Obama Authorizes Limited Airstrikes in Iraq

New York Times ^ | 07 August 2014 | Helen Cooper, Mark Landler, Alissa J. Rubinaug

[Lorianne]

President Obama said Thursday that United States military aircraft had dropped food and water to thousands of Iraqis besieged by Islamic militants on a mountaintop in northern Iraq.

Speaking from the State Dining Room at the White House, the president said he had directed the United States military forces to conduct targeted airstrikes on the militants if they moved to take Erbil, threatening the American citizens and military personnel there.

[Mr. K]

once again he voted “present”

He said he would strike “if necessary”

They are laughing at him

[CMailBag]

I predict that we will be ‘at war’ before the election.

[Paladin2]

A-10s should be shootin’ up the supply lines.

[angry elephant]

Did he get a vote from Congress, as Bush did?

[ThunderSleeps]

Well, that was timely. ... Not! That kind of timberline might have worked in WW I, maybe II. But now? Too little, far too late. I’m sure that is bammy’s intention.

[GeronL]

Talk about a few days late and a few dollars short

[MaxMax]

Nope. Obama ordered the withdrawal and now is going to kill Women and Children.

Waiting for Democrat/liberal outrage over the Warmonger Obama, killing for oil.

[353FMG]

After having supplied food and water to the defenseless people on that mountain (very laudable) what will happen to them after our planes leave and they are defenseless again?

Will it merely be a stay of execution?

[TBP]

Recognize, arm, and supply Kurdistan.

[ArmstedFragg]

Yeah, the word “limited” hardly covers it.

[eak3]

Isn’t Isis the same wackos that we armed and funded when they were trying to take down the Assad regime? Now were going to bomb them, this govt of ours is nucking futz.

[Shadow44]

Kurdish media apparently reported air missions had already happened in mid afternoon, and the Pentagon immediately issued a statement denying it.

Seems like the military didn’t want to announce anything until after it was over with.

[familyop]

Stupid boob of a move. It will motivate the ISIS mob to join Iran’s Shiites.

[taterjay]

Hasn’t ISIL taken weapons, major weapons away from other fighters and Iraq. I am sure they will be glad to get food and water too. Obama is not going to help the situation.

[upchuck]

From the end of the article:

The cargo planes assigned to dropping food and water over the mountainside were one C-17 and two C-130 aircraft. They were escorted by a pair of F-18 jet-fighters, the administration official said. The cargo aircraft were over the drop zone for about 15 minutes, and flew at a relatively low altitude, the official said.

Perfect MANPADS bait.

[Bogey78O]

Really.

You cut them up while they’re advancing. Not after they’ve purged an area of opposition.

He has to be doing this just for the optics of looking tough.

[mass55th]

How many aspirin factories will he bomb?

[pfflier]

Hey!! How ‘bout that Nobel peace prize???