It was an applause line during almost every campaign address made by President Obama in 2012: “I promised to end the war in Iraq, and I did.”

Now, he’s backing off.

President Obama ordered a full troop withdrawal from Iraq, which was completed in December 2011. But the country did not stabilize, as was predicted by Obama and key members of his administration. Instead, it has descended into greater chaos with the violent al Qaeda offshoot ISIL threatening to take over the country.  Read more.