Just as the White House claims it has finally turned the corner in what it defines as the "central front" in the "war on terror" - Iraq - it has found itself desperately trying to contain new crises on the war's periphery stretching east to Pakistan, west to Turkey and south to the Horn of Africa.

growing impression that Washington has ever more become hostage to forces and personalities far beyond its control or understanding.

perceived enemies, be they Sunni jihadis or the allegedly Tehran-led "axis" of Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas.

ack of concrete progress on the Israel-Palestinian peace process,

political impasse in Lebanon, and still-mounting tensions between Iran and the US.

war between Somalia and Ethiopia

Afghanistan

Islamist uprising in Saudi Arabia,

a major Turkish incursion,

200,000 US troops fighting on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan

Pakistan