The John Batchelor Show

S8 Ep1006: Michael McFaul outlines a grand strategy that leverages the military, economic, and ideational strengths of the democratic world. He acknowledges that American democracy is "wobbling" due to polarization, yet he remains optimistic that the values of fr

S8 Ep1006: Michael McFaul recommends helping Ukraine win the war to undermine Putin's grip on power, as a democratic Ukraine directly contradicts Putin's narrative that Russians require a strong dictatorship. He also stresses the importance of competing for talent b

S8 Ep1006: Michael McFaul discusses the Mar-a-Lago meeting between Trump and Xi, supporting the concept of "peace through strength" but emphasizing that engaging autocrats should not mean abandoning democratic values. He argues that the United States must work harde

S8 Ep1006: Michael McFaul describes Vladimir Putin as an ideological risk-taker who views himself as a defender of "orthodox Christian values" against a threatening West. McFaul argues that previous US administrations failed to hedge against Russian aggression by no

S8 Ep1006: Michael McFaul explains that China's current global posture is deeply rooted in the "century of humiliation," a period of historical weakness that Xi Jinping is determined to never repeat. Under Xi's leadership, the state has become significantly more aut