Barack Obama

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

On February 27, 2009, Obama announced that combat operations in Iraq would end within 18 months.<ref>{{cite news |agency = [[Associated Press]] |first = Ben |last = Feller |url = http://gazette.com/obama-sets-firm-withdrawal-timetable-for-iraq/article/49026 |title = Obama sets firm withdrawal timetable for Iraq |work = [[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]] |date = February 27, 2009 |access-date = March 3, 2009 |archive-date = February 7, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170207113330/http://gazette.com/obama-sets-firm-withdrawal-timetable-for-iraq/article/49026 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The Obama administration scheduled the withdrawal of combat troops to be completed by August 2010, decreasing troop's levels from 142,000 while leaving a transitional force of about 50,000 in Iraq until the end of 2011. On August 19, 2010, the last U.S. combat brigade exited Iraq. Remaining troops transitioned from combat operations to [[counter-terrorism]] and the training, equipping, and advising of Iraqi security forces.<ref>{{cite news |last = Jones |first = Athena |date = February 27, 2009 |url = http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2009/02/27/4428005-obama-announces-iraq-plan |title = Obama announces Iraq plan |publisher = MSNBC |access-date = July 2, 2015 |archive-date = November 16, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141116013112/http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2009/02/27/4428005-obama-announces-iraq-plan |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author = Sykes, Hugh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11020270 |title = Last US combat brigade exits Iraq |publisher = BBC News |date = August 19, 2010 |access-date = December 25, 2012 }}</ref> On August 31, 2010, Obama announced that the United States combat mission in Iraq was over.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/01/obama-formally-ends-iraq-war |place = London |work = The Guardian |title = Barack Obama ends the war in Iraq. 'Now it's time to turn the page' |first = Ewen |last = MacAskill |date = September 1, 2010 }}</ref> On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced that all U.S. troops would leave Iraq in time to be "home for the holidays."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/44990594 |title = All U.S. troops out of Iraq by end of year |work = NBC News |date = October 21, 2011 |access-date = December 25, 2012 }}</ref>

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 }}</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 }}</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=dead |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 }}</ref>