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If you missed it last night, here’s President Obama’s address on Afghanistan at West Point.

You can also listen to the address.

Recommended: There’s a lot of talk about Afghanistan today, as you can imagine. We’ll check in with both Diane Rehm and On Point today; Jason Reitman on Fresh Air; The Political Junkie on TOTN.

Diane Rehm: Afghanistan. Hour 2: Nobel Prize winners: Women in Science.

On Point: President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan. Hour 2: Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.

Fresh Air: Director Jason Reitman. His films include, Thank You for Smoking, Juno, and his latest Up in the Air, starring George Clooney.

Talk of the Nation: Political Junkie. Hour 2: Pops: a life of Louis Armstrong.

Tell Me More: A closer look at President Obama’s new Afghanistan strategy.

To the Point: The escalating war in Afghanistan.

The Story: Dick talks with a woman who infiltrated racist hate groups.

President Obama will address the nation and outline both plans for a 6-month increase in troops fighting the war in Afghanistan, and his administration’s plans for beginning to withdraw troops from Afghanistan within three years, according to the BBC; people around the globe mark World Aids Day; and the DC Council votes to legalize gay marriage in the nation’s capital.  Here are some of the other top stories on the PM programs today:

All Things Considered: ATC leads with Don Gonyea previewing the President’s address to the nation tonight, then follows with a report from Corey Flintoff on the logistics of pulling military personnel, gear, and infrastructure out of Iraq. 

Marketplace: A new law in Massachusetts allows residents to sell excess power generated by solar panels or wind turbines back to the state.  Mitchell Hartman reports that other states may follow the Bay State’s lead.

The World: South Africa has the largest number of people infected with HIV.  South African president Jacob Zuma pledged that his government will do more to fight the spread of AIDS/HIV.  Jason Margolis reports.  Also, the BBC’s Karen Allen has a story on a group of HIV-infected South African soldiers  now being allowed to participate in international peacekeeping missions.

Listen live at 8pm ET/5pm PT

President Obama will address the nation tonight from the United States Military Academy at West Point, as he announces his decision on future American troop levels in Afghanistan.

NPR News will have live coverage beginning at 8pm ET. Michele Norris will host, and a number of NPR reporters will be on hand to analyze: White House correspondent Don Gonyea, NPR Pentagon reporter Tom Bowman, Capitol Hill correspondent David Welna, and National correspondent Mara Liasson.

We expect most NPR News stations will carry this address live, but you can also hear it live at npr.org or on the NPR iPhone app.

Over the weekend, Swiss voters approved a highly controversial ban on the building of minarets. The result is another sign of limits to religious tolerance as Europe welcomes millions of immigrants.

From WNET’s Worldfocus, here’s an interview with Dr. Peter Mandaville of George Mason University’s Center for Global Studies. He joins host Daljit Dhaliwal to discuss the Swiss referendum.

Watch the interview

The Newshour’s Ray Saurez spoke to Eric Schmitt of The New York Times yesterday about the logistics of the new troop deployment expected in Afghanistan, as well as how the Obama administration will determine whether the mission is successful. Also in this conversation, how Pakistan fits into the Afghan strategy. It opens with a short interview with Senator Bernie Sanders.

Watch the interview

This is a good moment to revisit an interesting conversation from NPR’s Talk of the Nation last month. Steve Coll, author of Ghost Wars, and Neil Sheehan, author of A Bright Shining Lie, talk about the parallels between the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Listen to the conversation

NPR’s Don Gonyea provides some perspective on the past 7 years of the war in Afghanistan, in a piece on Morning Edition today.

He pairs President Bush’s address to graduating cadets at West Point on June 1, 2002 with President Obama’s address there tonight, announcing an increase in troop deployment.

This is a good scene-setting piece – recommended.

Listen to the story

From The Newshour last night, here’s an interview with Global Post correspondent Ben Gilbert in Kandahar. He tells Judy Woodruff about what he’s hearing from US troops about the Obama plan to increase troop levels in Afghanistan.

Watch the interview

Listen live at 10am ET/7am PT

You should carve out some time in your schedule either this morning (while it’s live) or later to check out WNYC’s Brian Lehrer. Thomas Friedman headlines the show today, as he discusses Afghanistan, and other issues including climate change and health care.

We expect a smart exchange.

Listen live or on-demand.

Recommended: Both first hours of Diane Rehm and On Point will be on our list today.

Diane Rehm: Debt crisis in Dubai. Hour 2: President Barack Obama’s half sister on their mother’s life and legacy.

On Point: President Obama’s Afghanistan speech. Hour 2: Betting against American housing.

Fresh Air: Songwriter and singer, Vic Chesnutt talks about the car accident that changed his life and his music.

Talk of the Nation: World Aids Day. Hour 2: Prophecies, testaments and interpretations of the end of the world.

Tell Me More: An update on the global battle against AIDS.

To the Point: Dubai’s financial problems and the latest on President Obama’s escalation of the war in Afghanistan.

The Story: One woman’s fight to get mental health coverage for her young son.

President Obama has issued his orders on US strategy in Afghanistan to senior US military leaders, and shared them with cabinet members and some foreign leaders.  He is scheduled to address the nation tomorrow from West Point, where he is expected to share how many additional troops he will be sending to the war.  Here are some of the other top stories on the PM programs today:

All Things Considered: Daniel Zwerdling shares the story of one mother who is trying to care for her son, wounded while fighting overseas.  She represents a growing number of Americans trying to care for wounded family at home, according to Zwerdling.

Marketplace: High tech medical procedures like proton beam therapy can be as expensive as they are innovative.  A look at how hospitals try to balance technology and costs.

The World: A new Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a report today on a “missed opportunity” to capture or kill Osama bin Laden in 2001.   Marco Werman speaks with Douglas Frantz, the chief investigator for the committee staff.

Traditional Greek cuisine, we’re told, puts less emphasis on meat. It’s more about vegetables, grains and olive oil, and that’s one of the reasons it’s such a healthy way of eating.

But lifestyles are changing, and obesity rates in Greece are now among the highest in Europe.

Why? Worldfocus correspondent Lynn Sherr look at what’s happened and how some in Greece are trying to promote their healthy food heritage.

Watch the report

NPR Music has published its list of the 50 most important recordings of the decade, and we can’t decide which is more interesting – the list itself, or the nearly 200 comments from readers that follows it.

Actually, both are required reading and the robust conversation in the comments may provoke you to add one of your own.

Or you might be provoked by the official list, which includes Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, John Adams, The Bad Plus, Kanye West and The White Stripes… and probably doesn’t include a fair number of recordings that you would put on your top 50 list.

NPR Music has even followed up with another 8 recordings that arguably belong on the list but aren’t.

I put this list through the paces over the holiday, adding a few albums to my collection in the process. I bet you will, too.

We’re in kind of a music groove today, and here’s an interview and studio session with Elvis Costello. He stopped by WNYC’s Leonard Lopate last week to perform and to talk about his career, as well his Sundance Channel talk and music show Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… .

Listen to the interview

Listen live at 11am ET/8am PT

If you keep your musical tastes on the cutting edge, you’ll want to listen to this conversation. And maybe you’ll want to call with your own ideas.

MPR’s Midmorning looks ahead today to the music we’ll be listening to in 2010. Kerri Miller welcomes Mark Wheat, a host on MPR’s music service The Current, and All Things Considered music critic Tom Moon, author of 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die.

Listen live or on-demand.

photo: Fever Ray by Johan Renck

Recommended: Both hours of Diane Rehm look promising; Bianculli’s book on Fresh Air.

Diane Rehm: Copenhagen preview. Hour 2: Wendell Berry: a conversation.

On Point: The jobs crisis. Hour 2: Big-money college football.

Fresh Air: TV critic David Bianculli talks about his new book Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Talk of the Nation: Afghanistan. Hour 2: Charlie Murphy, Eddie Murphy’s older brother, talks about his journey to finding his own career in stand-up.

Tell Me More: Jana Mashonee on her latest album, New Moon Born.

To the Point: As the Senate takes up the health care reform bill, what’s in the legislation to make health insurance more affordable?

The Story: The World Paralympic Swim Championships are being held today in Rio. Dick Gordon speaks with one of the athletes.