Obama Authorizes ‘Targeted Airstrikes’

Posted by | August 7, 2014 21:59 | Filed under: Politics Top Stories War & Peace


President Obama says the United States will conduct airstrikes in Iraq “if necessary,” escalating our involvement in a civil war.

The president also announced that the U.S. launched air drops of food and water on a mountain in northern Iraq on Thursday where a religious minority group remains trapped by Islamic militants.

“At the direction of the Commander in Chief, the U.S. military conducted a humanitarian assistance operation in Northern Iraq to air drop critical meals and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by ISIL near Sinjar,” a senior Defense Department official said. “The mission was conducted by a number of U.S. military aircraft under the direction of U.S. Central Command. The aircraft that dropped the humanitarian supplies have now safely exited the immediate airspace over the drop area,” the official said Thursday night.

The potential airstrikes would be to help break the siege by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has targeted religious minorities including Christians and the Yazidi, a religious group with ties to Zoroastrianism. An estimated 15,000 of them are caught on a mountaintop near Sinjar with no food or water, but afraid to descend into ISIS-held territory where they might be killed.

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41 responses to Obama Authorizes ‘Targeted Airstrikes’

  1. Anomaly 100 August 7th, 2014 at 22:19

    I hope those people on the mountaintop are helped by this. I can’t even imagine what they’re going through.

  2. Anomaly 100 August 7th, 2014 at 22:19

    I hope those people on the mountaintop are helped by this. I can’t even imagine what they’re going through.

  3. Spirit of America August 7th, 2014 at 23:47

    The aid is an extremely short term ‘solution’, more of a ‘buy us time to find a solution’ action. The biggest problem is that for them to be safe, they need to get off the mountain and out of harms way… that many thousands of people on mostly foot can’t be safely escorted hundreds of miles with aircraft support only.
    Best wishes for them.

    • Eric Trommater August 8th, 2014 at 00:30

      It has to be short term because otherwise we will just be providing air cover for Iran. This is not a cut and dried situation by any stretch of the imagination.

      • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 09:28

        “This is not a cut and dried situation by any stretch of the imagination”
        LOL LOL etc… your ability to understate will become legendary(meant as a compliment, not a slam, by the way)!
        I whole heartedly agree w/you about this not being a cut and dry situation. Not only are the warring factions so intertwined that allegiances are dictated via what territory is being discussed, but even how arms are flowing from one side to the other via such limited geographical considerations. And it’s impact of just this particular scenario and area are having a profound effect else where, such as this is actually putting pressure on Putin with his Ukraine time table because the Azerbaijan/Armenia problem is flaring up do to the IS in the Iraq region.So Putin, who is giving arms to the Syrian regime is actually helping IS due to the capture and out-right swapping of weapons now has to consider his southern border doesn’t go extremist on him before wrapping up the Ukraine drain on his units…. and on and on and on…

  4. Spirit of America August 7th, 2014 at 23:47

    The aid is an extremely short term ‘solution’, more of a ‘buy us time to find a solution’ action. The biggest problem is that for them to be safe, they need to get off the mountain and out of harms way… that many thousands of people on mostly foot can’t be safely escorted hundreds of miles with aircraft support only.
    Best wishes for them.

    • Eric Trommater August 8th, 2014 at 00:30

      It has to be short term because otherwise we will just be providing air cover for Iran. This is not a cut and dried situation by any stretch of the imagination.

      • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 09:28

        “This is not a cut and dried situation by any stretch of the imagination”
        LOL LOL etc… your ability to understate will become legendary(meant as a compliment, not a slam, by the way)!
        I whole heartedly agree w/you about this not being a cut and dry situation. Not only are the warring factions so intertwined that allegiances are dictated via what territory is being discussed, but even how arms are flowing from one side to the other via such limited geographical considerations. And it’s impact of just this particular scenario and area are having a profound effect else where, such as this is actually putting pressure on Putin with his Ukraine time table because the Azerbaijan/Armenia problem is flaring up do to the IS in the Iraq region.So Putin, who is giving arms to the Syrian regime is actually helping IS due to the capture and out-right swapping of weapons now has to consider his southern border doesn’t go extremist on him before wrapping up the Ukraine drain on his units…. and on and on and on…

  5. Foundryman August 8th, 2014 at 00:07

    I’d like to know who is arming ISIS? Where are they getting the weapons from, they just don’t wake up to find a box on the porch. That’s who needs to be targeted. It’s just a little funny that Russia gets involved with Ukraine, Israel and Gaza flares up, Iraq is practically overthrown, a civilian plane gets shot down, we hear nothing about Syria in weeks and now Americans are targeted and killed in Afghanistan, all at the same time. All this just before an American election. Who the hell is arming these people?

    • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 00:11

      Various sources actually… some are given to them by factions in Syria fighting the regime(many countries, russia, turkey, US, EU are supplying various arms to ‘vetted’ groups) while many of their hvy equip procurements are from capturing caches.

    • Eric Trommater August 8th, 2014 at 00:21

      Mostly they just steal. It’s a sad result of the ecconomic shock thearpy that we exported their between 2003 and 2008 that it has become the wild west. They have looted more than $100,000 million in currency and arms in the last three months. This is a high end criminal organization being run by terrorists and they actually are quite self sustaining which makes them even more of a threat because they also aren’t beholden to any group we can negociate with.

    • fahvel August 8th, 2014 at 02:40

      probably from the worlds largest arms producer and supplier.

    • granpa.usthai August 8th, 2014 at 02:43

      China?

    • Pilotshark August 8th, 2014 at 11:00

      Saudi Arabia

  6. Foundryman August 8th, 2014 at 00:07

    I’d like to know who is arming ISIS? Where are they getting the weapons from, they just don’t wake up to find a box on the porch. That’s who needs to be targeted. It’s just a little funny that Russia gets involved with Ukraine, Israel and Gaza flares up, Iraq is practically overthrown, a civilian plane gets shot down, we hear nothing about Syria in weeks and now Americans are targeted and killed in Afghanistan, all at the same time. All this just before an American election. Who the hell is arming these people?

    • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 00:11

      Various sources actually… some are given to them by factions in Syria fighting the regime(many countries, russia, turkey, US, EU are supplying various arms to ‘vetted’ groups) while many of their hvy equip procurements are from capturing caches.

    • Eric Trommater August 8th, 2014 at 00:21

      Mostly they just steal. It’s a sad result of the ecconomic shock thearpy that we exported their between 2003 and 2008 that it has become the wild west. They have looted more than $100,000 million in currency and arms in the last three months. This is a high end criminal organization being run by terrorists and they actually are quite self sustaining which makes them even more of a threat because they also aren’t beholden to any group we can negociate with.

    • fahvel August 8th, 2014 at 02:40

      probably from the worlds largest arms producer and supplier.

    • granpa.usthai August 8th, 2014 at 02:43

      China?

    • Pilotshark August 8th, 2014 at 11:00

      Saudi Arabia

  7. William August 8th, 2014 at 08:10

    I’m not sure how credible this article is, but it claims they have so many US made weapons they are exporting some.

    http://news.antiwar.com/2014/06/17/isis-secures-us-made-weapons-ships-tanks-to-syria-front/

    • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 10:02

      Didn’t follow the link, so I don’t know about the said article, but yes, IS has a very large arsenal of US equipment due to capturing Iraqi bases during their first push into Iraqi. And I’m talking from armed/armored Humvees to A1 tanks.

      • Foundryman August 8th, 2014 at 11:27

        Well, if that’s true, then we have to ask why we withdrew from the country, leaving behind such a large cache of weapons, either unprotected or protected by Iraqis who would simply walk away making it a cakewalk to capture from them if attacked. I agree this falls on Bush /Cheney, but current US administration and military commanders have their share of blame also.

    • mea_mark August 8th, 2014 at 10:37

      Sounds about right, anyways.

    • Abby Normal August 8th, 2014 at 11:03

      It’s true. ISIS glommed onto tons of American weapons and vast amounts of cash that had been intended for the Iraqi government. The wonderful legacy of Bush and his puppetmaster Cheney lives on. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

      • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 23:33

        A lot of fault goes to current admin as well though… it was the How we withdrew that brought us to this point… the no SOFA and leaving as early as we did hurt. And the Admin admits that they employed their own decisions since even VP Biden said that “Iraq will be known as one of this administration’s greatest accomplishments.”. Another aspect is the waiting till it got to this point, knowing since Jan that IS was going to push into Iraq from Syria as just a single point involved.
        Nahhh, there’s enough ‘blame’ to go around, and I guess for history’s sake it’ an important discussion to have(so as to learn from good and bad decisions) as long as it’s full and fair/accurate(meaning blame when appropriate and give kudos where appropriate), but what’s more important, to me, is what decisions are GOING to be made now that the situation is the reality that must be dealt with.

  8. William August 8th, 2014 at 08:10

    I’m not sure how credible this article is, but it claims they have so many US made weapons they are exporting some.

    http://news.antiwar.com/2014/06/17/isis-secures-us-made-weapons-ships-tanks-to-syria-front/

    • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 10:02

      Didn’t follow the link, so I don’t know about the said article, but yes, IS has a very large arsenal of US equipment due to capturing Iraqi bases during their first push into Iraqi. And I’m talking from armed/armored Humvees to A1 tanks.

      • Foundryman August 8th, 2014 at 11:27

        Well, if that’s true, then we have to ask why we withdrew from the country, leaving behind such a large cache of weapons, either unprotected or protected by Iraqis who would simply walk away making it a cakewalk to capture from them if attacked. I agree this falls on Bush /Cheney, but current US administration and military commanders have their share of blame also.

    • mea_mark August 8th, 2014 at 10:37

      Sounds about right, anyways.

    • Abby Normal August 8th, 2014 at 11:03

      It’s true. ISIS glommed onto tons of American weapons and vast amounts of cash that had been intended for the Iraqi government. The wonderful legacy of Bush and his puppetmaster Cheney lives on. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

      • Spirit of America August 8th, 2014 at 23:33

        A lot of fault goes to current admin as well though… it was the How we withdrew that brought us to this point… the no SOFA and leaving as early as we did hurt. And the Admin admits that they employed their own decisions since even VP Biden said that “Iraq will be known as one of this administration’s greatest accomplishments.”. Another aspect is the waiting till it got to this point, knowing since Jan that IS was going to push into Iraq from Syria as just a single point involved.
        Nahhh, there’s enough ‘blame’ to go around, and I guess for history’s sake it’ an important discussion to have(so as to learn from good and bad decisions) as long as it’s full and fair/accurate(meaning blame when appropriate and give kudos where appropriate), but what’s more important, to me, is what decisions are GOING to be made now that the situation is the reality that must be dealt with.

  9. John Tarter August 8th, 2014 at 09:38

    Air strikes if necessary? This man is incapable of making a decision! ISIS is in control of over half of Iraq, they have major cities in their possession, and are killing Christians and other Muslms and Obama has to state “if necessary”?

  10. John Tarter August 8th, 2014 at 09:38

    Air strikes if necessary? This man is incapable of making a decision! ISIS is in control of over half of Iraq, they have major cities in their possession, and are killing Christians and other Muslms and Obama has to state “if necessary”?

    • arc99 August 8th, 2014 at 10:28

      and you are incapable of anything other than irrational bullsh*t.

      the decisions have been made and a strategy has been defined as to what actions will be taken under what circumstances.

      so take our ignorant low-information hostility and shove it.

    • William August 8th, 2014 at 10:49

      Hey Skippy, guess what?

      It’s August 8th 2014, and Barack Hussein Obama is still the duly and legally elected President and commander in chief of the United States Armed forces.

      …and you are not.
      Have a nice day

      http://news.yahoo.com/airstrikes-undertaken-us-engages-iraq-132111436–politics.html

    • Abby Normal August 8th, 2014 at 11:00

      George W. Bush and his puppet master Dick Cheney made a decision – to invade Iraq. It was Bush and Cheney who set all this ISIS stuff in motion. None of this crap would be taking place if not for Bush and Cheney.

      Do us all a favor. Go sit in your closet and shout “BENGHAZI” the rest of the day.

  11. Obewon August 9th, 2014 at 01:59

    Airdrops to Iraq’s isolated Christian refugees. Any victims of FNC The Five’s Errant Bolling never heard a word of these facts: US carries out air drops to help Iraqis trapped on a mountain top by Isis. Barack Obama announces relief measure and possible air strikes on Isis as Iraq’s largest Christian city empties. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/us-aid-iraqi-trapped-mountain-isis

  12. Obewon August 9th, 2014 at 01:59

    Airdrops of food and supplies to Iraq’s isolated Kurdish and Christian refugees are an important U.S. component announced and now underway with successful delivery in the past 48 hours. Any victims of FNC The Five’s Errant Bolling never heard a word of these successes: US carries out air drops to help Iraqis trapped on a mountain top by Isis. Barack Obama announces relief measure and possible air strikes on Isis as Iraq’s largest Christian city empties. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/us-aid-iraqi-trapped-mountain-isis Iraqi PM Al Maliki’s non secular divisiveness blew up his country.

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