A senior Taliban commander won't be coming down for breakfast. So far, despite the reporting of the MSM, it appears that the NATO forces in Afghanistan continue to have the upper hand. The Taliban have not, as of yet, been able to launch a big Spring offensive, which might be a clue as to how they have been degraded by on-going NATO operations.

Bowing to political pressure, the Bush Administration will open talks with Iran regarding security in Iraq. This would be a good idea if the Iranians shared our desire to stabilize Iraq, but they do not, so don't expect much to come out of all of this. I still firmly believe that the Iranian's goal in the area is to see the U.S. retreat from Iraq, humiliated and, presumably, less inclined to intervene in the future, which will leave the Iranians free to expand their power and influence.

Michael Yon comments on a letter sent out to all troops by General Petraeus in Iraq. Petraeus is calling on his troops to maintain high standards in terms of their behavior toward the Iraqis, all part of the "winning hearts and minds" school of thought about fighting a counter-insurgency war. I wish him luck. Unfortunately, I don't believe it will work. I think the only way to suppress the violence in Iraq is to be more violent and vicious than any enemy or group of enemies. This, of course, we will not (and should not) do. Therefore, we will not be able to succeed unless we are actively engaged for many years to come. This, of course, the American people will not do.

Roger L. Simon blasts PBS for refusing to air a documentary about Islam and the Islamists.

Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops continue to search for three missing American soldiers. An al Qaeda group claims to have "arrested" them. I am not optimistic about their fate.

Bob Novak reminisces about 50 years in Washington.