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

In the Middle East, violence and diplomacy.

Hello again, I'm a Mormon-Aulny, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues. Americans care about most, with sectarian violence in Iraq reaching a new scale of brutality, there are multiple warnings

that the entire Middle East region may be coming apart.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney are engaged in a week of crisis diplomacy aimed

at saving Iraq's civilian government.

Both parties in Congress want pressure on the regime, with the goal of promoting withdrawal

of American troops.

On to the point, will America's allies try to influence Sunni insurgents?

Will the U.S. talk with Iran about controlling Shiite militias?

We'll ask a variety of experts, are there any good options left?

On reporter's notebook later on, radioactive poison in London. We'll ask a variety of experts, are there any good options left?

On reporter's notebook later on, radioactive poison in London.

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 Poet. President Bush at Vice President

Cheney are just two of the world leaders engaged in a week of crisis diplomacy in the Middle East.

On To the Point, will Iraq's sectarian violence disrupt the entire region? Can the U.S. get help

from its Middle Eastern allies?

What about Iran? On reporter's notebook, radioactive polonium 210 that killed a former Russian spy

...