CRISIS

U.S. Mulls Intervention in Syria

To remove Assad from power.

The White House is considering intervening more in Syria to help remove President Bashar al-Assad from power, government officials told The New York Times on Thursday. Already likely to come next week is a decision over whether NATO should deploy surface-to-air missiles to Turkey, although a State Department spokeswoman said the Patriot missile system should not be used beyond the Turkish border. While the White House has been mulling action for months, the administration had been hesitant to act before the election—and recent victories by rebel forces have caused them to reconsider. But the situation is seen as far more complex than Libya, and some officials worry the risks—both in American lives and the possibility of creating a broader conflict—could be too great.