Two weeks ago today, General David Petraeus was testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee when he suddenly fainted at the witness table.  Little did he realize that he would return as the President's choice to be the new commander of that war.

Petraeus certainly has strong support in both parties, both on this committee and in the full Senate, which seems likely to quickly confirm the General to his new job as Afghan Commander.

But the General is certain to be asked today about how his stewardship of that war might collide with a White House goal of withdrawing U.S. forces beginning in the middle of next year.

"U.S and U.K. forces have made progress," the General said earlier this month, "though, predictably, the enemy has fought back."

Next up for the successor to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who let a Rolling Stone article crush his military career, is a major push in the Kandahar area.

"The focus is now shifting to Kandahar Province, where the effort features an integrated civil-military approach," the General recently said.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) made clear on Monday that he will press Petraeus on plans to get the Afghan army more involved in the fight, another Iraq-type parallel.

"The efforts to increase the size and capability of the Afghan National Army and police are now on track," Petraeus said earlier this month.

For Petraeus, there has to be a little sense of deja vu here.  For the second time, he is being asked by a President to step in and rescue a military mission.

The first time, it was President George W. Bush and the surge in Iraq.

Now it is President Barack Obama and the surge in Afghanistan.

The General said earlier this month that they are different wars, and that is true.

But lamwakers are counting on him to produce the same outcome.