unnecessary tragedy.
Hour Two
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 2, Block A:  John Fund, National Review Online, & David M Drucker, Washington Examiner Senior Congressional correspondent, in re: Loretta Lynch: "I condemn the senseless actions . . . of those who commit violent actions ostensibly in honor of the death of Freddie Gray; . . . adhere to the principles of nonviolence." Just sworn in, then addressed the press.  Once again, Al Sharpton has deployed himself to Baltimore. The Washington Administration has been silent on the astounding incompetence of the Baltimore leadership.  See last night's White House Correspondents's Dinner festivities with the beginning of chaos in Baltimore.    CNN wouldn’t break away to cover Baltimore; do the media think they're celebrities? TGM: "Nerd Prom plus the Baltimore riots. Yes, they'd rather have friends in high places [than report]."  . . . A republican-Jewish coalition that's grown over 125% in the last three years thanks to Pres Obama. Heard from Cruz and Perry on Saturday.  Cruz: "I'd immediately order the US embassy to move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem." First time in recent  years that Israel has been [front and center] in Republican politics.  Pres Obama has managed to drive approval to 50% or below. Mrs Clinton will win the Hewish vote, but what to the donors do?  Jewish money in America politics has been big, is starting to move to GOP.   . . .  Israel for evangelicals is really important.  This is sending a msg to Iran that things will be different – sharing of defense, sharing weapons technology, moving the embassy to Jerusalem.   Clear that almost any GOP candidate will pull out of this deal with Iran. 
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 2, Block B: John Fund, National Review Online, & David M Drucker, Washington Examiner Senior Congressional correspondent, in re: see NRO piece on Democrats.  Mrs Clinton is campaigning without campaigning.   In a recent Bloomberg poll and a CBS poll, two-thirds of Dems said the party would be better served with a vigorous candidate.  . . . the server, the Global Clinton Initiative., Mr Clinton's speeches: 54% of the country consider the Clintons to be [dishonest].   Mrs Clinton has been called Daughter of Nixon.  Some of the revelations, esp the Russian Uranium One scandal, may in fact constitute a problem.  People don't like Mrs Clinton the way they liked her husband.  Chelsea is grown up, 3.0, is in the family business.  Their new Mr Fallon actually sends denials before allegations are released.  . . .  I enjoyed watching Mr Stephanopoulos defending the Clintons, and badgering Peter Schweitzer.
The Clintons are getting us used to how bad it is.  Why have they been so sloppy? They've always been sloppy – this is Dogpatch.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 2, Block C: Block A: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Airstrikes in the Golan for unspecified reasons: bomb transfer? In Golan: al Nusrah controls the Israelis border area, Israel-Syria-Jordan. Challenged by a coalition of IRGC and Syrian army, initially successful then beaten back and have retreated. In Golan, Hezb using major earth-moving eqpt, bldg fortifications.  One such was hit by an Israeli response to fire, which inadvertently killed an IRGC general.  Hezb have 90,000 missiles plus new, GPS-guided warheads.  Also: attempted infiltrations, both on ground and by air – there's a Hezb AEV airstrip in Bekaa.  Group intending to plant a huge mine on the border; Yaalon refused: "We will not allow any Hezb infrastructure on our border." Unconfirmed: S-300 missiles were among those destroyed in the Israeli strike.  (S-300s not supposed to be in the hands of al Nusrah.)  Comments by Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia: S-300 will be delivered at an appropriate time and place after actions htat warrant it."  Ergo, there's been a lot of pressure on Moscow.   . . . Yes, Iran will keep things just below the boiling point for strategic reasons, incl in Yemen.  Pres Obama insists on seeing Iran in the Yemen negotiations, whi is terrible news for Saudis.  Today, John Kerry held meetings at the residence of the Iranian ambassador to the  UN.   Head of IAEA again says he has neither the resources nor the access to inspect Iranian nuclear sites.  Nu – what’s the point? Iran does not accept the existence of Israel – true – but also doesn't accept the existence of the US. Would the US hold meetings in the home of a Nazi representative?  Chamberlain and his cabinet were all proud appeasers until the invasion of the Low Countries. "Looks like fox-hunting with Goering." – (See Lord Halifax, who did this, and hated Americans.) 
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-thwarts-attack-on-northern-border-ki... ; http://www.timesofisrael.com/april-26-nepal-foreign-ministry-earthquake-...
Senate backers of Iran bill swat amendments  Senate proponents of a bill empowering Congress to review and potentially reject any Iran nuclear deal must first win a battle with some colleagues determined to change the legislation in ways that could sink it.  “Anybody who monkeys with this bill is going to run into a buzz saw,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina warns ahead of this week’s debate. Also trying to discourage any changes, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey urges senators to stick with the plan as it emerged from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Backers of the bill are trying to keep lawmakers focused on how it would give Congress a say on a critical national security issue. They say the measure is not meant to be about how Iran increasingly is wielding influence in the Middle East, its support of terrorist groups or human rights violations. They worry that adding too many divisive amendments would cause Democrats to drop their support.
Even so, some senators are proposing amendments to pressure Iran to end its support of such groups, stop threatening to destroy Israel and recognize its right to exist, and release US citizens held in Iran. Other amendments would prevent sanctions relief if Iran cooperates with nuclear-armed North Korea or until international nuclear inspectors are guaranteed access to Iranian military sites.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 2, Block D: Block A: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Nepal.  Israel has dispatched a medical rescue team, as it always does for national disasters. Ministers of the Interior and Homeland Security sent two huge cargo plane with BDS, boycott/divestment/sanctions movement; a boycott of a Israeli, from consumer goods to stock holdings  The EU voted at West Bank products have to be so listed, and print that it has nothing to do with the West Bank, Golan Heights, and _______.  Congress is declaring  . . . The very people who have no trouble lifting sanctions on Iran, which is the world's largest generator of terrorism and domestic torture, now stand for BDS against the only democracy in the Middle East.  US population, 67%, want the president to be a strong supporter of Israel.
    North Korea: We review last week's WSJ report that Chinese experts from a government supported think tank told American counterparts from a government supported institution, North Korea had 20 nuclear warheads at the end of last year, and the capability to produce a like amount by next year. This so-called civilian channel provides cover for important conversations and communications between governments, while denying official sanction. Nuclear weapons estimates, especially regarding covert programs, are notoriously imprecise, but always generate discussions. We review the possible Chinese motives for revealing this information. The Chinese clearly sought the reaction of and feedback from the Americans. North Korea's capability to manufacture nuclear warheads that can fit into a missile nosecone has been an important and controversial question considered since February 2013. We explain. The sensible answer, which the Chinese information suggests, is that the North Koreans have mastered or received this technology. This is supported by comments from the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, which we review. The North Koreans have at least two missiles capable of hitting U.S. territory with nuclear warheads. Thus, they could hold the populations of South Korea, Japan and those on the U.S. West Coast hostage, provided they accepted the inevitable consequences. North Korea's substantial nuclear weapons arsenal would not change the outcome of a war, but it would change the allies' cost assumptions for one. It also provides certain incentives for South Korea and Japan. Finally, it is prudent to assume that if North Korea has this nuclear capability, so too do its clients.
 
Hour Three
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 3, Block A:  Mary Kissel, Wall Street Journal editorial board & host of OpinionJournal.com; in re: Opinion Journal: Do Immigrants Steal U.S. STEM Jobs?   Main Street Columnist Bill McGurn on Senator Jeff Sessions’s claims about the costs and benefits of immigration.  / Opinion Journal: The Tea Party Agenda for 2016  /  Tea Party Patriots President and Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin on her organization’s policy priorities.  /Opinion Journal: Bush Breaks His Silence on Obama Foreign Policy / Editorial Page Editor Paul Gigot on the former president’s closed-doors remarks to GOP donors Saturday.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 3, Block B:  Shannon Bond, FT, in re: Comcast-TWC-Vox Media story. Our Global Media Editor is available today if you'd be interested in speaking with him. You can watch a video of him discussing here. He explains what happened yesterday and considers what Comcast might now do with its huge amount of cash--it could even buy Netflix with its $45 billion.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 3, Block C: Joshua Green, Bloomberg Politics, in re: http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-25/author-alleges-bill-clinton-just-quit-education-company-because-of-clinton-cash-    
'Clinton Cash' Author Says Bill Clinton Quit Education Co. Due to Book's Revelations
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 3, Block D:   Allysia Finley, WSJ editorial, in re: http://www.wsj.com/articles/forget-the-missing-rainfall-california-wheres-the-delta-smelt-1430085510?tesla=y
 
Hour Four
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 4, Block A:  Jerry Hendrix, Center for a New American Security, in re: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417306/us-navy-needs-radically-reassess-how-it-projects-power-jerry-hendrix ;  http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417339/americas-defense-still-requires-aircraft-carriers-seth-cropsey-bryan-mcgrath ; http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417347/navy-must-adapt-jerry-hendrix ;  http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-captain-us-should-rethink-aircraft-carriers-2015-4  I am keen to have this debate magnified because the Navy seems to be intent on limiting the effectiveness of the carrier airwing.  ;  http://news.usni.org/2015/04/22/navy-conducts-successful-test-of-aerial-refueling-on-x-47b-ucas-d-program-ending   It would destroy this leap ahead technology in order to make sure its highest priority, the next manned aircraft is funded first.
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/03/us-air-force-and-navy-designing-fa-xx.html - US Air Force and Navy designing FA-XX sixth generation fighter jets to replace F22 and F 18 E/F  The Navy and the Air Force could team up for their early look into their next crop of fighters (FA-XX program) due out in 2030, the Navy’s director of air warfare told USNI News.  In 2016, the US Navy and US air force are in a position to set out on a joint analysis of alternatives (AoA) for the follow on to Navy’s Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter, said Rear Adm. Mike Manazir.  As part of the Fiscal Year 2016 budget, the Navy has set aside $5 million to start the F/A-XX work — planned to replace the Super Hornets in the 2030s.
The AoA — for the Navy — will focus replacing the capabilities of the fighter with a wide-range of options. So what we would look at is everything — from an airframe, to a family of systems, to continuing something we already have flying, to capabilities that we already have in the air wing or the joint world — to assess what we really need to replace the Super Hornet,” Manazir said. “We’re advancing engine technology. We’re working with academia, industry, other services — the weapons labs in the services to advance that technology. We’re also advancing technology in outer mold lines for airframes for faster air speeds from traditional airframes — trying to make them go faster for the fight. Obviously broadband stealth and IR stealth, the capabilities we could put into coatings, ways you could use electromagnetic energy, ways that you could dominate the EM spectrum a little better,” Manazir said.
The sixth-generation fighters are expected to use advanced engines such as Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology to allow longer ranges and higher performance. Risk reduction began in 2012 so that engine development can start around 2020. An engine is to be ready when fighters are introduced by the Navy in 2028 and the Air Force in 2032.   In November 2013, the Air Force Research Laboratory released a request for information (RFI) for a laser weapon that could be mounted on next-generation air dominance fighters by the 2030s. The Air Force is interested in three categories of lasers: low-power for illuminating, tracking, targeting, and defeating enemy sensors; moderate-power for protection to destroy incoming missiles; and high-power to offensively engage enemy aircraft and ground targets. The laser and systems controls are to work at altitudes from sea level to 65,000 ft at speeds from Mach 0.6 to Mach 2.5. Laser submissions are to be at technology readiness level 4 (basic components work in a lab) by October 2014, and the Air Force wants a system to be at technology readiness level 5 (system components work in a simulated environment) or higher by 2022.
The ADaptive Versatile ENgine Technology (or ADVENT) program is an aircraft engine development program run by the United States Air Force with the goal of developing an efficient variable cycle engine for next generation military aircraft in the 20,000 lbf (89 kN) thrust class. Specific goals include reducing average fuel consumption by 25% and reducing the temperature of cooling air produced by the engine. The ADVENT engine will be better suited for a potential 2020 engine upgrade for the F-35 Lightning II.   The RAND Corporation has recommended that the U.S. military services avoid joint programs for the development the design of a sixth-generation fighter. Studies by RAND have found that in previous joint programs, different service-specific requirements for complex programs have led to design compromises that raise costs far more than normal single-service programs.
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 4, Block B:  Ken Otterbourg, author, Longreads, in re: Graves of the Dead by Longreads. After starting in Pittsburgh, the Ohio River heads north and then quickly loops south, as if realizing the error in its ways. It is a place to get lost and to get found. The river bends and twists here with energy, like a snake caught by its tail. There is an optimism in the current, movement and ambition, married with the skeletons of our built world and those worlds that came before that rise out of the fields and hills along the banks. Sometimes in the grace of dawn these structures appear as nearly flesh and blood. But that hope recedes as the sun climbs over the hill, past the chestnuts and maples. Time and gravity wait to do their parts. Read more of this post
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 4, Block C:  Richard A Epstein, Hoover Institution, Chicago Law, in re: This year, the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with, not surprisingly, a triumphant summation of its many achievements: fostering civic pride, protecting property values, attracting tourists, and strengthening New York’s economy. The Commission’s activities over the past fifty years have indeed altered the landscape of the city. There are now some 1,347 individual landmarks, 114 historic districts, and 10 scenic and 117 interior landmarks. Today, about 27 percent of buildings in Manhattan have the dubious honor of landmark status—dubious because of the enormous costs associated with that designation. Surely, New York has many buildings worth preserving for the cultural and aesthetic benefits that they bring to the city. But it is one thing to accept as legitimate the public ends of the landmark statute and it is quite another to endorse the heavy-handed methods that the Commission uses to apply its mandate…  http://www.hoover.org/research/problem-nycs-landmark-preservation-laws ( 1 of 2)
Monday  27 April 2015    / Hour 4, Block D:  Richard A Epstein, Hoover Institution, Chicago Law (2 of 2)