Upheaval in Syria.............by Dan Friedman

Events in Syria are moving at an increasingly rapid pace, perhaps reaching critical mass. But you have to wonder whether Obama & Co. has been caught flat-footed. If there is a country in the Arab world where trying to shape events is a vital American interest, it’s Syria. For starters, the brutal regime is the linchpin to Iran’s growing influence in the region and a key transit point for weapons and insurgents heading to Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Successfully nurturing a friendly opposition in Syria could change the dynamics of the region and cut off at least three of Iran’s tentacles. And that would really advance the cause of peace. Yet, in the one place where an active American role seems more than justified, Obama is acting like a deer caught in the headlights. Odd, isn’t it? df

Syria forces besiege town after defections: residents