How Syria policy stalled under the 'analyst in chief'

U.S. President Barack Obama answers a question from the press after meeting with his team coordinating the government's Ebola response in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, October 16, 2014. REUTERS/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - (This version of the story clarifies size of National Security Council staff in paragraph 12 for the record, after story originally published Oct. 9 was updated Oct 28 and refiled Dec 19, following White House update of data.)

Throughout 2012, as signs mounted that militants in Syria were growing stronger, the debate in the White House followed a pattern. In meeting after meeting, as officials from agencies outside the executive residence advocated arming pro-Western rebels or other forms of action, President Barack Obama’s closest White House aides bluntly delivered the president’s verdict: no.