US prepares for Iraq

On July 9, CNN spread the news that the U.S. is planning to attack the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, with drones. The American press has also created the impression in the last few days that Washington might conduct an airstrike soon. Within this context, I was in Washington last week to grasp what the Obama administration is planning with regard to Iraq and Syria.

The U.S. administration is feeling the heavy price of staying out of Iraq. Iran has already filled in the vacuum created by Washington, meaning that a Shiite state, which might be formed in southern Iraq, will be Iran’s satellite state. The very same vacuum also serves to the interests of ISIL, which just pertains to forming a Sunni state in central Iraq.

However, at the same time, the American public, administration and military want to stay out of the region. This is why Washington has formed its strategy as follows: intervening with Iraq by staying out of it.

The U.S. is planning a very limited airstrike, which means only targeting ISIL leaders and their dominated areas by drones. A senior official from the administration, with whom I spoke, confirmed this. According to him, the surveillance and reconnaissance drones that were sent to Iraq two weeks ago are collecting intelligence on the field. Drone attacks will start only when there is enough intelligence gathered.

Another one of my sources told me the drone attacks had already begun last week. Yet, I have not been able to get this verified by any other source. Hence, I would rather say it is just around the corner.

Intelligence is not the only reason why the U.S. is postponing the drone attacks. Washington has been heavily engaged with trying to...