Word from the White House is that Barack Obama is close to a decision on the war in Afghanistan. Those keeping count say the US president has now spent more than 18 hours in intense consultations with senior advisers and military commanders. The options have been narrowed.

The working assumption is that a formal announcement will come soon after Mr Obama returns from his week-long trip to Asia starting on Thursday. No one is venturing firm dates. The administration cannot afford to get either the substance or the choreography of this one wrong.