Time for the U.S. to Get Out of Afghanistan  —  “Yesterday,” reads the e-mail from Allen, a Marine in Afghanistan, “I gave blood because a Marine, while out on patrol, stepped on a [mine's] pressure plate and lost both legs.”  Then “another Marine with a bullet wound to the head was brought in.

Glenn Greenwald  —  Twice in the past month, my private communications have been splashed about the internet.  That such a thing would happen is unfortunate, and dishonorable, but sadly inevitable, I suppose.  I ignored the first case, in which a rather pathetic woman acolyte of Greenwald's published …

Obama Takes Realistic Approach on Health Care  —  His Flexible Tactics Match Reform to Political Reality  —  The conventional wisdom is that President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders are on the run, that we seem to be heading for a replay of 1994, when the Clinton health-care plan went down in flames.

YOU CAN'T KEEP A BAD MAN DOWN  —  SPITZER IS EYEING A COMEBACK  —  Disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been privately talking with friends about a possible comeback, and is considering a run for statewide office next year, several sources told The Post.

Torture's Ugly Dialogue  —  Call him Ishmael.  —  Call him a terrorist or a suicide bomber or anything else you want, but understand that he is willing — no, anxious — to give his life for his cause.  Call him also a captive, and know that he works with others as part of a team …

Why Does Nancy Pelosi Have a Problem With Patriotic Music?  —  If you've ever been stuck on hold with a congressional office in the past, at least you've been able to enjoy some good patriotic music, as opposed to the lilting tones of generic smooth jazz that have been driving elevator users insane for decades.

The Note: Lost Summer — New challenges crowd out health care push  —  It's nice to leave August behind — but what's ahead that's pleasant to see?  —  On health care — we're in a loop with no new input, churning through the same information, and watching the chances of bipartisanship evaporate.

Obama's Looming Health Care Disaster: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places  —  “For the first time in American history, he wants to tax your health benefits.  Apparently, Senator McCain doesn't think it's enough that your health premiums have doubled.  He thinks you should have to pay taxes on them, too.”

Who is Jennifer?  Another Case of Inter-Campaign Trickery  —  Bob McDonnell's campaign received a call this morning from a woman who called herself “Jennifer” and claimed to be a freelance reporter from the Connection newspapers in Northern Virginia.  She asked for information about McDonnell's schedule.

ABC News Exclusive: National Security Adviser Says President Obama Is Having Greater Success Taking Terrorists Out of Commission Than Bush Did  —  Responding to criticism from former Vice President Cheney that President Obama is making the nation more vulnerable to terrorism …

Justice Dept. to Recharge Enforcement of Civil Rights  —  WASHINGTON — Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division by pushing it back into some of the most important areas of American political life …

Despite setbacks, Frum beats on  —  Even if the former governor of Alaska fades away before the 2012 presidential election, David Frum thinks “the Palin problem is still with us.”  —  And as long as that's the case, Frum — the conservative pundit and former George W. Bush speechwriter — will be here, too.

Mortgage help program frustrating, slow to get going  —  (CNN) — When President Obama unveiled the Making Home Affordable Program in March, he said it would help “responsible folks who have been making their payments” reduce their monthly mortgage bills and avoid losing their homes to foreclosure.

House Dems plot health care comeback  —  In late July, Arkansas Rep. Vic Snyder was a fired-up partisan, declaring that health care was going to be transformed “under President Obama's leadership.”  —  By mid-August, the physician and moderate Democrat had been humbled …

Something New On Health Care: Deal-Breakers From The President  —  This time, the President is going to be specific.  Next week, President Obama is going to give Democrats a health care plan they can begin to sell.  —  He plans to list specific goals that any health insurance reform plan …

HYPOCRITE CHARLIE: PUNISH TAX SLIP-UPS  —  WASHINGTON — Even as he fends off accusations about his own failure to pay taxes and fully disclose his financial dealings, Rep. Charles Rangel had quietly slipped into the health-care bill broad new provisions cracking down on taxpayers in proceedings with the IRS, The Post has learned.

Obama Asks Federal Workers to Sacrifice  —  Citing the current economic recession — and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks eight years ago — President Obama says he will use emergency powers to cut the programmed across-the-board January increase in federal employees' pay from 2.4 percent to 2.0 percent …

Why Don't Markets Clear in Urban Storefronts?  —  Vacant storefront on 1300 block of U Street; good place for a Wendy's? (cc photo by NCinDC)  —  One of the enduring mysteries of urban life is the prevalence of vacant storefronts.  This is understandable in a truly depressed area where the whole local economy has broken down.