this week -- he's surging in the polls and now he's challenging the front-runners. >> send washington a message. they're ready for a problem solver. not another politician. >> our headliner, herman cain. >> thank you. and will he or won't he? >> we can't wait another four years. >> he's listening, but will governor chris christie take the plunge? plus, america's ceos. >> this is no loirpgnger a cris it's an emergency. >> fed up with political paralysis, they're lashing out at congress and the president. george will, jake tapper,

republican strategist nicolle wallace and democratic strategist mark penn debate that, plus all of the week's politics on our roundtable. then this week marks ten weeks since the start of the afghan war, america's longest. martha raddatz reports on what has been achieved and at what cost. good morning, and welcome to the program. we have lots to get to today. but first, some news since your morning papers. more than 700 demonstrators protesting corporate greed, morning other issues, were arrested last night on the brooklyn bridge in new york city. the grass roots movement has swamped wall street for more than two weeks now. president obama last night blasted the republican candidates who didn't react as members of a debate audience booed a gay soldier serving in

iraq. the president spoke at the annual gala of the human rights campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization. >> we don't believe in the kind of smallness that says it's okay for a stage full of political leaders, one of whom could end up being the president of the united states, being silenced when an america soldier is booed. we don't believe in that. we don't believe in standing silent when that happens. you want to be commander in chief? you can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the united states even when it's not politically convenient. >> the president's comments capped frenetic few days on the campaign trail. we saw the actual candidates largely overshadowed by the man on the fence. he is abc senior correspondent john karl with this week in politics. my italian mother, she told

me to tell you that you got to run for president. >> reporter: it was the most electrifying event of the campaign so far and it involved a guy who is not running, at least not yet. >> we need you, your country needs you to run for president. >> reporter: it wasn't just that people were begging chris christie to run, it was where they were begging, on hallowed grounds for republicans the reagan library. >> i thank you for what you're saying. i'm listening to every word of it. >> reporter: in other words, he may actually do it. out on the real campaign trail, it was the potential first ladies that broke through, in iowa, anita perry, she said that for the next debate, her husband is going to try harder. >> he's going to be better prepared this time. >> reporter: and ann romney mused those who might not support mitt. of course, she was joking, get it? and on the flip flop watch, remember this from last week's debate.

>> and if you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they have been brought there, by no fault of their own, i don't think you have a heart. >> reporter: this week, chris christie scolded rick perry about that. >> i do not believe for those people who came here illegally that we should be subsidizing with dtaxpayer money. >> reporter: the next day, perry uncharacteristically took it back. >> i was probably a bit overpassionate about using that word and it was inappropriate. >> reporter: as for mitt romney, he invoked winston churchill for his flip flop. in the private sector, if you don't change your view the facts change, you would get fired for be stubborn. when the facts change, i change, too. >> reporter: finally, sarah palin suggested that the title president might simply be too limiting for me.

>> as a title and as a campaign too shackling, does that prohibit me from being out there? out of a box, not allowing handlers to shape me. >> reporter: shackling, in other words, not mavericky. and trending this week -- florida, up. it's primary now january 31st. south carolina, down, still first in the south but now sure to be overshadowed by florida. rick perry, down. looking kind of like the red sox, well, not that bad. chris christie up, we're not sure, but definitely up. ron paul, down. the most wanted terrorist in the world is killed and he said that it's quote, sad, really? and herman cain, up, way up. a fox news poll putting him in third place, statistically tied with rick perry. with this week in politics, i'm jonathan karl. so a big week for businessman herman cain and he joins me right now. thank you for being here.

>> good morning, it's my pleasure. >> you had a pretty big high the straw poll, how are you going to capitalize on this? >> first, we're going to stick with our strategy by going to the people, as an example the straw poll in florida last week, which really got the attention of a lot of people because it differed from a lot of other straw polls, that actual delegates were casting the straw polls. because my win was so convincing, it caused people to take note that there's something going on out here other than how the media is portraying it. it's not a two-person race. >> let me ask you some of these questions, you have just seen what president obama said last night about that incident at the florida debate where there was booing in the audience when a gay soldier started to speak. nobody said anything. you didn't. rick santorum. none of the others did. do you wish you had say something? >> well, the thing that's being

overlooked, that, in a heat of a debate, you have 60 seconds to answer any question, taking that time to try and figure out why they were booing, i happen to think maybe they were booing the whole don't ask, don't tell repeal more so than booing that soldier. but, we didn't know that. that wasn't the time to try and decipher why they were reacting that? >> you don't think that you probably should have something, audience, please -- >> i didn't have that luxury. i wasn't in control. i was not the moderator. >> in retrospect would you have done something? >> in retrospect, because of the controversy it has created and because of the different interpretations it could have had, yes, that probably would have been appropriate. but at the moment, it wasn't the focus of the people up there on the stage. >> what do you think when president obama says that this is not the people we are, we're not so small to boo anyone? much less than a soldier serving and defending this country? >> i would agree with that statement. but i would also challenge the

president and his administration for the way they're going about trying to cut costs and they basically have a formula that's going to cut cost in the defense department. i would describe what he's doing as in terms of cost and defense putting a bull's eye on the back on our men and women in service. >> on the front page of the washington post today there's a story about rick perry, and a hunting lot that belonged to his family. on a rock, apparently near the entrance there, there's a slur, apparently it's been painted over. but the report raises questions about whether this rock or this stone, with that word on it was still on display even quite recently in the last several years, what is your reaction to that? >> my reaction to that is, that is very insensitive. some words do not basically

inspire the kind of negativity like that particular word and i know that you're refraining from the word. because i'm going to say what the word on the rock, the name of the place was head. that's very insensitive. since governor perry has been going there for years to hunt, i think it has a lack of sensitivity for not taking that word off of that rock and renaming that place. >> it was painted over. >> yes. >> it was painted over. how long ago was it painted over? i'm still saying that it's a sign of insensitivity. let me move on to some things that you said. right after the debate in florida, you told wolf blitzer of cnn, that basically, african-americans, blacks in this country have been brainwashed over the years into supporting democrats, do you really believe that african-americans, blacks, are so easily manipulated?

>> i also said -- >> let me you ask about that. that word is very inflammatory. >> it is. i'm going to answer your question, i also said, the good news, a large percentage of black people are thinking for themselves. if the word is inflammatory, that's too bad. it's true. here's why, because some black people won't even listen to someone who appears to be a conservative or a republican. i call that brainwashing. >> some would say that, because those policies don't meet their demands or what they're looking for? >> and i would say that the reason they don't see them meeting their demands is because they have not looked at them. my economic growth and jobs plan as an example is not partisan, it is a solution that benefits everybody especially the african-american community. >> because 9-9-9, you talk about

9 corporate, 9% income tax and 9% national sales tax. economists say it could affect poorer people, african americans and all sort of poorer people. >> ask them to do the math. >> apparently they have -- >> they have not. because i have done the math. let me you give an example. if you take the median income -- 20,000 or 25,000. divide by 2. i started with the median income. start with $50,000 a year. the same numbers work. you get the same conclusion that they make $20,000 a year. under the current system, they're going to pay a approximately $10,000 in taxes. it includes the payroll tax. on the 9-9-9, they'll pay 9% of $50,000. they have an excess of about $5500. because they're now paying $10,000.

if they paid a 9% sales tax on everything that they buy, they bought all new goods and services, they would still come out $2,000 ahead. what i'm saying, those economists need to do the math, they're making that assertion of based on of turning it into a class warfare argument. >> you said, we're going to show a graphic that there's been a creeping attempt to gradually ease sharia law and the muslim faith into our government. now, listen to what governor chris christie said. >> this sharia law business is crap. i'm tired of dealing with the crazies. >> so, he's saying those kind of fears is crazy. >> what do you say to that? >> call me crazy. there are too many examples where there has been push-back.

>> you don't really mean this? >> oh, yes, i do. >> sharia law in the united states? >> some would infuse sharia law into our court system if we allowed it. i'm going to make sure they don't infuse it, little by little by little. it's not going to be some grand scheme. little bit little. i don't mind if he calls me crazy. >> you're sticking to it? >> i'm sticking to it. american laws and american courts, period. >> people should be safe for the moment. let me ask you about chris christie jumping in, would you support it? >> come on down, as they say, to use bob barker's term. and here's why -- i respect governor christie, he has basically distinguished himself because he's not afraid to tell it like it is like me. it would be up to the people. it doesn't concern me in terms of what it would to do to my momentum.

the people who support herman cain, they're not waiting for the next flavor of the week to use someone else terminology. it wouldn't bother me a bit. >> herman cain, thank you for joining us. >> it has been my pleasure. >> can herman cain turn a good week into a top-shelf campaign? with us now is george will, mark penn, nicolle wallace and senior adviser to the mccain campaign and abc senior white house correspondent jake tapper. so, herman cain, is it just a flash in the pan or is it a budding top-tiered position? >> the energy in the republican party is the river of tea party sentiment. it initially flowed to michele bachmann, perry enters and it immediately flows to him. he has two bad debate performances. it goes to herman cain, who ease charz mattic, funny and direct.

all of those things in politics. what this may tell us most of ever, the reluctant of the flow to the front-runner mitt romney who has been campaigning for about seven years. i looked it up, in 2008, in no gallup poll, did he get above 22%. his highest this year is 25%. which suggests the enthusiasm for the alternative candidates may say why. >> do you think it's just an alternative of the republican looking in, nicolle do you think he has the legs to carry on? >> i talked to them moving their own primary up to be a bigger play in this nominating process, florida, they wereaken by surprise by the win. it reinforced their belief of moving up the primary in a state like florida, is the right thing to do. they were alarmed, but certainly taken by surprise that he prevailed in that state.

>> jake, let's just get back to something else that we have been talking about, "the washington post" article of property, you heard what herman said, insensitive using that word, how is that perry campaign reacting to this today? >> they're disputing the washington post story. they're saying that the quotes that say the rock was painted over after '83, '84 are wrong. they're pointing out it wasn't property-owned by rick perry or by his family. >> leased by. >> yes, but they're saying it wasn't owned. but the issue here, i think is bigger than herman cain's reaction. the issue is, how are the people still concerned about rick perry's ability to prevail against president obama? the people who are worried about his electability. how are they going to take this? there are republicans in states like pennsylvania, ohio, wisconsin, minnesota, who don't want him on the top of the ticket, they're worried, even if he beats obama, he will hurt

them in areas like the philadelphia suburbs. hurt them with congressional candidates and this feeds into that concern of electability. before a wider audience. >> from the democratic perspective, how does this look, you think? >> i think you're seeing what looks like a restless, divided republican electorate. i think they're going week after week, candidate after candidate, there's no real certainty. it allows the president to advance his strategy. i think the fact that herman cain leveled the word insensitive at rick perry is a real problem. >> let's go to the man on the fence, chris christie, is he or isn't he? >> well, the man on the fence has said, what do i have to do to commit suicide to stop talking about this? the new york times this morning says those pushing mr. christie to run, including nancy

reagan -- that's not true. i spoke to her last night. she laughed at that. she's a gracious host. she hosted him at the reagan library, but she's not pushing anyone to run or not to run for that matter. there's an enormous amount of wishful thinking on the part of the press to have him in the race. >> mark, they're going from one crush to another. it's beginning to resemble a dysfunctional dating program. so, it's beginning to be the destructive. if it goes on, for more months, it will have a negative impact. when our nominee has to stand against president obama. >> and as with dating, we're all better in theory than we are in reality. >> isn't that the truth? >> chris christie is a great theoretical candidate. he gets into the race and

republicans realize he has made that comment that you played about sharia law. i think that his position right now is, he is not inclined to run. he's being polite, listening to all of the donors and republican establishment figures who want an alternative to romney. he'll make a decision this week. >> it's a very heady thing to be called by rich and famous powerful people, you have to sit in lincoln's chair. on august 19th, i published a column, i had lunch with him in trenton. christie will not run and here's why. i sent it to him and get back on accuracy. he said there's no problem with that. the last -- towards the last paragraph -- it's one thing that i don't want to run because i don't want to run. you can't say two weeks from now, on the other hand, i'm

ready. >> let's go to matt katz who is joining us from philadelphia. he writes a blog for "the philadelphia inquirer." what is the word on the street in new jersey, do you think he's going to do it or not? you have heard all of us talking about it. >> well, it's been a wild week on the christie beat and it has gone back and forth. the latest i'm hearing, i spoke to a christie adviser this morning who batted down that new york times story saying that he's preparing for a run, they say he's not preparing for a run. there's been no active preparations. the line is still, he's reconsidering. whether he's actually reconsidering or it's good for business, we do not know. >> what would it do to the race and how it would affect the president's calculation? >> him getting it would be romney's worst nightmare. to have northeastern governors

splitting the northeastern governor's votes is a big gift to rick perry at a time he needs a gift. i know that people in the race are thinking right now, how do we keep him out? the other one is saying, how do we get him in? >> now, south carolina, nevada and new hampshire will all slide earlier, which means someone is going to be voting in about 100 days, that's a very small window to leap through. >> certainly is. look, can we bring all of this weight issue thrown around. columnist michael kinsley has written -- christie's weight problem is a just a too-perfect symbol of our country at the moment. matt katz, what do you think about that? does he have a weight problem that resonates with voters or is this, you know, sort of just talk? >> you know, governor christie was taken to the hospital over the summer for an asthma attack, and he left the hospital and

there were 20 tv cameras out there and the question over and over again was about his weight. and he very cleverly was able to turn it into sort of a populist type of strength. he says like many americans, i struggle with my weight. they said why. i eat too much. it's funny. people relate to it and i think it's something that he is so solid rhetorically. he would be able to flip it around and use it to his advantage potentially. >> i don't think it hurts with him voters. but it's an incredible grueling thing to run for president. it's incredibly, physically demanding on a candidate. there's a question about whether he or she could keep up with 18-hour days for the next nine years. >> nicolle, mitt romney has been doing this for years, he's been running for years, he looks the

part, sounds the part, what is it with your party? >> you know, i think in politics, we always weigh our hearts against our heads. i think our heads are telling us that romney is a guy who's quite competent. he would be a competent executive in the federal government. but our hearts, whether it skills, we are in love with people like governor christie, who can stand in the arena and speak the difficult truths. we need someone who can say entitlement reform, got to happen. social security isn't going to be -- they have to do it in defensive capitalism, appropriate role for the federal government. the truth is, guys like perry have been blundering around. there has not been an articulate defense of the benefits of capitalism and the necessity to limit government but not eliminate government. we seem to have guys that fall down on each side of that debate.

>>, this iocelle used the problematic word, competence. your nominee in the democrat party, tells the convention this election is not about ideology but competence. nonsense. all elections are about ideology. when mr. romney steps forward i can do the job, i'm competent. people say, yeah, but, they want competence plus and it's the plus they're still looking for. >> right. and it's what they feel is lacking for romney. i guess my question is, in the state of new jersey, are the things that make governor christie so wildly popular on the national stage, is it popular? i think what you were saying, jake, when you step out to the national stage, your local press becomes wildly popular in shaping the national opinion of you. >> his approval ratings in new jersey are just above 50%.

>> for a governor that's -- >> it's okay. one point about romney which is, he's the only one on stage when i watch these debates who is running a general election campaign already. he's the only one who is trying to appeal to independents and democrats who are persuadable. when i went up to the new york city for the u.n. general asemiwli a few weeks, i had some dinner with friends, liberal democrats who live in new york, not that that there's a lot of them up there -- >> many. >> and you can hear them making their peace with romney. well, he seems centrist. >> not scary. >> he would be good in getting jobs. i think that's a problem for president obama. >> we'll talk about this in a second. up next -- those angry ceos, wall street is wailing the political gridlock is killing america. starbucks ceo howard schultz has

some strong opinions on this and he'll join our roundtable. and later, late-night comics take on sarah palin. >> we can take governor chris christie at his word. i think he put the nail in the of coffin. >> if i were the media, i would go back to lavish unwarranted attention on other noncandidates. since 1894, ameriprise financial has been working hard for their clients' futures. never taking a bailout. helping generations achieve dreams. buy homes. put their kids through college. retire how they want to. ameriprise. the strength of america's largest financial planning company. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you, one-to-one. together, for your future. ♪

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having been in business for over 30 years, i have never seen a time where there's be more zero sum game mentality in the united states among political parties. if you were a business person looking at this and you saw two people arguing like that i don't want to do business with any of those guys. >> that was with b.e.t founder robert johnson. one of several ceos unloading on the gridlock in washington. this week, earlier, the ceo of coca-cola said it's easier doing business in china than the united states. saying quote -- when a country is in trouble, you can't have a por raised political process. so, warning shots on wall street, but will they have an effect. let's bring our roundtable. george, this is getting serious. when money talks, it gets serious. let's say the material effects -- >> of course, it's easier doing business in china.

you go to the dictator and he dictates. the same businessmen say only if we started coming to grip with our problems, we started to do that with our debt ceiling uprising, and they say, oh, you're being dysfunctional, that's what's coming to grips with things. >> mark, is it difficult now for the politicians to get a grip with this situation, which is not just politics as usual but businesses are being derailed. >> right now, ceos are feeling besieged. they can only get jobs from businesses and government. >> let's us bring in one of our business leaders, howard schutz, who's the ceo of starbucks. thank you for joining us. you basically said that it's very difficult to get your business up and growing. not yours, but in general, that

there should be rather radical measures taken against both parties, what do you think? >> well, i think it's important to kind of frame the issue. as a result of the debt crisis and the debacle that took place between congress and the president, we have a crisis of confidence in the u.s. and abroad. and that crisis of confidence is as a result of the lack of leadership coming out of washington. now, what i have also been saying, in addition to the fact that i asked like minded ceos should suspend donations. business leaders should not be waiting for washington. we need to reaffirm our faith in the economy and do everything we can to be a catalyst for change and try to do everything we can to invest back in america, so that we can affect the jobs issue. but make no mistake, the issue at hand right now is the dysfunctionaltiy in washington and the lack of understanding that this is no longer a crisis,

this is an emergency in america. as a result of that we need political courage and political will to solve our problems. >> i'm sorry. i love your lattes. but i think this is a cop-out. there is absolutely people in this town who are willing to compromise. absolutely there are members of the republican party of the democratic party who are willing to compromise. to say we're not going to give money to anybody, all 435 members of congress -- who actually is trying to solve these problems. >> mr. schultz? >> let me give you some information. $4 billion was spent in 2008 in the presidential cycle and estimated 5.5 billion in 2012. i would suspect that even you would think we could use that money much better off for our education system, to do anything possible to create jobs in america and not to continue to fund a broken system.

but that's not the issue. the issue right now is not to point blame, but we must address the issue of job creation in america. last week i was in europe, i had a private meeting with president sarkozy, and in that meeting, he shared with the problems in europe with regards to greece, the fact is that the connective tissue as it relates to the problems that we're having in america, how that has spilled off in a crisis of confidence in europe. responsibility has to be those who are in washington who can make the decisions necessary to bring back confidence and hope back into the country. >> howard schultz, thank you very much indeed. nicolle wallace, what has to happen with the republicans on the campaign trail? is there a disconnect between wall street and congress? >> yeah, and i think it came into focus in the debt ceiling debacle.

i think if you're from washington or of washington, you had high level confidence. if you're from washington, you work on wall street or in business, your hair was on fire. i think if you take this fundamental lack of understanding, that has helped bring us to the brink. you know, in defense of business, they're an essential part of the solution. they have to start talking. but i think, as you said, just pulling out of the game, i'm not going to support any of them, furthers that lack of communication. >> the problem is, right now, the people who are rewarded for being intransient are running the show on the left and the right. people are rewarded for that kind of behavior. what people like mr. schutz need to do is find people that are willing, but -- >> i think that's what they're saying, hold them to account?

>> they're not rewarding -- as one example, senator lamar alexander, among the republicans, is somebody who has been faulted by conservatives for being too willing to compromise. if that's what mr. schultz likes, then organize a huge fund-raiser for alexander and reward that kind of behavior. >> it hemmed in all of the republicans that couldn't raise taxes. there are people who could talk to this white house. they could benefit from this. >> let's bring up "the economist" cover, it's pointing out quite a lot of sentiment that's surrounding that right now. it's not just schultz saying, it's every magazine cover, the cover of usa today this week, people are, you know, really exorcised by what people perceive as paralysis not getting done. rather than the business of jobs.

what did this mean as president obama goes into re-election? where is the opportunity there for him to capitalize? >> there's a big opportunity. i think you saw what happened in '96 when president clinton did bring together republicans to have a successful budget deal. the president has to take leadership. he can't let this just stay in the committee. he has to come forward with a plan that he pushes. he has a plan now that he's out there with, i think he's showing some strength out there, campaigning across the country. 80% of the public has turned their back on washington. why can't these guys put together a deal that gets our country right on track? >> which is right, george. mr. schultz is saying about the 88% of the public is saying. >> 88% are wrong. >> this is a democracy. >> nicolle says debacle. mr. schultz said debacle. what debacle? we raised the debt ceiling.

we set up the supercommittee. we avoided doing what the president wanted. which is pass it cleanly. washington is in gridlock. washington in recent years has passed t.a.r.p., the stimulus, obama care, big things, now the country doesn't like a lot of what they did. >> what about this sense that does freak everybody out, if it's not a psychological lack of confidence, it's a lack of confidence from consumers, or this, you know, getting to the brink, governing by the precipice. is there a way of moving this forward? i know that politicians say that. when the rubber hits the road it still remains. >> republicans, tea partyers and the independents who broke overwhelming for president obama have zero confidence in his ability to grow the economy or add a single job. he has failed in the category of not getting things done, but to

help the economy. to convince everybody that he's the guy who can lead us out of the abyss. >> look the republicans are at 12 .and sinking. >> they're not on the ballot. >> no republican presidential candidate has made a coherent economic case. >> the centerpiece of the president's new proposals is this so-called buffett rule. this is what warren buffett had to say about it this week. >> it's not to have the rich pay more taxes. to have the ultra rich that pay normal taxes. but there's a small segment that pay very low taxes including me. >> jake, how is this being received in the white house? >> well, they're pretending there's no daylight between what he said and what they laid out. the truth is, it is. buffett said there's about 50,000 ultra rich who would be hit by what he actually conceived. the white house when they introduced their buffett rule a

few weeks ago, said it was close to 450,000. the idea is the same -- those who are very wealthy and who are paying taxes below 20% because they're paying the capital gains rate or whatever, there should be a minimum requirement that they should pay. there's a big difference. >> in 1916, before world war i and federal spending exploded. the richest man john d. rockefeller could have written a personal check. are tired our national debt. now, bill gates could make a personal check and not pay two months interest on the national debt. >> that will continue online at abcnews.com. up next -- a milestone in america's longest war. after ten years in afghanistan, is the u.s. any closer to victory? abc's martha raddatz has a report from the field. y? abc's martha raddatz has a report from the field. it's about building cars in america.

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this week marks a milestone in america's longest war, it's now been ten years since the start of the war in afghanistan, after a decade of con frikt, the

cost has been staggering. but is the united states any closer to victory? martha raddatz is in afghanistan and she joins me now from kabul. martha, of course, the administration had a big victory this week, killing anwar al awlaki by drone, that was in emmen. it's very different in afghanistan. >> it's very different. here in afghanistan, it's a combination of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency and counterinsurgency securing the population, helping them out with jobs, takes a lot of troops and a lot of time and we have already been here for a decade. ten years of war, ten years of watching. always brings you back to this troubled border. >> you see border post three. pakistan is right over -- right down the valley. >> reporter: the brigadier general is one of long line of

commanders who have tried to stop the flow of enemy fighters from pakistan who managed to traverse this impossibly steep terrain every day. >> there's a wide range of insurgents that are operating. the taliban -- >> reporter: nearly a decade ago, i walked this same border. the pakistani border is just about three miles from here the problems they have encountered is that the taliban will run across the border after hiding in pakistan, and then run back after attacking the americans. and then ask the same questions about insurgents. >> we're doing better, which which is why we need to be proactive. we can'tust sit here. >> reporter: nor did they. the u.s. and the dwindling group of allies have been pounding this region for years, and yet, they still keep on coming. in fact over the last year, cross-border attacks have

increased by 500%, from approximately 60 attacks last year to more than 300 this year with the fighters now reaching afghanistan's capital, kabul. it wasn't supposed to be this way. >> and now the taliban will pay a price. >> reporter: the war began with precision air strikes, and only about 1,000 u.s. special forces on the ground. within a matter of months, afghans were back to work, back to school and living in relative peace. >> the taliban regime is out of business. permanently. >> i have not seen any indication that the taliban posed a military threat to afghanistan. >> today the taliban has been deposed. al qaeda is in hiding. >> reporter: the priority, of course, became iraq. by comparison, made afghanistan look like the model of stake. but a former commander who only

had 8500 troops in all of afghanistan to keep the peace, lived the reality. >> i think it's fair to say that the insurgents went to ground, some likely in the more remote areas of afghanistan, but some across the borders. it was difficult to find them. with that small force, we did the best we could. >> reporter: it would soon be clear that was not enough. >> we very badly under-resourced afghanistan for a better part of four or five years. >> reporter: but the end of last year, the numbers that had average 20,000 peaked at 100,000 with the additional surge forces. it was as if the u.s. had to begin all over again. >> it is just now that we have finally gotten the inputs right in afghanistan. >> reporter: but the cost of this longest war has been numbing. >> soldiers keep us free. >> reporter: in u.s. lives 1,678.

more than 14,000 wounded. and at least 14,000 afghans have also died. in dollars, approaching 400 billion. and now what? 96,000 troops remain in afghanistan. but the withdrawal has now begun. by the end of the next year, the surge troops will be gone. by 2014, the rest of the forces are scheduled to leave. it will then be up to the afghans training now, for a force of more than 350,000, with a very long way to go. but the u.s. commanders see promise here. he saw it through three tours in iraq and he sees it here. do you think we'll be successful here? >> i know that we'll be successful. >> reporter: define success for me? >> that the afghan security forces are able to deal with the issues that they encounter and they take over security.

>> reporter: he's already telling his afghan partners, they better hurry up, because the united states will be leaving. although, christiane, i believe there will be forces that beyond 2014 to help with the training. >> exactly, martha. to find some way of neutralizing the taliban, still an open question, martha, thank you so much. and with we will be right back. ♪ [ male announcer ] each of these photos was taken by someone on the first morning of their retirement. it's the first of more than 6,000 sunrises the average retiree will see. ♪ as we're living longer than ever before, prudential's challenge is to help everyone have the retirement income they'll need to enjoy every one of their days. ♪ prudential. bring your challenges.

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cheese. >> it's like the republican primary is a season of american idol in reverse, where every week, you just add some other idiot. all that's missing is the humiliating audition when one of your favorite contestants butchers one of your favorite songs. ♪ >> that hurts me. we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro.

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pilgrimage to california. before joining the other candidates at the values voter summit here in washington. president obama, in the meantime, heads to perry country, taking his jobs tour to mesqui mesquite, texas. the weekend ends with palin power, the former alaska governor headlines defend the republican rally and delivers a personal testimony of faith. at jerry falwell's liberty university. of course, the biggest story is still unscheduled, chris christie's announcement of whether he's in or out. and we'll be back with in memoriam. chrissie announcement of whether he's in or out. and we'll be back with in memoriam. or hires another employee, it's not just good for business. it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities. that's why we extended $7.8 billion

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♪ i'm close to the edge ♪ i'm trying not to lose my head ♪ >> listen to the rest of the world. ♪ >> we remember all of those who died in war this week, the pentagon released the names of 16 soldiers and machines killed in iraq and afghanistan. d in iraq and afghanistan.

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that's our program this week. be sure to watch "world news" with david muir tonight for all of the latest headlines. from all of us here, thank you for watching. we'll see you next week and have a lovely sunday.