Barack Obama: Difference between revisions

{{Main|Iraq War|American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)}}

In June 2014, following the [[Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014)#Fall of Mosul and push into Kirkuk|capture of Mosul]] by [[Islamic State|ISIL]], Obama sent 275 troops to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. ISIS continued to gain ground and to commit [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant#Human rights abuse and war crime findings|widespread massacres and ethnic cleansing]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-is-sending-275-us-troops-to-iraq-2014-6 |title = Obama Is Sending 275 US Troops To Iraq |work = Business Insider |access-date = June 19, 2014 |first=Hunter |last=Walker |date=June 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-rights-idUSKBN0H30KB20140908 |title = New U.N. rights boss warns of 'house of blood' in Iraq, Syria |access-date = July 11, 2015 |last = Nebehay |first = Stephanie |work = Reuters |date = September 8, 2014 }}</ref> In August 2014, during the [[Sinjar massacre]], Obama ordered a [[American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)#Airstrikes|campaign of U.S. airstrikes against ISIL]].<ref name="def31-10-14">{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123542 |title = DoD Authorizes War on Terror Award for Inherent Resolve Ops |date = October 31, 2014 |publisher = Defense.gov |access-date = November 22, 2014 }}</ref> By the end of 2014, 3,100 American ground troops were committed to the conflict<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30388718 |title = Islamic State: Coalition 'pledges more troops' for Iraq |publisher = BBC News |access-date = August 23, 2015 |date = December 8, 2014 }}</ref> and 16,000 sorties were flown over the battlefield, primarily by U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/01/19/a10-strikes-isis-11-percent/21875911/ |title = A-10 Performing 11 Percent of Anti-ISIS Sorties |last = Mehta |first = Aaron |date = January 19, 2015 |work = [[Defense News]] |access-date = August 23, 2015 }}</ref> In early 2015, with the addition of the "Panther Brigade" of the [[82nd Airborne Division]] the number of U.S. ground troops in Iraq increased to 4,400,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stripes.com/news/us/1-000-soldiers-from-the-82nd-airborne-headed-to-iraq-1.320194 |title = 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne headed to Iraq |work=[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]] |access-date = August 23, 2015 |date=December 19, 2014 |first=Jon |last=Harper }}</ref> and by July American-led coalition air forces counted 44,000 sorties over the battlefield.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/21/stealthy-jet-ensures-other-war-fighting-aircraft-survive |title=Stealthy Jet Ensures Other War-Fighting Aircraft Survive |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=August 23, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813053355/http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/21/stealthy-jet-ensures-other-war-fighting-aircraft-survive |archive-date=August 13, 2015 |first=Lolita C. |last=Baldor |date=July 21, 2015 }}</ref>

In 2013, [[Jeffrey Goldberg]] reported that, in Obama's view, "with each new settlement announcement, Netanyahu is moving his country down a path toward near-total isolation."<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news |last = Goldberg |first = Jeffrey |title = Obama: 'Israel Doesn't Know What Its Best Interests Are' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-14/what-obama-thinks-israelis-don-t-understand-.html |access-date = January 23, 2013 |work = Bloomberg |date = January 14, 2013 }}</ref> In 2014, Obama likened the [[Zionist movement]] to the [[civil rights movement]] in the United States. He said both movements seek to bring justice and equal rights to historically persecuted peoples, explaining: "To me, being pro-Israel and pro-Jewish is part and parcel with the values that I've been fighting for since I was politically conscious and started getting involved in politics."<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Jeffrey |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/obama-netanyahu-and-the-future-of-israel/405082/ |title=After the Iran Deal: Obama, Netanyahu, and the Future of the Jewish State |work=The Atlantic |date=September 13, 2015 |access-date=September 13, 2015 }}</ref> Obama expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself during the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict]].<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself |first=Herb|last=Keinon|url=http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Netanyahu-speaks-with-UN-chief-over-phone-363479 |date = July 19, 2014 | work= [[The Times of Israel]] }}</ref> In 2015, Obama was harshly criticized by Israel for advocating and signing the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|Iran Nuclear Deal]]; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had advocated the U.S. congress to oppose it, said the deal was "dangerous" and "bad."<ref>{{Cite news | title=Netanyahu: Iran nuclear deal makes world much more dangerous, Israel not bound by it | newspaper=[[Haaretz]] | date=July 14, 2015 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.665821 | access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref>

====Libya====