From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Will the next war be with Iran?

Hello again, I'm Orin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

the daily look of the issues. Americans care about most.

Iran is expanding its influence in Iraq, supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, and threatening Israel's right to exist.

This week, the president, the vice president, and the secretaries of state and defense have all warned Iran to back off.

At the same time, the U.S. is doubling its air and sea power in the Persian Gulf.

On to the point, what is the likelihood of a wider war in the Middle East? Would the president

need approval of Congress for strikes against Iran? If the U.S. fails to attack Iran's nuclear

installations, will Israel do the job? On reporter's notebook later on Fidel Castro's

health and Cuba's medical system. First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Point. As President Bush sends more troops to Iraq,

he's also doubling America's air and sea power in the Persian Gulf. On To the Point, is it

gunboat diplomacy against Iran. What are the chances of a wider war in the Middle East?

On reporter's notebook, Cuba's

health care system has been called the envy of the world, but it's reported that a doctor from

Spain has been called to treat Fidel Castro. We'll hear more about that. First, this news update,

there is national and international pressure on the Bush administration to take action on global warming.

The White House says the president will address the issue in next week's State of the Union message,

...