Have you ever wondered what it was like to be part of Special Forces operations during the Iraq War? In an exclusive interview, former SAS Commanding Officer Richard Williams reveals what it was like to run those units in Baghdad at a time when Al-Qaeda were detonating 100 suicide bombs every month - and just how big an impact his men had on restoring some sense of order to the Iraqi capital.

For the first time, Richard also publicly shares his strong views on the controversial public inquiry into SAS operations in Afghanistan, while Mark and Amber discuss their experiences of working - and going out on operations - with the world-famous regiment.

Plus Marc Polymeropoulos is back to give his view on the recent political upheaval in Syria, a country he lived and worked in during his long career with the CIA. Tune in to hear Marc admit that President Trump has finally made a foreign policy decision he can support!

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Is the UK ready to take part in an armed conflict? Do the British people understand what being war-ready really means? And is the government willing to cough up and pay what it takes to keep the public safe in the long-term?

This week, Amber and Mark discuss Britain's war-readiness in light of the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, and they speak to Dr. Fiona Hill, one of the authors of that review.

They also ask Fiona whether the US can be seen as a reliable ally under her old boss Donald Trump, and even though there's no Marc Polymeropoulos this week, there's still a 'ding-dong' in there to keep him happy.

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Step into The Crisis Room. In this first episode, Amber, Mark, and Marc unpack the controversial move by Merseyside Police to reveal key details about the Liverpool incident suspect. Smart transparency, or a risky precedent?

They also dive into the war in Ukraine: has Europe let Ukraine down? Why is Trump so dismissive of the intelligence community? And are world leaders scared of provoking Vladimir Putin?

Amber shares insider stories from her time as Home Secretary during the Skripal poisoning and the Trump years, while Mark and Marc clash over how far the West should go to support Ukraine.

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Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, renowned journalist Mark Urban, and decorated former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos tell you all about their new podcast The Crisis Room.

Listen for a flavour of the stories they'll share, from careers spent reporting from the frontlines, responding to terror attacks from the corridors of Westminster, and spying in the Middle East.

Each week, the team unpicks the biggest crises shaping the UK and the world, drawing on their three very different perspectives to help you understand what’s really happening behind the headlines - and what’s at stake for our future.

Episode One is available from tomorrow - May 29th. Subscribe on Global Player so you never miss an episode. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com

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