No easy options in Mid-East crisis

BBC NEWS | Middle East | No easy options in Mid-East crisis: "The risk of course is that the conflict will spread.

Israel is already laying down a barrage of blame on Syria and Iran, both backers of Hezbollah.

But will that become a barrage of fire as well, especially aimed at Syria? Iran is too far away.

Israel could undertake some kind of warning or punishment strike just to remind Syria which is the strongest power in the region - it has done that before - but it depends on how far it wants to take this.

In the meantime, diplomacy is bogged down.

The United States is reluctant to act and has lost influence in the Arab world over Iraq. It is giving Israel some time to accomplish some at least of its goals. There is no Henry Kissinger on the horizon."

(Via The Boston Globe.)