CNN 2010-12-25

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This is GPS, the Global Public Square. Welcome to all of you in the United States and around the world. I'm Fareed Zakaria.

The Obama administration has just completed its Afghanistan review, and the document seems to reflect realities on the ground, as far as we can tell. It says that progress has been made in Afghanistan, though the gains are fragile and reversible.

Now, some experts are actually even more optimistic. Max Boot and Peter Mansoor, two counterinsurgency experts, spent some time in Afghanistan and have just reported that important parts of the country are far more secure than they were a year ago. Taliban strongholds like Kandahar and Helmand have been the site of significant American and Afghan military successes.

The key challenge, the White House and the experts would agree, is whether the Afghan National Army and police can take over where the American army leaves off. In other words, if we clear and hold, can they come in and build, build order and governance in these areas?

Here, as well, there is some good news. The Afghan security forces appear more competent and coordinated¹ than ever before. General Petraeus deserves credit for having achieved significant impact in a surprisingly short period of time.

The reason why we are in Afghanistan, however, is to battle al Qaeda and similar terrorist groups, and most of these bad guys are all in Pakistan these days. Now, the Obama administration has been honest enough about this problem and is honest enough to admit that progress here has not been fast enough or large enough.

Drone attacks certainly have put al Qaeda's leadership on the run in Pakistan, but they have many opportunities to regroup. Other terror organizations like the Haqqani group still operate with impunity² inside an area as large as California in Waziristan.

The president says we are on track to have American forces start withdrawing in July, 2011. Good. Waiting for Afghanistan to become perfect would be waiting for decades.

But as long as the enemy in Afghanistan has sanctuaries³ in a neighboring country and some support in that country, progress in Afghanistan will be temporary. When we leave, the terror groups will come across from the border and undo⁴ years of American effort and trillions of dollars of investment.

We'll talk more about Afghanistan when we talk about the life and work of Richard Holbrooke.

But, first on this show, Britain's deep budget cuts have led to rioting that has even enveloped⁵ the future king of England. But it has many businessmen and financial experts cheering. We'll talk to the man responsible for Britain's bold and controversial program, the Chancellor⁶ of the Exchequer⁷, George Osborne.

Next up, a man who held Osborne's office for a decade and then became prime minister, Gordon Brown, on why he opposes Britain's current path and much more.

Then, "What in the World?" Is the almighty⁸ dollar no longer so mighty⁹? China and Russia have become strange bedfellows in an experiment.

Finally, in our "Last Look," if you can't find the video games you want on the store shelves, you might want to ask the Pentagon. We'll explain.