It's exactly what Russia and China hoped to avoid with their veto at the UN last weekend; the western powers flexing their military muscles again in the Middle East. At the moment, diplomacy appears to be the preferred course. But the Obama administration is apparently seriously looking over its options in the event that the military is employed in some capacity to stop the slaughter in Syria. Telegraph: The official from the State Department told The Daily Telegraph that while the White House wants to exhaust all its diplomatic options, the debate in Washington has shifted away from diplomacy and towards more robust action since Russia and China blocked a United Nations resolution condemning Syria. The Pentagon's Central Command has begun a preliminary internal review of US military capabilities in the region, which one senior official called a "scoping exercise" that would provide options for the president if and when they were requested. The White House said it was talking to...(Read Full Post)