(New York Times) David E. Sanger - Libya is a sideshow. Containing Iran's power remains the Obama team's central goal in the Middle East. Every decision is being examined under the prism of how it will affect what was, until mid-January, the dominating calculus in the Obama administration's regional strategy: how to slow Iran's nuclear progress, and speed the arrival of opportunities for a successful uprising there. In recent weeks the White House has concluded that it has much less to lose than the Iranians do if Syrian President Assad is swept away. And, as some in Mr. Obama's war council have noted, if protesters succeed in Syria, Iran could be next.
2011-04-05 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive