What is President Obama doing in Iraq? America deserves to know what the Commander-in-Chief's intentions are in returning our soldiers to combat. Along with ObamaCare, concluding George W. Bush's military misadventure in Iraq is Obama's signature achievement. What gives now?
Obama has dispatched nearly 1,000 soldiers to Iraq. Mission creep? In much too clever White House spin, they've been called "advisors" and "assessors."
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Tuesday at Camp Pendleton: "This is not a boots-on-the-ground operation." The former politico did give himself wiggle room, adding: "We're not going back into Iraq in any of the same combat missions that we once were in."
Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Advisor, said Wednesday: "We don't believe that involves US troops re-entering a combat role in Iraq."
Obama, who sees the world as he wants it to be, should heed the immortal words of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who said: "Stuff happens."
Obama's advisors and assessors are not social workers, counselors, engineers, doctors, architects and NGO types. They are well-equipped US Marines and hard-core special forces operatives.
The Wall Street Journal reported today that the CIA has stepped up activities to arm the Kurds in their fight against the so-called Islamic State radical group, while the US military has vowed to increase fighter jet support.
US intelligence sources, meanwhile, say the Islamic State now poses a threat to the West and is resistant to traditional anti-counterterrorism measures. That sure does sound like a clarion call for "boots on the ground."
The President has a lot of explaining to do. Iraq is falling apart, while America appears to be on the verge on re-deploying there.
Bush got the invasion that he wanted and then stumbled over an exit strategy. Obama got the exit strategy right, but appears to be stumbling into another intervention.
Martha's Vineyard is undoubtedly a vacation paradise. But it's time for the President to address the nation from the Oval Office about what he is doing in Iraq because stuff happens, even if you don't want it to do.
Maggie Moran, who is well-connected in New Jersey and New York Democratic politics, has established Moxie Strategies in Asbury Park, NJ.
Husch Blackwell Strategies has added FleishmanHillard alum Michael Slatin as a principal in its public affairs group.
Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
TikTok is nothing more than a Chinese propaganda tool that poses “a grave threat to America’s national security and, in particular, impressionable children and young adults,” say two Congressmen who want the platform registered as a foreign agent.
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