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

Mixed messages on the war in Iraq.

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

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The United States finally sat down with Iran and Syria over the weekend, a departure from past

policy that appears to have changed almost nothing.

Was it the first step in a long process or a dead end?

What did other nations from around the region have to contribute?

The Pentagon reportedly is looking at a backup plan for withdrawal in case the President's

current buildup doesn't work, but the President has asked for 4,800 more troops.

On To the Point, we'll try to sort all that out.

On reporter's notebook later on, why is Halliburton, the largest American contractor in Iraq,

moving its headquarters from Houston to

Dubai. 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. McArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Point. President Bush has asked Congress for still more

troops to increase the build-up in Iraq. At the same time, there's a report that the Pentagon is

planning a gradual withdrawal in case the troop increase doesn't work. On To the Point, we'll hear

about divisions in the Pentagon.

We'll also get diplomatic reaction to the weekend meeting that included both the U.S. and Iran.

On reporter's notebook, Halliburton, the largest U.S. contractor in Iraq is moving its headquarters from Houston to Dubai. We'll hear about accusations of corporate greed. First, this news update,

...