Air Force Times writes: “In making the case for U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, President Barack Obama is drawing on the doctrine involving the use of American force that he outlined less than three months ago, when it seemed he was trying to avoid potential U.S. military action anywhere.”  

“In a late May speech at the U.S. Military Academy, Obama said he would use military force under two scenarios: a direct threat against Americans or U.S. interests, and a humanitarian crisis on a scale that he said would ‘stir the conscience.’”  

“On Thursday night, when Obama announced that he had authorized airstrikes and humanitarian airdrops in Iraq, he argued that both conditions were being met.”  

“’When the lives of American citizens are at risk, we will take action,’ Obama said. ‘And when many thousands of innocent civilians are faced with the danger of being wiped out and we have the capacity to do something about it, we will take action.’”