Political Ramifications Of America's Return To Iraq

On the day after President Obama said he had authorized military action to protect the U.S. Consulate in Irbil, the Pentagon says U.S. jets dropped bombs on militants who were towing artillery.

The U.S. has also launched a humanitarian mission to aid thousands of Iraqis, members of religious minorities, who fled their home under the threat of the Sunni-led group the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL.

NPR's Ron Elving joins Here & Now's Robin Young to discuss the political ramifications.