PRESIDENT OBAMA, FROM THE WHITE HOUSE: "Our objective is clear. We will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy."
The president elected to bring the nation out of conflict in Iraq, is putting the U.S. back into one. But despite the familiar rhetoric ...
GEORGE W. BUSH, ON CBS: "Every nation in this coalition has chosen to bear the duty."
PRESIDENT OBAMA, FROM THE WHITE HOUSE: "America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat."
... this conflict will likely look fundamentally different from the Iraq campaign a decade ago — mainly because Obama says this will not put American ground troops in harm's way. Instead it will consist purely of support for allies on the ground and of U.S. airstrikes.
In that way, the effort could look a lot like the anti-terror drone warfare America has quietly waged in Somalia and Yemen over the last few years.
And, so far, this campaign is far less controversial on the global stage than 2003's Iraq invasion.
Yes, even France is jumping on board this time, saying it supports a coalition air campaign if Iraq's new government does.
Obama's primetime televised address Wednesday also confirmed something that had been widely speculated — that the U.S. will forge a strange partnership with Iran.
It's one of America's biggest global enemies, but the election of a new leader and ISIS' threatening presence on Iran's doorstep have eased tensions and provided a common interest.
Although Congress never held a vote on military action against ISIS in Iraq, Congressional leaders from both major parties have expressed support for action against the militant group in the last week. And Wednesday the president did encourage a vote in Congress supporting his action — though purely as a symbolic gesture.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
