This week Erin, Loren, and Radha reunite after a midwinter break to talk pandemics. They then turn to the Afghanistan “peace” deal, Israeli elections (third time’s the charm?), and recent developments in Syria. As always, there’s plenty of White House mayhem with a new chief of staff, and vacancies as far as the eye can see in Pentagon civilian leadership. Thankfully, Hilary Mantel books and Love is Blind provide a pop culture escape to soothe (or at least distract) the soul.   Links Coronavirus Matthew Herper, “,” Stat, March 6, 2020 “,” The Economist, February 2020 Afghanistan Diaa Hadid and Scott Neuman, “,” NPR Morning Edition, February 21, 2020 Shereen Qazi, “” Aljazeera, March 9, 2020 Kathy Gilsinan, “,” Atlantic, February 29, 2020 David E. Sanger, Eric Schmitt, and Thomas Gibbons-Neff, “,” New York Times, March 8, 2020 Susannah George, “,” Washington Post, March 7, 2020 Courtney Kube, Ken Dilanian, and Dan De Luce, “,” NBC New, March 6, 2020 Elizabeth Threlkeld, “,” Lawfare, March 8, 2020 Pop Culture Randy Shilts, , (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007) , PBS Syria Jen Kirby, “” Vox, March 6, 2020 “,” BBC, March 7, 2020 OSD Lara Seligman and Daniel Lippman, “,” Politico, March 6, 2020