Jim Jones, founder of the 8,000-member People's Temple in San Francisco, once asked Margo St. James, founder of the prostitutes' rights group, COYOTE, how he could obtain political power.

Petraeus says he supports the president's policy. His comments this week, though, serve only to validate the critics of the withdrawal portion of the president's policy. He's not a supporter of this policy. He's a concern troll.

Obama has to decide now whether to side with the American people and the Afghan people calling for a rapid reduction in US force, or with a small military clique demanding a ramping-up of the conflict.

Afghanistan is not a numbers game. The issue is whether we are pursuing a strategy that defines our goals and tailors our means to them.

It's been two months since Obama delivered his address to the Muslim world in Cairo, promising a new era of respect and engagement. How's his opening to the Muslim world going so far?