Iraq: Obama’s Leadership Problem

Over the past two weeks, Americans have watched Iraq slowly come apart at the seams and slip into a civil war.

Last week, President Obama announced he would send up to 300 American military advisors to Iraq in response to Islamic militants threatening the government in Baghdad.

While President Obama has continued to say he will not put boots on the ground, many still fear, the U.S. military may be sucked back into another war with Iraq, only this time we’d be taking sides in a civil war. The dangers that lie for our country as whole are far more vast if we don’t get involved than if we do.

Unfortunately, the issue of Iraq and what to do has spiraled into a political football with members of Congress at odds on whether or not to get involved. At this point, the United States has a responsibility to help Iraq, but first Obama must show everyone he is capable of acting as a leader.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., Chairman, Intelligence Committee explains, “leadership is important. Absence of leadership and decisiveness is important in this. It’s too late to have long, political reconciliation meetings that will last weeks or months to try to get through even the finest points of difference.”

Currently, the United States is lacking a leader. President Obama’s approval ratings are upside down and he has yet to exhibit the ability to lead causing many Americans to have reservations on what should be done in Iraq. Only 37% of Americans approve of President Obama’s foreign policy, and 54% believe Obama is no longer able to lead our country.

As a result of these staggering numbers, Americans are less inclined to want to act as a global policeman. The question remains if we as a nation believe our commander in chief is no longer able to lead at home, how will he ever be able to take the reigns on the world’s stage and fix the ever-growing problem in Iraq.

It comes as no surprise, the emerging instability in Iraq has the potential to not only spill over into the region but to spread like wildfire across the globe. If there was ever a time our country needed a leader, it is now.

Here’s to hoping Obama is able to step up his game and remind the world why the U.S. is a superpower, and is not to be messed with.