COVER
Afghanistan: Can Obama Sell America on This War? (Cover Story)
President Obama offered a reasoned case for troop expansion in Afghanistan in his speech at West Point. But Americans need inspiration as well
Life in the Afghan National Army
Photos: A look at the troops who President Obama hopes will someday provide security in Afghanistan reveals a force with limited resources
Obama Shrinks the War on Terrorism (Essay)
Obama's foreign policy takes a narrower view of American power — we can't fight everyone all at once
NATION
Health Care Reform: What Happened to Cost Controls? (Health Care)
Congress is quietly watering down provisions in health care legislation that were supposed to control medical costs
Is California Sold on Governor Meg Whitman? (The Well / Profile)
Former eBay boss Meg Whitman is a socially moderate Republican with celebrity status, high name recognition and money to burn. But does California want Governator II?
ESSAY
Tiger and the Salahis: Two Kinds of Celebrity Crash (Tuned In)
Two crashes — by the Salahis at the White House and by Tiger Woods — show what a wreck celebrity has become
Why Congress is Furious at the Fed (The Curious Capitalist)
An angry Congress wants to reshape the central bank. And you can't say it's entirely wrong
Beyond Copenhagen (Commentary / Viewpoint)
The climate-change summit will not produce a plan. So it's time for a fresh approach
Will Fear of Big Government End Obama's Audacity?
Voters have turned suspicious of federal spending programs. That could upend the President's agenda
Slow Times At My 20th High School Reunion
I'm the most famous guy at my high school reunion. That plus $122 gets me a Coors Light
WORLD
Postcard from Las Cruces
Deep in New Mexico's desert, state officials and Britain's top entrepreneur are building a business that's out of this world. An epic journey to the edge of space
BRIEFING
The World
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
Verbatim
The Moment
12/1/09
Brief History: Dubai
The Skimmer
Book Review: The Moral Underground: How Ordinary Americans Subvert an Unfair Economy by Lisa Dodson
Mike Penner (Milestones)
Yang Xianyi (Milestones)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Avatar Arrives! Can James Cameron Be King Again? (Movies)
Titanic director James Cameron pilots his fantasy epic Avatar to screen. Will it sink or swim?
Steampunk: Reclaiming Tech for the Masses (Culture)
Why steampunk is the subculture of the moment
The Memoirist's Club (Books)
Mary Karr's third book is her most intimate
Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK
SCIENCE
Climate Change: The Tragedy of the Himalayas (The Well / Environment)
Climate change is melting glaciers high in the Himalayas, threatening crucial water resources for much of Asia — and giving us a convincing reason to fight it
Himalayan Glaciers Under Threat
Photos: Climate change at the top of the world imperils Asia's water supply
Creating New Land for Climate Refugees in Bangladesh
Video: Siltation from Himalayan glaciers creates new land deposits in Bangladesh, where settlers who have fled natural disasters make new homes
SOCIETY
Celebrity Chefs Show How to Lose Weight (Life / Food)
Amid all the tasting, fat chefs are finding ways to get skinny
Top Chef, Meet Biggest Loser
How to slim down when your job is tempting other people's palates
Humanure: Goodbye, Toilets. Hello, Extreme Composting (Going Green)
Wastewater treatment is much more energy-intensive than composting. Why the future may hold more old-school commodes
Campus Smoking Bans? Some Saying 'Lighten Up' (Education)
As more schools ban smoking outside, compliance is often left to peer pressure, not punishment
TV on the Go (Techland)
Why rush home to see your favorite show when it can be simulcast in your hand?
SPECIAL SECTION
Get Smart (COP15: Climate)
The electrical grid is leaky, but networking it to the Internet could create a clean-energy revolution
Banking on Carbon (COP15: Green Finance)
Climate change is a megatrend opportunity, says Deutsche Bank. Ignore it at your peril
Will the World's Largest Cruise Ship Sink or Swim? (Tourism)
With its biggest ship ever, Royal Caribbean plans to give travelers a more landlike trip
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Business Books
Drop that credit card! Frugality is the new chic, and belt-tightening is all the rage. Three authors show how to find true contentment with less stuff