How do you solve a problem like Qatar? This week over Pimms Cups, we talk with Mara Karlin about all the Middle East dramas (and why she loves the SAIS cult). We lament the State Dept budget and UK politics, pay tribute to the USS Fitzgerald, and wonder if we’ll ever have a strategy in Afghanistan or Syria. Finally, American Gods, the Manic Pixie Dream S2 of Band of Brothers, and Fidget Spinners. Reading: "," by Radha Iyengar and Jake Shapiro, Empirical Studies of Conflict "" by Katya Alder, BBC "" by Adam Becket, Business Insider "," by Ben Rhodes, The Atlantic "," by Bryan McGrath, War on the Rocks

This week we go it alone to focus on your questions! We force Radha and Loren to actually define their true loves of process and staffing, all while drinking delicious white sangria. Plus, what’s a wonk? Then we dig into the president’s whirlwind trip, upcoming U.K. elections and Erin and Radha's obsession with measurement error, how to make decisions on major international agreements after a Frenchman shakes your hand too hard, and whether the world is really as zero-sum as reality TV. Reading: , Steve Hadley, Texas A&M , Eliot Cohen, The Atlantic , Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight , Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight , Ernie Moniz, The Boston Globe , Dan Balz, The Washington Post , David Sanger and Jane Perlez, The New York Times , HR McMaster & Gary Cohn, The Wall Street Journal , Dan Drezner, The Washington Post , Karen DeYoung and Adam Entous, The Washington Post ,  Jerry Portwood, Rolling Stone  Greg Jaffe, The Washington Post , Rebecca Pahle, Pajiba

This week we trek out to the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis for a geek field trip of epic proportions (three words: Jack Ryan's couch). We drink some rum and Claude Berube's scotch, and ring up former Under Secretary of the Navy Janine Davidson to talk about service secretaries, readiness, and why there is no Santa Claus. Then we dive into the Iranian elections, Syrian proxy war(s), our many desires for special counsels and other investigations, good skin care, and the defense budget. Finally, a short tour of the best of Navy pop culture. Sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray! Episode Reading Janine Davidson, Emerson Brooking, and Benjamin J. Fernandes, , Council on Foreign Relations Ben Hubbard and Thomas Erdbrink, “,” New York Times Joshua Keating, “,” Slate Jane Chong, Quinta Jurecic, Susan Hennessey, Matthew Kahn, and Benjamin Wittes, “” Lawfare Ryan Lizza, “,” The New Yorker Todd Harrison, “,” CSIS Aaron Mehta and Joe Gould, “,” Military Times Dorian Merina, “,” National Public Radio

This week on Bombshell, we say nothing about Jim Comey! We recorded Monday and who could have guessed we'd be here today? Instead, we discuss recent casualties in Afghanistan and Somalia, check in on Venezuela and the French elections, and talk about the many ways one does and does not talk to friendly dictators. We also do our part to keep Costco margaritas in business. And then, in honor of Mother’s Day, we talk to our moms. You should too (your moms, not ours). Episode Reading: "," Vera Bergengruen, The Miami Herald  "," Helene Cooper, The New York Times , by Mike Duncan "," Nick Summers, Endgadget  "" Aaron Blake, The Washington Post "," Francisco Toro, WaPo "," Francisco Toro, Caracas Chronicles "," by Josh Lederman and Matthew Lee, AP  "," Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg "" Henry Farrell and Martha Finnemore, Foreign Affairs "'" John Hudson, Buzzfeed "," Alexandra Alter, The New York Times   Events: YPFP,  (16 May) CSIS,  (23 May) CNAS,  (28 June)

This week on "Bombshell," we dissect Trump’s first 100 days: whither America First, Axis of Adults (or just the big kids table?), budget shenanigans, and delegating all the things. But first,  joins us to walk through the state of play on the Korean Peninsula (and reveals where you can get literal bombshells made into knives). And then Loren and Erin confess why all we want in life is Mara Jade back in the Star Wars canon. Want to meet the Bombshell crew in person? “,” Robert Litwak, USA Today “,” Jon Wolfstahl, Foreign Policy “,” Abdul Matin, Reuters “,” Mara Karlin and Loren Schulman, War on the Rocks  “,” Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker “,” Jonah Goldberg, National Review “,” Olivier Knox, Yahoo News “,” by Dan Drezner, The Washington Post “”  Bryant Harris, et al, Foreign Policy “,” Jeremy Herb, CNN

This week on Bombshell we take a long look at Syria with special guest Melissa Dalton: what happened, what questions to ask, what hot takes to avoid, and where to go from here. And then we drink a lot. Also on the table: Devin Nunes and the Great Unmasking, reading tea-leaves in the National Security Council staff and membership, Jared Kushner's Wes Anderson adventure, how one dresses to go to war, and a few of our favorite spy novels. Readings: Jane Perlez,  (NYT) Declan Walsh,  (NYT) Ryan Lizza, on the  (New Yorker) Michael Crowley, (Politico) Susan Hennessey and April Doss, (Lawfare) Susan Hennessey and Ben Wittes,  (Lawfare) Michael Hanna and Sam Heller,  (WOTR) Carl Prine, (San Diego Union-Trib) CSIS report,  Adam Weinstein,  (Task and Purpose)

This week on "Bombshell," Kelly Magsamen joins us to talk about Sec Tillerson’s Asia visit, the upcoming Trump-Xi soiree, and North Korean chicanery. We also discuss splitting the check with NATO, attacks on civil servants, whether the Defense Department deserves a bonus (and how to spend it), and why we love Christine Fox. We also answer questions from the audience and reveal our favorite bourbon bars in DC. Readings "" by Laura Rosenerger  "" by Mira Rapp-Hooper, Harry Kreja, and Hannah Suh "," by Jeff Lewis "" by Ilan Goldenberg "" by Richard Fontaine "," by Molly O'Toole "" by Nahal Toosi and Andrew Restuccia "" by Todd Harrison Note: Please excuse some minor, intermittent cell phone interference in this episode. That's on us and it won't happen again!

This week Radha, Loren, and Erin drink hot toddies and reluctantly dig into the newest Marine Corps scandal. They also explore growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and Europe with a brief "missiles: big, medium, and small" explainer; debate the wisdom of loosening counter-terrorism policies while gutting American soft power (aka, Is it always a good time to kill bad guys?); and exorcise the bogeyman of the deep state. Stick around for pop culture digestif. Readings: Marine Scandal as  Paul Szoldra on the  NYT on  Hayes Brown on  (see also ) Loren Schulman on the  (see also ) Erin Simpson and Max Fisher on  On  On

This week, Loren, Radha, and Erin discuss the North Korean assassination (beware the perfume lady) and take questions from listeners (what is inter-service rivalry anyway?).  joins to dissect the defense budget, H.R. McMaster's challenges at the National Security Council, Thucydides, and why she hates Moneyball.

Join us for another round of "Keeping up Foreign Relations" and "White House mayhem." We tackle the Yemen raid, North Korea, Afghanistan, NatSec staffing, and the hiring freeze. Special guest weighs in on Russian intrigue and the future of NATO. Stick around for our latest pop-culture diversions.