Wood said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband joined Clinton in the weekend intervention, reflecting the two Western allies' worry that the crisis would negatively affect efforts against extremists in the Pakistani-Afghan border region.

VOA: standard.2009.03.16

"It would be very bad for the U.S. and even worse for our allies in the region, because that would affect the political culture of the region to show that resistance ideology has scored a victory and that moderation and compromise are not as successful as resistance ideology,"

VOA: standard.2010.03.18

But in all likelihood, the mammoth structure will scarcely affect the region's long-term economy in any way.

FORBES: Real Estate

How will resource wealth affect this region's future?

ECONOMIST: Central Asia

The Prime Minister and I agree that the outcome in Iraq will affect the entire region.

NPR: Maliki Assures Bush on Iraqi Force's Readiness