Sirens: A Bombshell production

Erin, Radha, and Loren made the trip to Duke University to join the Carlucci National Security Symposium at the Sanford School of Public Policy.  On the agenda for this special live show: topics we want presidential candidates to debate, big ideas we want to stop hearing about in foreign policy and what big issues that bridge the public and private sectors should we be worrying more about. It is unclear whether Erin has performed enough penance for visiting Duke in basketball season.

This week Dr. Tanvi Madan joins the ladies to explain the brewing crisis between India and Pakistan in Kashmir. Then Radha breaks down last week’s trade negotiations with China (what really is an MOU anyway and what happened to our leverage?). We revisit Venezuela as the Vice President prepares for a trip to the region and then discuss the humanitarian and policy implications of the “ISIS wives.” White House Mayhem lives up to its name with uncoordinated Syria policies, rogue nuclear reactor deals, and sad faces in Munich. We’re all enjoying the many escapes offered by Pop Culture.   Links   Kashmir Emily Lalwani and Emily Tallo, "," War on the Rocks Sumit Ganguly, "," Foreign Policy It's Aghast Bob Davis, "," Wall Street Journal "," CNBC KUFR Venezuela  Dennis Romero, "," NBC News ISIS women Meghna Chakrabarti, "," WBUR "," Washington Post Vira Mironova " New York Times Jayne Huckerby, "," New York Times White House Mayhem Syria "," NPR Saudi Nuclear tech "," Oversight Alex Ward, "," Vox "," Washington Post Munich Thomas Wright, "," Atlantic Daniel Estrin, "," NPR

This week Paula Garcia Tufro joins the Radha, Loren, and Erin to discuss the brewing crisis in Venezuela. Then the ladies fashion an update on Brexit, explore uncharted waters in Iraq, and ask what is the point of a second North Korea summit when nothing has happened since the first! Radha unpacks recent trade negotiations with China before the group asks the unanswerable question: just how much money can you shove into OCO? Finally, Erin and Loren profess their undying love for Matthew Goode.   Links Venezuela  Ethan Bronner, "," Bloomberg Keeping up Foreign Relations Brexit William James, "," Reuters Jon Henley, Jennifer Rankin, and Richard Partington, "," Guardian Peter Flanagan, "," Bloomberg Iraq Simona Foltyn, "?" Foreign Policy Jennifer Hansler, "," CNN North Korea Bruce W. Jentleson, "," War on the Rocks Robert E. Kelly, "," War on the Rocks Uri Friedman, "," Atlantic Russell Goldman, "," New York Times It's Aghast China Trade       Jeff Mason, "," Reuters Patti Domm, "," CNBC White House Mayhem Defense Budget Tony Bertuca, "," Inside Defense Fitzgerald Bryan McGrath, "," War on the Rocks

It's our 2nd annual Manniversary episode! We dug deep to find the most smoldering hot takes from the men in the national security arena. Join us for a far-ranging discussion with Stan McChrystal, Jeffrey Lewis, and Clint Watts!   Links Stanley McChrystal, Jeff Eggers, Jay Mangone, , (Portfolio 2018) Jeffrey Lewis, , (Mariner Books, 2018) Clint Watts, , (Harper, 2018)

Bombshell returns in 2019 with a new set of Bombshell questions and a guest, Dana Stroul, to give our best shot at explaining US-Syria policy. Secretary Pompeo has finished a whirlwind tour (while his staff are unpaid) trying to do the same, and at least one of the parties to potential US-North Korea summit seems to be doing its homework (guess which). The team digs deep into the longest government shutdown in history and considers just what kind of emergency it would be if Trump used national emergency powers to build a wall. Plus, lots of pop culture for the new year. Syria Policy Robbie Gramer, "," Foreign Policy Keeping up Foreign Relations North Korea Jon Herskovitz and Youkyung Lee, "," Bloomberg It's Aghast Brexit "," BBC China Marilyn Haigh, "," CNBC "," Wall Street Journal White House Mayhem Shutdown Javier Zarracina and Li Zhou, "," Vox "," Washington Post National Emergency Elizabeth Goitein, "," Atlantic Quinta Jurecic, "," Lawfare

Loren and Erin travel to Kansas City for a special live recording at the National World War I Museum. Joined by John Ismay and Steve Leonard, they dig into the many aspects of the Forever Wars including some Civ-Mil 101, opportunities for oversight and accountability, and everyone's favorite GWOT film. Links Amy Schafer, "," CNAS , Pew Research Center Nikki Wentling, “," Stars and Stripes

This ONE TIME we huddled for an emergency podcast. Because the Secretary of Defense resigned in protest. That doesn’t happen everyday. At least we hope not. Enjoy!

This week Radha, Loren, and Erin sit down to try and figure out just what the hell happened in 2018. Storm clouds gather as the ladies discuss what NatSec stories we missed - and what we’ll still be talking about in 10 years. But Radha brings the sunshine as we discuss the most important events for the military services in 2018 (which sadly has not resulted in any Space Marines). We wrap up with a review of the Administration’s secret villains and heroes and put a bow on it with movie plot lines that best capture 2018.  Links "," War on the Rocks Keith Bradsher and Ailin Tang, "," War on the Rocks Sophie Richardson, "." Washington Post Heidi Blake, Tom Warren, Richard Holmes, Jason Leopold, Jane Bradley, Alex Campbell, "," BuzzFeed News Alex Horton, "." Washington Post Gina Harkins, "," Military.com Lara Seligman, "," Foreign Policy Paul Scharre, "," Foreign Policy Michael C. Horowitz, "," Foreign Policy Zach Dorfman, "," Foreign Policy David E. Sanger, Nicole Perlroth, Glenn Thrush, Alan Rappeport, "," New York Times Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall, "," War on the Rocks Katie Mettler, Callum Borchers, Nick Kirkpatrick, "'," Washington Post Walt Hickey and Gus Wezerek, "," FiveThirtyEight

This week Erin, Loren, and Radha read the G20 tea leaves, opine on continued chaos in Afghanistan, and remind you about all the White House mayhem from Saudi politics to a Moscow Trump Tower. Radha gets way too excited about USMCA (pronounced U-Smack-Ah) and all things trade before the ladies round some pop culture.   Keeping Up Foreign Relations Afghanistan Rahim Faiez, "," TIME John Bacon, "," USA Today Jessica Purkiss and Abigail Fielding-Smith, "," Just Security  Ukraine Andrew Higgins, "," New York Times Andrew Osborn, "," Reuters Alex Ward, "." Vox It's Aghast G20 "," BBC Krishanadev Calamur, "," Atlantic "," India Today USMCA Jen Kirby, "," Vox White House Mayhem Yemen  Jordan Tama, "." Washington Post Scott R. Anderson, "," Lawfare New START Joe Gould, "," Defense News L'Affaire Russe John McLaughlin,  Emma Loop, "," BuzzFeed News Anthony Cormier and Jason Leopold, "," BuzzFeed News Border Emily Kopp, "," Roll Call Government Shutdown Niv Elis, "," Hill Michael Collins, "," USA Today Pop Culture Orli Matlow, "!" Someecards Owen Gleiberman, ",'" Variety

Erin, Radha, and Loren invited Dr. Lindsay Cohn of the U.S. Naval War College to join their posse and explain America's history of employing the military for domestic purposes.  In Keeping Up Foreign Relations, UK Prime Minister Theresa May is still negotiating the terms of her break up with the EU, and new revelations on the tragic killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are giving us a collective heart attack.  A new entrant to White House mayhem, First Lady Melania Trump, flexes her muscle to oust the fifth Deputy National Security Advisor of the Trump administration, and we assess the assessment of the National Defense Strategy commission.  Finally, come what may, we commit to developing a holiday shopping list for you festive needs this season.   UPCOMING EVENT: The American Public and the War on Terror  (Tue, 4 Dec, Kansas City) Border Deployment Alice Hunt Friend, "," Washington Post Lindsey P. Cohn, "," War on the Rocks Keeping up Foreign Relations Alex Hunt and Brian Wheeler, "," BBC Frank Langfitt, ".," NPR Jasmine Andersson, "," iNews John Cassidy, "," New Yorker Saudi Arabia Alex Ward, "." Vox Shane Harris, Greg Miller, and Josh Dawsey, "," Washington Post White House Mayhem Abigail Tracy, "'," Vanity Fair Aaron Mehta, "," Defense News Eric Edelman, et al., "," USIP Lara Seligman, "," Foreign Policy Pop Culture Roger Cormier, "!," Mental Floss Alan Sepinwall, "'," Rolling Stone Katy Waldman, "," New Yorker Ryan McPhee, "," Playbill