I’m at the U.S. Institute of Peace, waiting for a program to begin that features President Karzai and Secretary Clinton. I’ve cleared two levels of security and made it to my seat. I have a fully charged laptop and I’m ready to do work. I think I have something like 70 minutes before anything — anything at all of newsmerit — happens.

So here’s the question. I am surrounded by my colleagues — I’m happy to say this includes my and other notable people. (Alex Thier! Dave Kilcullen! Larry Korb!) I have a bag filled with comic books, including the initial installments of the summer’s big X-crossover “Second Coming” and the first installment of the long-awaited Viltrumite War storyline in Invincible. Do I start reading? My laptop is already covered in unprofessional stickers (Dethklok, Submission Hold, Titus Andronicus, Mixtapekings.com) so I might as well, right?

Meanwhile, here’s some stuff that Gen. McChrystal said during a Pentagon press conference right before I got here.

Update: Foreign Policy‘s Josh Rogin encourages the comic reading, declines my offer to share, citing professional obligations. Psssssh “work,” what’s that.