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

The crisis in Syria and possible U.S. involvement.

Hello again, I'm Armin Al-Nay, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

The daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

NATO today joined the U.S. in warning Syria that the use of chemical weapons against its people would be completely unacceptable.

Both warn of consequences, and Washington is reportedly making contingency plans, but there's no indication of what that might mean.

One Russian policymaker says President al-Assad now believes he is in a trap

without hope of either victory or escape.

We'll update signs of a new military offensive and debate the pros and cons of increased U.S. intervention.

On reporters' notebook later on, revisiting a brutal crime and a miscarriage of justice.

First, here's the news.

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Program Fund. Hello again, Mormon Al-Ni back with To the Point. As Syria's al-Assad regime

looks increasingly desperate, the U.S. and NATO are threatening consequences

if it resorts to chemical weapons. Meantime, the shadow of Libya hovers over a possible increase

in U.S. involvement. As the crisis deepens, we'll look at America's options. On reporter's

notebook, Ken Burns talks about his latest documentary film, The Central Park Five, which looks for lessons from one of New York's most sensational crimes and most disturbing official mistakes.

First is news update. A bipartisan group of governors visited the White House today as the president looks for leverage in avoiding the fiscal cliff.

He's been exchanging offers with House Speaker Boehner, but can Boehner keep Tea Party

...