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"When President Barack Obama authorized the military to bomb Islamist fighters in Iraq, he said they had moved uncomfortably close to American personnel stationed in the northern city of Erbil.\nHe also authorized strikes and airdrops to aid a religious minority group, the Yazidis, who have fled into the mountains in northern Iraq to escape the militants. \nSee also: The Militants in Iraq Threaten the Entire Middle East (and the U.S.)\nThe last U.S. troops left Iraq in 2011 and President Obama has been reluctant to get militarily involved in the region again. So what has happened for him to authorize strikes, and who are these strikes aimed at? \nWho are these militants?\nThe militants are part of a group known as the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS or ISIL). They are a powerful organization of around 10,000-15,000 Islamist fighters so brutal that even al-Qaeda has disassociated from them. \nWhere are they located?\nThe Islamic State has gained territory across Syria and Iraq, effectively dissolving the border between the countries. They have even fought a battle with the Lebanese army on Syria's southern border. \nWhat does the Islamic State want?\nThe Islamic State is made up of radical fighters who want to establish a Sunni caliphate, eliminating Shiites and any other group in their way. The Islamic State also wants to impose sharia law, limiting the freedom of women, banning music and doling out brutal punishment for any infractions.\nWhere did all these fighters come from?\nThe Islamic State has its roots in al-Qaeda in Iraq. That's where the core of the group learned to fight. But they've since gathered recruits from Syria, other Middle Eastern nations, and even volunteers from parts of Europe and the United States. \nHow can they be stopped?\nThe Islamic State are a powerful armed force and it will take a significant effort to roll back their gains. Perhaps the best way to hurt them is to recapture highways, oil refineries and other strategic parts of the Islamic State's territory, cutting off their supply routes and their ability to make money. Accomplishing this may take a combined effort by several groups, including the Iraqi military, Kurdish forces and perhaps others. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/08/08/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-iraq-conflict/>