COVER
A Window On the War in Afghanistan (The Well / Cover Story)
As Washington debates what to do about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, photographer Adam Ferguson captures and describes the daily lives of the men fighting it
Two Arguments for What to Do in Afghanistan (The Well / World)
Is it time for the U.S. military to turn Afghanistan over, or is time for our troops to stay the course?
Multimedia
The War in Afghanistan Up Close
Intimate images of U.S. troops in Wardak Province: A photographer's perspective
NATION
An Enemy Within: The Making of Najibullah Zazi (The Well / Nation)
Najibullah Zazi has denied charges he conspired to bomb targets in the U.S., but government officials are confident they've got their man. How the terrorism suspect's background in Pakistan, New York City and Denver shaped him
Najibullah Zazi in Aurora, Colorado
Photos: The man suspected of planning a terror strike on U.S. soil went largely unnoticed in a Denver suburb
ESSAY
The Democrats' Phantom Fix on Health Care (Commentary)
Democrats say they can reduce health-care costs through individual mandates. Don't buy it
Ahmadinejad: Iran's Man of Mystery (Commentary / In the Arena)
It is well known that Ahmadinejad doesn't have operational control over the nuclear program or Iranian foreign policy but the exact extent of his powers, beyond management of the domestic economy, remains a mystery
The Tough-Love Dictator of My Dreams (The Awesome Column)
I'm all for liberty, but I'd sacrifice some rights for a tough-love leader and a law against Big Gulps
WORLD
Following in the Footsteps of the Mud God (Postcard: London)
A group of amateur archaeologists dig for medieval artifacts in the riverine foundations of an increasingly modern city. Following in the footsteps of the Mud God
BRIEFING
The Moment
9|26|09: Zurich
The World
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
Spotlight: AIDS Vaccine
Verbatim
Sanctions
The Obama Administration's press for deeper sanctions against Iran hasn't alarmed Tehran — perhaps because the Iranians know the tactic has had checkered results
The Skimmer
Book Review: On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done by Cass R. Sunstein
William Safire (Milestones)
Paul Fay (Milestones)
Susan Atkins (Milestones)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
No Laugh Track Required: The Comeback of the Sitcom (Television)
The creative comeback of the sitcom
Pants on Fire! The Inspired Invention of Lying (Movies)
In Ricky Gervais' new comedy, a few inspired lies go a long way
A Serious Man: The Coen Brothers' Jewish Question (Movies)
Not that the Coen brothers are self- or other-hating Jews, but as filmmakers they've always enjoyed anatomizing humanity's weak points and turning them into a kind of comedy
Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK
BUSINESS
Get Homeowners Off Welfare (The Curious Capitalist)
Washington loves to throw money at those who purchase houses. A lot of good that's done
SCIENCE
Ardi Is a New Piece for the Evolution Puzzle (The Well / Science)
Ardi, the oldest hominid skeleton ever discovered, predating Lucy, offers unexpected clues to what our even more ancient ancestors might have looked like
SOCIETY
Cancer and Teen Tanning: Where's the Regulation? (Life / Health)
A new survey highlights the troublesome lack of oversight of teenagers who use cancer-causing tanning beds
Peru's Plans for Global (Foodie) Conquest (Life / Food)
Watch out Mexico, China and Thailand, the next big thing in world cuisine may just come out of the Andes
RELIGION
How Moses Shaped America (Religion)
From the Revolution to the Cold War, the Old Testament hero has been the country's defining religious symbol. What we can learn from Moses today
SPECIAL SECTION
Dreaming of a Rebound (Global Business / Hospitality)
Holiday Inn is transforming itself to stay competitive. But recession can sure complicate a strategy
Bubbly's Flat Vintage (Global Business / Strategy)
Champagne makers refuse to cut prices. Now they are facing some harsh choices
Cloud Cover (Global Business / Technology)
Like other IT services, the locus of data security has moved. How one entrepreneur took advantage of the shift
A Lesson in Giving (Global Business / Education)
Furniture maker Sagus has learned about the benefits of taking its R&D to needy schools
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Ayn Rand: Extremist or Visionary?
Two new biographies dissect Ayn Rand's personal and intellectual life. Debate on her capitalist extremism rages on