Barack Obama returned to Washington yesterday 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 had been elected and reelected again while pursuing a course that led to disengagement from Iraq
But now 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, 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.
