George Will, the noted conservative columnist, will ask in his next column that the U.S. pull out ground troops from Afghanistan, Politico reports, even as the commander there is planning to ask for reinforcements. “America should do only what can be done from offshore, using intelligence, drones, cruise missiles, air strikes and small, potent special forces units, concentrating on the porous 1,500-mile border with Pakistan, a nation that actually matters,” Will writes. President Barack Obama added 21,000 troops to the ground forces in Afghanistan in February and March, and this August has been the deadliest month for troops there since 2001. Will invokes Otto von Bismarck's decision to halt German forces before reaching Paris in 1870. Obama should halt combat on the ground “before more American valor… is squandered.” Will’s column comes on the heels of a lukewarm assessment of the situation by Robert Gates: “I think it's a mixed picture in Afghanistan,” the Defense secretary said Monday. “I think that there aren’t too many people with too rosy a view of what's going on in Afghanistan.”

How did conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks become a greater admirer of the Obama White House than liberal Paul Krugman? It seems there’s been some romancing. “I feel like I can call anybody,” Brooks told The New Republic about his access to top officials like David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, and budget chief Peter Orszag. Brooks said he has been following the career of Axelrod, the president’s senior adviser, for many years. “He was a hero,” Brooks said. The pundit has grown to appreciate the president for his intellectual background. “He can do the political philosophy, and he can do the politics,” Brooks said. His affection for Obama has made the columnist a little lonely among fellow conservatives. He said, “I do wish more people walked up to me and said, ‘I’m a conservative and I love you.’ But, mostly, they don’t read the Times.”

Wall Street bankers have been warily guarding their bonuses from the Obama administration, but now they’ve got a new person to worry about—Gordon Brown. The British prime minister is making it his mission to crack down on banker bonuses, and he’s planning to ask for global support for the effort at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh in late September. His plan includes a “clawback” system that confiscates bonus compensation if the deals for which it was awarded don’t pan out. “Remuneration has got to be based on long-term success, not short-term speculative deals," Brown says. "There's got to be a clawback system...if things are not working in year two." Brown says he is committed to reaching a joint agreement, a position he illustrated by rejecting a proposal introduced by France that would institute a mandatory global cap on banker bonuses.

For years we've been hearing about the need for a strategy shift in Afghanistan. Now, General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S and NATO troops in Afghanistan, is outlining a shift that is expected to include a request for more troops and focus more on winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan population instead of battling insurgents. "The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort," McChrystal said in a statement Monday. The recommendations come as explosions killed two more U.S troops raising the death toll in August to 47--the deadliest month of the eight-year war for American forces.

The deadly L.A.-area fire blazing along 20 miles has claimed over 70 homes so far, and is threatening 12,000 more. The fire is encroaching upon Mt. Wilson, which houses the region's TV and cell phone towers, as well as a historic observatory. All firefighters have been evacuated from the mountain. The fire doubled in size overnight and was burning over 100,000 acres Monday evening. It has killed two firefighters and destroyed at least 74 structures. Officials estimate property damage so far at $7.6 million. More than 2,800 firefighters, eight tankers, and 12 helicopters are battling the blaze.

Libya will flaunt the release of the Lockerbie bomber at a state celebration Tuesday by flashing images of his return on a jumbo screen behind the stage, The Times of London reports. Libya is celebrating Muammar Gaddafi's 40 years in power, and the images of released bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi stepping off the plane come at the finale of the celebrations, according to a dress rehearsal. The clip's inclusion seems "almost calculated to provoke the West," the Times reports. President Hugo Chavez and European ambassadors and ministers will be in attendance. Britain is expected to send a junior diplomat, to distance itself from the celebration.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit New York to address the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23 in his first visit to a Western country since his controversial June election. The government claimed he won in a landslide but the opposition contends the election was stolen. International condemnation followed the regime's crackdown on opposition protesters. The visit will also come shortly after the Sept. 15 deadline for Iran to respond to the White House’s offer of open negotiations about the nation’s nuclear program. German and French leaders on Monday called for “a strengthening of sanctions” if Iran does not agree to cooperate. Iranian press adviser Ali Akbar Javanfekr declined to comment on the U.S. government’s offer of nuclear program talks.

Perhaps President Obama will take a break from trying to mediate between Democrats and Republicans on health care to tackle an, uh, easier issue? Fox News is reporting that President Obama is set to moderate a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations in late September. "Yes, I think they will meet by the end of September. President Obama will chair it, and I think that at least there is a chance that they will decide they are going to reopen negotiations," Israeli President Shimon Peres told Fox. "But that will not include Hamas." In order for Hamas to participate, Israel will likely have to agree to halt settlement construction.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has set a special election for Jan. 19 to find the successor to Senator Ted Kennedy. A public hearing will be held September 9 to determine whether or not state law can be changed so Patrick can name an interim replacement before the special election, which was one of the senator's last wishes, and which Patrick has termed a "reasonable request." Democratic senators are eager to have both Massachusetts votes when they try to push through a health-care overhaul this fall. Possible contenders for the temporary position include Kennedy's widow Vicki Kennedy, his nephew and former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and several members of the state's congressional delegation. Multiple sources say Vicki Kennedy is not interested in being appointed to the seat, while Joseph Kennedy is strongly considering it.

It was unveiled at Wimbledon in 2006: a simple monogram on Roger Federer’s breast pocket that he flashed after he won the tournament. Since then, though, the stylized gold “RF” has become inescapable for tennis fans, some of whom consider Federer's flair a bit excessive. No longer confined to jackets, the logo appears on the tennis star’s shoes, bags, and even his belt. Federer joins close friend Tiger Woods as the only other athlete sponsored by Nike to be marketed by his initials. After he beat Andy Roddick in a blistering Wimbledon match and then pulled on a personalized jacket emblazoned with "15" on it—to commemorate his Glam Slam record—some argued the star had crossed a line. But Federer has never been known for his modesty (“It was such a historic day in tennis and me being the main character...” began his comments post-Wimbledon) and he's already on his way to a successful U.S. Open, as he blew past 18-year-old newcomer Devin Britton on Monday.

Cameron Todd Willingham insisted he was innocent of setting his house ablaze, killing his three children. He refused to plead guilty to the murder charges in exchange for a life sentence. But with a seemingly air-tight case against him, Texas condemned him to die. An amazingly detailed piece by The New Yorker's David Grann argues that Willingham was really was innocent and suggests that "Texas could become the first state to acknowledge officially that, since the advent of the modern judicial system, it had carried out the 'execution of a legallly and factually innocent person.'" In his piece, Grann uncovers the untold story: an expert report by acclaimed scientist and fire expert Dr. Gerald Hurst that proved that the initial arson investigation relied on faulty forensic science and that, in fact, the fire was the accidental result of faulty wiring or a space heater. The report's findings, later confirmed by three additional top arson investigators, reached the Board of Pardons in time to save Willingham, although it denied his petition and executed him. Although the board conducts its deliberations in secret, there is no record of anyone acknowledging or commenting on the report. As one board member at the time put it, "We get all kinds of reports, but we don't have the mechanisms to vet them."

What's better than being able to see Russia from your window? Speaking at the CLSA Investors Forum, apparently. The Associated Press reports that Sarah Palin's first commercial speaking engagement will take place on Sept 23 in Hong Kong. The former governor of Alaska, whose lack of foreign-policy experience was criticized during the 2008 elections, will follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Alan Greenspan, who have spoken at the event, which is hosted by investment group CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. A spokesman for the conference said the event presented investors with "a diversity of views" and included "topics that go beyond traditional finance such as geopolitics." The event will be closed to the media, and Palin's speaking fees were not disclosed. Palin received her first passport in 2007 in order to visit Alaskan National Guard members in Kuwait and Germany.

Will all the X-Men get sidekicks for comic relief? The Walt Disney Company has agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion in cash and stock. Marvel's Chief Executive Isaac Perlmutter will continue to oversee the company's properties, which include more than 5,000 characters such as Iron Man, the X-Men, and Captain America. The deal still requires shareholder approval and antitrust approval.

In his first television interview since being arrested and sentenced for beating up pop star Rihanna, R&B artist Chris Brown sat down with CNN's Larry King for an interview and said he didn't remember the fight. But now, Brown says that comment was taken out of context. The singer, 20, said he didn't remember the fight on the eve of the Grammy Awards when King asked him, but he said in a statement that answer was a mistake. "Of course I remember what happened," the statement reads. "I just misspoke." Brown tells King he's in "shock" over what happened. "When I look at it now, it's just like, wow, like, I can't believe that that actually happened," he says. Brown also tells King he still loves Rihanna, but must keep his distance due to a judge's restraining order, requiring them to be "like 10 yards away from each other." CNN obtained a probation report for Brown last week, citing at least two prior incidents of domestic violence between him and Rihanna. The interview airs Wednesday.

As Julia Child mania continues to overtake the cooking world since the release of Julie & Julia, the woman who currently occupies the late chef’s Massachusetts home is far from a culinary celebrity. Lisa Landsverk now lives in the Cambrdige Victorian house where Child lived and cooked for over 40 years. Landsverk, however, is no foodie and has barely cooked since moving into the famous chef's home. Child’s fans—including one who left Child’s favorite ingredient (a stick of butter) on the fence—have been worshipping the home as a culinary haven. Though Landsverk, an animal-rights activist and a vegetarian, names “pasta, burritos, reservations” as her gastronomic specialties and would not dream of whipping up Child’s famed boeuf bourguignon, she and her daughter, Rachael, recently gave Child’s ratatouille a go. Landsverk’s daughter, Rachael, said she’s been inspired to spend more time in the kitchen so that Child “is not rolling over in her grave.’’

In difficult economic times, there’s even more importance to the infamous boxers or briefs question. Sales analysts believe that men’s underwear offers insight into our financial picture because it's typically viewed as a necessity and therefore, sales tend to be stable. So when finances are tight, men postpone the purchase of new underwear, causing sales to decrease. But things are looking up apparently. Research firm Mintel expects sales of men’s underwear to fall 2.3 percent this year and 0.5 percent next year—a step in the right direction for the economy. "People still need underwear," said Michael Kleinmann, president of FreshPair.com.

There's nothing more sarcastic than journalist-on-journalist criticism. The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan excoriated Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace for behaving like "a teenage girl interviewing the Jonas Brothers" during his tête-à-tête with Dick Cheney. Sullivan points out that Cheney's critics have accused him of war crimes, and authorizing torture techniques perfected by the Khmer Rouge, then lists Wallace's softballs, such as "Do you think this was a political move not a law enforcement move?" and "Do you think Democrats are soft on national security?" Sullivan summed his point with a devastating, "Now look: there are softball interviews, and then there are interviews like this," which "cannot be described as journalism in any fashion." Sullivan went on, calling the segment "propaganda," but defective by that standard "because it's far too cloying and supportive of Cheney to be convincing to anyone outside the true believers."

The rumor mill would have Michael Jackson's strange saga take an even odder twist. After British reports that unnamed friends of the singer allege that Jackson pal and child-star Macaulay Culkin is the natural father of Blanket, Jackson's youngest son, the actor has come forward to crush speculation. "The inquiries are too preposterous for us to even acknowledge," his rep told TMZ.com. An unnamed source told the Sun, "Jackson and Culkin were best friends. He was one of the few people Jackson really trusted and Mack never let him down," adding that Jackson "always wished Mack was his son" and that "creating Blanket" through sperm donation "was the next best thing."

Here’s a surprise: Almost a year after the U.S. government pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into the nation’s biggest banks, taxpayers are starting to see a return on their generosity. While critics said they’d never see the money again, the U.S. has made a profit of about $4 billion from eight of the biggest banks that have fully repaid their debts to the government. The government has earned an additional $35 million from smaller banks that have paid back their obligations. The government is far from in the clear—The Treasury Department could still take a hit from guarantees on toxic mortgages, not to mention the bailouts of AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and GM and Chrysler.

One asset that has tanked with the California economy? Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signature. The BBC reports that the governator's signature on cars and motorcycles failed to boost sales prices at the California state auction. California's "garage sale," organized by Schwarzenegger, brought in more than $1.5 million to help reduce the state's $26 billion budget deficit. The sale, attended by hundreds of people in Sacramento, auctioned off 600 formerly state-owned vehicles, 6,000 pieces of office furniture and computers, and everything from police cars to confiscated watches. Some items, such as a leather jacket signed by Schwarzenegger, were auctioned on sites such as eBay and Craigslist. One attendee, looking at a motorcycle with Schwarzenegger’s signature, said, “it’s graffiti.”

We may not be in the clear yet: The Wall Street Journal reports that the commercial-real-estate sector threatens to deliver “a roundhouse punch to the U.S. economy just as it struggles to get up off the mat.” In the same way that mortgage-backed securities created from home loans kicked off the last financial crisis, $700 billion in commercial-mortgage-backed securities are threatening the economy once again. Not only was the delinquency rate in July six times the rate at the same time last year, but property owners will have a hard time refinancing loans that have been bundled. By the end of 2012, $153 billion in loans bundled into CMBS will be due, and close to $100 billion will have difficulty refinancing.

A hurricane is brewing in the Pacific. The Associated Press reports that Mexican authorities have set up shelters in resort-studded Baja California as Hurricane Jimena, a dangerous Category 4 storm with 145 mph maximum winds, approached. The southern part of Baja is under a hurricane watch, which means the storm could hit within 36 hours. At least 10,000 families from the resort town of Cabo San Lucas will be evacuated from possible flood zones, according to the director of civil protection, who also said 60 shelters would be set up. The storm could disrupt a meeting of economists sponsored by the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development on Tuesday and Wednesday at the southern tip of the peninsula.

Is the alleged kidnapping and 18-year imprisonment of Jaycee Lee Dugard just the beginning of the story? The Times of London is reporting that police have questioned Dugard’s suspected kidnapper, Phillip Garrido, over the murders of 10 local women, including prostitutes, in the nineties. Garrido kidnapped Dugard when she was 11 and kept her in a tent behind the back fence in his compound—a fact that law-enforcement and parole officers never discovered, despite visits to Garrido’s home.

On Sunday, the Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide victory—more than 300 of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament—against the pro-U.S. Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan for virtually 54 years, the Associated Press reports. The election is widely believed to be a referendum on the economy, which has a historic unemployment rate of 5.7 percent. Yukio Hatoyama, who will likely be elected prime minister when parliament convenes in September, has a hefty job cut out for him. In addition to reviving the world's second-largest economy, he'll be coping with a rapidly aging population projected to fall to 115 million in 2030 and less than 100 million by mid-century. It's a tall order for a political party that is only 11 years old, with a mere handful of players who have served in top government positions.

After a tough summit with South America's leaders, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe discovered he had come down with swine flu. Officials are contacting the other leaders who were at the summit, where Uribe was harshly criticized for agreeing to allow U.S. troops to use Colombian bases, to make sure they do not also have the virus. Uribe is the second president in Latin America to contract the disease. Oscar Arias, Costa Rica's leader, was quarantined after he announced he was ill in August, and has since recovered. Uribe's spokesman said he will continue to handle his duties as he recovers.

Elections in Afghanistan have been marred by a jump in fraud reports—to 550 from 270, The New York Times reports. One man showed up to his job at the polling station at 6 a.m. to find ballot boxes already filled. When he complained, bodyguards chased him off, in just one example of the reported voting fraud. President Hamid Karzai, who has about 46 percent of the vote, compared to rival Abdullah Abdullah's 31 percent, is often the beneficiary of the reported fraud. Both Karzai and Abdullah are declaring victory, and official results won’t be announced until a panel has convened to investigate voter fraud. Western officials are uneasy at the prospect of a government in limbo while U.S. troops are battling the Taliban in a difficult new phase of the war. Independent election observers say “systematic and institutional corruption” is at work.

The Man of Steel is looking rather thin-skinned. The New York Post reports that Superman: Man of Steel producer Brian Quintana has taken out a restraining order against his co-producer Jon Peters for threatening to attack him. The incident for the order occurred on August 12, when Peters received the deposition for a sexual harassment lawsuit Quintana had filed against him. “I am going to cross this table and beat the [bleep]ing [bleep] out of you,” Peters yelled, according to a transcript of the deposition. “I am going to kick your ass." Peters’ lawyer says that his client lost his temper because Quintana was blowing kisses at him.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge backpedaled on accusations made in his new book that Bush officials pressured him to raise terror alerts to boost the president’s approval ratings. In The Test of Our Times, which comes out Tuesday, Ridge says Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft urged him to raise the terror-alert level before 2004’s Election Day. “I wondered, 'Is this about security or politics?' " he writes in the book. In an interview, Ridge said “I was never pressured,” and that he doesn’t want to second-guess his colleagues. Ridge, who now heads a security consulting firm, also took time to hit the current administration on national security in the interview, saying Congress is lacking a sense of urgency about protecting the country.