HARRIS: We've got elections going on here and fighting a war in Afghanistan. As Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports, whatever happens at the polls today may have a very significant outcome on the war in the very near future.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. congressional elections may not mean much to the troops here on the ground in Afghanistan. Combat has already picked up in recent weeks, especially with the 30,000 extra U.S. troops, the surge troops, here on the ground. But make no mistake, commanders know full well the political calendar. They're very aware that President Obama plans to stick to his goal of being able to start to bring home U.S. troops next summer, that July 2011 date is out there on the calendar. That's gotten a lot of Republicans very concerned. They say it doesn't mean much, other than to give the Taliban an idea of how long they have to sit and wait it out before the Americans start leaving. All of this, of course, comes as public support in the United States for the war is dropping. This summer, a CNN/Opinion Research poll showed 62 percent of Americans no longer support the war. So, the agenda, Democrat/Republican, really centers now on how soon U.S. troops can come home safely, how soon transition security can be handed over to Afghan forces, and how, after so many years, to bring the war here in Afghanistan to a close. Barbara Starr, CNN, Forward Operating Base Tillman in eastern Afghanistan.</s>HARRIS: OK, some of the stories we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. What can the lame-duck Congress do between now and January to create jobs? Christine Romans takes a look at the options. And they say being president puts age on you, what about hair? The latest Chia pet gets presidential and we will show it to you in motion.
What Pakistan Thinks About U.S. Elections; Elections' Effect on the Troops