"WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama authorized U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq Thursday night, warning they would be launched if needed to defend Americans from advancing Islamic militants and protect civilians under siege. His announcement threatened a renewal of U.S. military involvement in the country's long sectarian war.

In a televised late-night statement from the White House, Obama said American military planes already had carried out airdrops of humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of Iraqi religious minorities surrounded by militants and desperately in need of food and water.

"Today America is coming to help," he declared.

The announcements reflected the deepest American engagement in Iraq since U.S. troops withdrew in late 2011 after nearly a decade of war. Obama, who made his remarks in a steady and somber tone, has staked much of his legacy as president on ending what he has called the "dumb war" in Iraq.

Obama said the humanitarian airdrops were made at the request of the Iraqi government. The food and water supplies were delivered to the tens of thousands of Yazidis trapped on a mountain without food and water. The Yazidis, who follow an ancient religion with ties to Zoroastrianism, fled their homes after the Islamic State group issued an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a religious fine, flee their homes or face death.

Mindful of the public's aversion to another lengthy war, Obama acknowledged that the prospect of a new round of U.S. military action would be a cause for concern among many Americans. He vowed anew not to put American combat troops back on the ground in Iraq and said there was no U.S. military solution to the crisis.

"As commander in chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq," Obama said."

http://charter.net/news/read/article/the...apped_iraqis-ap

How amusing. Barack Obama is getting us involved in Iraq again. Again it was his ineptitude which helped create the situation he now has to deal with because he failed to get a Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government when he withdrew our military. If a large contingent of American troops had been present ISIS might not have been quite so bold or quite so successful. Yet another gold star for outstanding achievement in foreign policy goes to Obama.

Did anyone besides myself watch his announcement of this policy today? He looked angry, refused to take any questions, and left the room quite quickly. It's hard to say what had him so upset. That somehow he was forced to get involved? That he's irritated he has to employ our military might to correct his mistakes? That he has to call on our military at all? Whatever the case, ask yourself this question: If one of our planes gets shot down, and the pilot is killed or captured, what will the boy President do?