Here are some facts that should be considered by those who criticize the Barack Obama administration for "leading from behind" in the troubled Middle East.

A steady buildup in the number of U.S. ships and aircraft available for possible new military action in the Middle East has been under way for months, and the Pentagon has done little to hide it from the leaders of Iran and Syria.

While American officials say the U.S.-generated land-air-sea military exercise Eager Lion 2012, held in Jordan in May, was an annual event not related to developments in Damascus or Tehran, CNN was allowed to show parts of the action. Moreover, the U.S. and Jordanian generals running the program held a May 15 news conference that publicized the start of the main parts of the expanded exercise, involving 11,000 troops from 19 countries.