RSS / eregi_replace()

Greetings, I'm using an RSS feed from the New York Times and right now the a href link takes the user to the same window. I'd like the link to open in it's own window by using the target .html attribute. I was hoping that I could use the eregi_replace() call by inserting: <a href="http://\\0">target="_blank">\\0</a> where it matches any character between the <link></link> string in the URL. However it is not working for me. Viewing the xhtml of thr NY Times feed below, there are many areas of <links></links> so I'm not sure whether this is the correct way to go. Any leads or assistance will be greatly appreciated. TR .................. <? $string="<link>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/03/national/03tape.html? ex=1249272000&en=484f82ff258ab8c7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt</link>"; // the string URL $pattern = "^(<link>.+</link>)$"; //match any character between the <link> and <link> $replace_pattern= '<a href="http://\\0">target="_blank">\\0</a>'; $new_string=eregi_replace($pattern,$replace_pattern,$string); echo $new_string; ?> ................ // snippet of NYTimes RSS feed <link>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/03/politics/03intel.html?ex=1249272000& en=e061516bea792668&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt</link> <description>Much of the information that led to the new terror alert was three or four years old, but even the dated evidence was troubling.</description> <author>By DOUGLAS JEHL and DAVID JOHNSTON</author> <pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate> </item> - <item> <title>Tape of Kennedy's Killing Is Getting Digital Analysis</title> <link>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/03/national/03tape.html?ex=1249272000&e n=484f82ff258ab8c7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt</link>