Afghanistan, Iran tops on shows

Foreign policy is set to steal some of the spotlight from healthcare again this weekend as the Sunday shows debate the war in Afghanistan and increasingly problematic standoff with Iran.

National Security Advisor Jim Jones will appear on both CBS's "Face the Nation" and CNN's "State of the Union" to discuss the U.S. approach to the two countries. Jones will likely face -- and dodge -- questions about a decision to send more troops to Afghanistan.

Following Jones on CBS will be a trio of foreign policy opinion-makers: former Centcom commander Anthony Zinni, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

Congressional Democrats have expressed skepticism about sending more troops to Afghanistan, so watch out for any shift in rhetoric by Levin or Skelton.

Meanwhile, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice will speak to NBC's "Meet the Press" about the diplomatic efforts to quell Iran's nuclear program. Iran recently acknowledged a secret nuclear facility in Qom and pledged to allow U.N. inspectors inside.

Healthcare and the economy will not totally recede from the headlines, however. "Fox News Sunday," for example, will host a roundtable of influential Senators -- Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) -- to discuss the prospects of healthcare reform.

On ABC's "This Week," George Stephanopoulos will talk to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan about the state of the economy, and will query Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) about healthcare. Schumer has been one of the strongest proponents of the public option. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, he unsuccessfully tried to attach a public plan to Max Baucus's healthcare bill this week.