The U.S. Government will soon begin paying Taliban members who claim to switch sides in the insurgent war in Afghanistan, according to a report by the BBC.

Retired General Barry McCaffrey told MSNBC's Meet the Press Sunday that the United States faces 10 more years of war in Afghanistan.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the Wisconsin, Maryland, and District of Columbia primaries April 3, easily besting second-place Rick Santorum in Wisconsin and Maryland. Former Pennsylvania Senator Santorum didn't win ballot access in the District of Columbia, where Romney won 70 percent of the vote over second place Ron Paul (12 percent) in that primary.

President Barack Obama claimed in his third State of the Union address that he supported a policy of "no bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts." But he said this after he had outlined more than half a dozen new spending handout proposals in a speech that also praised bailouts. On taxes, Obama concluded of retaining outrageously high middle-class tax rates and increasing the tax rates on the rich: "That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit."

Republicans debated the housing bubble/bust in the January 23 NBC debate, with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney drawing political blood from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on his Freddie Mac consulting ties.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary January 21 with 40 percent of the vote, making Gingrich the third GOP candidate to win a presidential primary or caucus in as many states.

Representative Ron Paul established himself at the forefront of the Tea Party movement in the first Republican Presidential debate in Greenville, South Carolina. The debate has more and more establishment figures wondering if this might be the perfect political storm for the Texas congressman and obstetrician.

President Obama has nominated a new national security team that is has veteran establishment credentials and appear to create an even tighter nexus between intelligence agencies and the military. Obama announced the following appointments April 28:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich unloaded on CNN Anchor John King for asking about allegations made by Gingrich's ex-wife that the former Georgia Congressman had proposed to make their marriage an "open marriage."

Republicans in the South Caorlina Fox/Twitter Presidential debate loudly booed the Golden Rule in the context of foreign policy January 16.