Tom's Take (AM)

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/09/art.amanpour.writer.jpg caption="Sr. Writer Tom Evans"]

Today on AMANPOUR., we have something very special – a rare in-depth interview with the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, who has just given testimony to the U.S. Congress on President Obama’s new strategy for Afghanistan. Can General McChrystal turn the tide of this war in just 18 months? It’s an interview you don’t want to miss. It will air at 4.30pm Eastern Time on CNN in the United States and overseas. And in our regular time slot at 3pm ET we will have an interview with Sudan’s ambassador to the United Nations, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad. He faces some tough questions from Christiane on war crimes charges against his president and the risk of a bloody new civil war between the north and the south of Sudan. So there’s a lot going on today. In addition, there are some other important stories to tell you about that are making headlines across the globe.

– Tom Evans; Sr. Writer, AMANPOUR.

AFGHANISTAN – Can the U.S. turn around the war with a new strategy and more troops?

–          U.S. Defense Secy. Robert Gates tells military commanders in Afghanistan that “we have all the pieces coming together to be successful”

–          Gates most senior official to visit Afghanistan since Obama’s strategy announcement last week

–          U.S. trying to reassure Afghanistan and Pakistan that July 2011 deadline to begin American withdrawal will not give Taliban an advantage in the long term

–          Gates outlining ambitious goals to increase size of Afghan army by about 50 percent to 134,000 soldiers by the end of 2010

QUESTION: Will Afghan military be in any position to begin taking security lead anytime soon?

CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE – Is meeting in disarray after leak of documents?

–          controversy after leak of 2 draft texts in Copenhagen, one regarded as supportive of interests of U.S. and industrialized countries and one apparently from China that’s seen as promoting interests of developing countries

–          both camps were quick to criticize each other’s proposals

–          negotiators now struggling to bridge gap between rich and poor nations

–          more than 100 world leaders will attend the conference amid hopes it will lay groundwork for new curbs on greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming

QUESTION: Can industrialized nations and developing world reach a compromise before the conference ends on December 18^th?

GLOBAL CAR BATTLE – Will new race to become world’s biggest auto maker lead to more environmentally friendly cars – or will car makers ignore climate change conference?

–          Germany’s VW buys 20 percent stake in Japan’s Suzuki as VW aims to vault past Toyota to become world’s biggest car maker

–          VW seeking to strengthen its position in Chinese market, where it’s already Number One, and seek dominance in India

–          Deal mirrors alliance between France’s Renault and Japan’s Nissan, and possible upcoming deal between French carmaker Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi of Japan

–          VW saying its deal will allow it to transfer fuel efficient and environmentally friendly technology to Suzuki

QUESTION: Will global auto industry tie-ups lead to new emphasis on clean fuel vehicles in rapidly developing emerging markets – or will consumers there prefer cheaper, gasoline powered alternatives?