The Republican primary has returned the war to a prominent place in the national debate, and has given an opportunity to candidates to voice their differences with the president on more than just domestic policy. The Republicans have a chance to offer a choice—win this war, don't just end it.

On March 30, Afghan president Hamid Karzai strongly condemned actions of the "Kill Team," a rogue military unit accused of deliberately murdering Afghan civilians. Reaction to the photos in Afghanistan has largely been muted, but this may change as Karzai's condemnation draws more attention.

Despite the Karzai government's failures, a majority of Afghans continue to support democracy and the current system over the insurgent groups. But these achievements are fragile and reversible. A premature withdrawal from Afghanistan is a recipe for failure with disastrous consequences for the United States and world security.

Karzai, who has had a troubled relationship with the Obama administration over the past two years, has been seeking alternative allies for his survival.

President Obama's politically motivated deadlines for troop drawdown have already undermined the effectiveness of the surge.

The U.S. must do damage control in Afghanistan. The recent WikiLeaks disclosures are undoing months of efforts by U.S. diplomats to repair relations with the Karzai government.

Until the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the American view of radical Islam and its many discontents was shaped more by the Middle East than South Asia. The U.S. has long been at odds with the raging Ayatollah in Iran, the murderous truck bomber in Lebanon and the masked Palestinian "freedom...

Afghanistan's election watchdog disqualified 19 winning candidates for alleged fraud, adding to a string of controversies that have undermined the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections and have delayed the vote results for two months.