Barack Obama returned to Washington on Monday after a brief family break in California to find himself confronted once again by the nightmare from which America thought it had escaped: Iraq.
Obama ran for the White House as a young leader who opposed the 2003 US invasion, and then won re-election as the steady hand who had finally withdrawn American troops eight years later. But now his generals have brought out the old map once again and the 44th president — like the 41st, 42nd and 43rd — is contemplating new military action against targets in Iraq.
Without putting large numbers of US boots on the ground, Barack Obama´s best option to counter a lightning offensive by extremist militants that has threatened the Baghdad government may be strikes from the air. But, whether he limits action to drone strikes, cruise missile salvoes or bombardment from carrier-based aircraft, he will be taking a step he wanted to avoid: expanding US action in the Middle East. -thenews
