Obama's restraint in the Middle East

President Obama sees trends like democratization and liberalization as long-term processes.I got the sense from Donilon that the Obama Administration is more realist than people are willing to acknowledge. While President Obama’s heart is with the Arab Spring, he is somebody who is very careful in his commitment of American power and very measured in the use of that power.Last week, I interviewed U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon on GPS. Much of our conversation focused on the Middle East.What struck me about U.S. policy toward Libya is that it is a carefully calculated, incremental policy. The U.S. has adopted a policy that is trying to achieve its results but is very conscious of the costs.There is a determination to put the screws on Moammar Gadhafi - to set out a goal that he eventually must leave - but to do so in a way that does not excessively commit America power or prestige. President Obama wants to ensure that we don’t end up owning Libya. It is a policy designed more to ensure against bad outcomes than to take big gambles in the hope of good outcomes.