Syria is another mess.

But things in Syria aren't black and white. There is the Alouite (sp?) clan in Syria that genuinely support Bashir Allasad, and so it's not a black and white case of getting rid of a universally hated dictator so that the people can enjoy a better and truly democratic government. It's a case of picking sides between Syrians that want to see Bashir go and Syrians that want to see him stay.

As far as the Canadian oil goes, I think it's just a matter of time before the XL pipeline is built. America needs oil so badly that it was willing to put up with Hugo Chavez to get it, and Canada has enough to supply our own needs for another 400 years, so we're swimming in it. Obama can see for himself that both countries will benefit from building that pipeline, but he's playing his cards close to his chest because he knows it's a big deal, and he wants the best deal he can hammer out for the US. Our government is going to want the best deal it can hammer out for Canada. But, the pipeline is going to help both economies grow and so it's a good idea regardless of what side of the border you're looking at it from. So, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when we build that pipeline.