This isn't the conventional notion banging around Washington that the best way to weaken the mullahs is to push al-Assad out butthe president's sense that whenthemoment of decision comes on Iran, he'll need Russian and Chinese support and as much flexibility as possible if he needs to launch military strikes.
"I am sure that whenthemomentcomes all the players will say they are fine but we are the ones who have to evaluate and decide the risk that should be taken, " he said at a Spanish soccer federation event in Madrid.