Pentagon. This relief comes after the u. S. Military carried out air strikes against isis targets yesterday in northern iraq. This is a situation in that country that deteriorates. Before the first strike friday morning president obama acressed the American People thursday night. When we face a situation like we do on that mountain with innocent people facing the prospect of violence on a horrific scale, when we have a mandate to help,this case a request from the Iraqi Government, and when had we have the unique capabilities to help avert a massacre, then i believe the United States of america cannot turn a blind eye. Now the innocent is people president obama is referring to are the yazidis, often persecuted. And they mum between 400,000 to 500,000 alone and govern a portion in the northeast. Nearly 40,000 yazidis are stranded on mt. Sinjar and they are dying of hunger and thirst. The yazidis had to flee because theyve been persecuted by isis and threatened with execution if they refuse to convert to islam. Isis has swept across a wide swath of both iraq and syria as the terror group tries to establish an islamic califate and poursed conversions, destruction of religious shrines and killing many people. In addition, hundreds of yazidi women have been kidnapped so they can be sold into slavery. Yesterday three air strikes against isis targets destroyed artillery, hit a mortar position, and an isis convoy where the u. S. Does have a consulate. The white house reiterated friday that a prolonged u. S. Military intervention is not the administrations end goal. This is a situation that is a very difficult challenge, but its not a challenge that can be solved by the American Military. There is support that can be provided by the American Military. But this is a situation that will only be solved by the iraqi people and a government that reflects the views of iraqs diverse population. Last night Vice President biden called iraqi president to discuss you the military operations in iraq as well as continued government formation process in baghdad and this morning president obama used his weekly address to ensure against the possibility of the mission. I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in iraq. American combat troops will not be returning to piety in iraq because theres no American Military solution to the larger crisis there. I want to bring in nbc News White House correspondent chr Kristen Welker. Kristen, can you help tell us about how and why the president made the decision to go ahead with the air strikes . Reporter well, melissa, were learning more about that and more about the ticktock of his Decision Making process as well. According to a Senior Administration official president obama wrapped up his News Conference at the africa summit this wednesday. That historic sum hit. And it was after that that the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general martin dempsey, told president obama that the crisis in iraq had reached a breaking point. He told president obama that isis, those militant forces, were moving toward erbil and that is where the consulate sits. He described the humanitarian crisis you just mapped out, melissa. The fact that as many as 40,000 of those christian minorities were trapped on top of that mountain without access to pood, without access to water, and that they were start iing to di including several children. So there was broad it there was a broad sense here behind the scenes that something needed to be done. Im told president obama met with his senior staff here at the white house on wednesday and then again thursday morning in the situation room. He met with his National Security team, and they all agreed that some type of action needed to be taken for two reasons, one because u. S. Interests were at risk there. Its also a kurd ib stronghold, by the way, so there was a real concern about that falling to the militant forces and then because this is a humanitarian crisis, you heard president obama use the terrell genocide, that part of the reason he wanted to take the limited air strikes was to prevent a potential genocide. I can tell you there were some concerns raised in those meetings, concerns about the f18 fighters jets who were dropping those bombs, those 500pound bombs. Those jets have to fly relatively low. They fly fast. There was concern about protecting the u. S. Personnel who will be carrying out the air strikes. Ultimately it was determined by the president that the benefits outweighed the risks and that something needed to be done to prevent this ongoing atrocity that is unfolding there. So that is why he decide d to move forward with those limited air strikes. With but you are right to point out that the president s policy right now is to make sure that they stay limited and that he is not putting boots on the ground. Senior Administration Officials calling on the Iraqi Government to create an inclusive government, something that hasnt happened yet. Melissa, this is really about buying some time to allow that to happen and also to allow the u. S. To provide more arms to the kurdish fighters who were trying to beat back those militant forces. Melissa . Nbc news Kristen Welker at the white house, thank you. Well come back when we hear the president speak a little bit later this morning. Right now i want to bring in chief pentagon correspondent, jim Jim Miklaszewski. We just heard from kristen also continued interest here in making sure this is a very limited operation but is there there any indication from the pentagon as to whether or not there are going to be more air strikes at this point . Reporter well, melissa, they clearly indicate there will be more air strikes. After three strikes on those targets will outside of erbil that you mentioned a moment ago, it seems that the isis militants sort of got the message and theyve put their efforts to advance on erbil to launch attacks against those kurd is forces on hold. Everything seems to be very quiet outside erbil as of today. According to military officials, there is no movement by militant forces to either come close or advance further on erbil or 0 launch any kind of attacks as we saw yesterday when there were some random artillery attacks in the direction of forces. A short time ago we were told there have been mo combat air strikes by u. S. Aircraft on any of those mill tabt targets outside erbil as of today, melissa. At this time, jim, is will any reason for us to expect that this is sort of the end of this mission or do we just have to wait for what the president will tell you in a bit . Reporter its mott tnot thef the mission because theres a pause in the fighting. These isis militants have proven to be very well trained, operations very precise and disciplined, which has surprised a lot of military analysts in the pentagon. Theyre thinking this through. After taking a slight beating yesterday. It seems theyre regathering to figure out what their next move is. Nobody thinks this is over by any stretch of the imagination. Nbc news Jim Miklaszewski at the pentagon, thank you. All right, melissa. Joining me in stewudio now e Michael Hannah, senior fellow at the century foundation, formerly serve d as a consultant for humn rights watch in baghdad in 2008. And earl catagnus jr. , an iraq war veteran, and at valley forge military college. Thank you both for being here. Let me start with you, earl, based on two things i heard from our correspondents there. One from Kristen Welker talking about the possibility that we could be dragged into larger 0 operations if something were to happen to one of the planes that is there doing the air strikes and on the other hand jill sm sg air strikes seem to have momentarily met their goal and caused a halt in the advance of isis. How do you look at that strategically . What do you it think is going on in this moment . One, we wouldnt be dragged into an expansion of the con mrikt because of a downed aircraft. In fact, there are missions, Marine Expeditionary units are trained in it. Theyre almost prepositioned in the gulf to do that as well as they have about a 200 Marine Security force Fleet Company based in baghdad as well as you have forwardly deployed the special Operation Forces operating within. So were never ever going to forwardly deploy or put aircraft in danger without the ability to recover those personnel. And so were not going to be dragged in because of that. We will have the capability to do that. Now how effective it is, if we take more casualties that may depend on the situation on the ground. I think that the president here has set clear guide lines for not engaging as opposed to engaging, and i think that the its interesting the language he used. He said to protect american personnel and facilities, which sounds surprisingly fal to the early 20th secentury when we engaged to protect american lives and property. So it leaves an opening to expand the engagement. Were not the going to see an increase in Ground Combat troops, and theres no reason for it because they have the Iraqi Military is there. We will be were putting in place adviser teams, were exploring intelligence while trying to put intelligence assets in place and then, i think, more air strikes will be in there. So the president was saying on the one hand the question of american personnel and interests in the narrowest sense. The other piece of what the president said was, in this case, the gword and attempting to halt a potential genocide to the extent we have the military to do so. Is that an appropriate way to put what is going on with the kurds . I think it is certainly a potential. The potential was there. Isis has proven its intent previously. The yazidis were cornered and there was every reason to fear mass atrocity. I think we have it to think this was a unique circumstance in which this situation converged with the strategic concerns and in which we saw limited air strikes could have is a real impact in terms of blunting the expansion and also serving its important purpose in terms of protecting what was a defenseless community. And very unique. There are 400,000, 500,000 yazidis in iraq, a small community. So of them concentrate ed d in geographic area. Weve seen the ways in which isis previously has systematically targeted minority communities, christians in iraq previously. And so its not flippant to toss around the word jgenocide. It was a real concern and was part of why weve seen the president engage in this way. Stick with us. Were going to dig into it this a bit more. Stay with me. We have metropolitan more uch m in iraq and the fighting in gaza as well. Well bring president obamas live remarks to you as soon as they begin. More fruit in the filling, ya . 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One palestinian was killed near ramallah and about 40 injured in clashes that owe ckurd in the w bank. We will keep an eye on this developing story. Right now back to the crisis in iraq where the u. S. Has launched air strikes targeting isis militants hoping to stop their advance across the country. We are awaiting live remarks from president obama on the situation in iraq. Back with me are Michael Hannah with the secentury foundation, d earl catagnus jr. , an iraq war veteran who is also an assistant professor at history and Security Studies at valley forge military college. Also at this moment i want to bring in an iraq representative for unicef, an organization focused on the rights of children affected by violence around the world. She will join us via skype. Good morning. Good morning. I want to play for you what president obama said on thursday about the individuals, the yazidis who are in the mountains. The let me play this for you. At the request of the Iraqi Government weve begun operations to help save iraqi civilians stranded on the mountain. As isil has marched across iraq, these terrorists have been barbaric towards religious minorities. How effective are these air strikes likely to be in helping to stop this kind of persecution and potential genocide . Thank you. I am not in a position to comment really on the air strikes because i work for a humanitarian organization. I can tell you about the humanitarian situation, of those people, including the many children who are stranded on the mountains. Their situation is really dire. They need water. They need food. They need shelter and they need protection. They need to get to safety right now and time is of essence here, and were running out of time. Are the humanitarian aid air drops, also part of this military operation, likely to have that effect of providing some protection and shelter for these individuals . The United Nations and unicef included has not been part of these air drops. The humanitarian supplies delivery is very, very important to reach these people. Theyre very much in need for these supplies and reaching them with all the supplies is quite important. Whats equally important is trying to find an opportunity and a way to get the stranded people including 20,000 children out of these mountains into safety. And when you say into safety, is there any possibility at this point of them being able it to return to their own homes, or is this a refugee crisis likely to cross a border . Well, its a good question. Our information says that the Islamic State formerly known as isis has taken over the origin of the standard of population called sinjar. Its in the northwest and has been taken over. I do hope and wish these stranded populations including many children would return home, but right now this seems highly unlikely. What we need to have any place that is safe and that is not really where they are stranded in the mountains. Unicefs Juliette Ouma in iraq. We need to take a break here. We are expecting remarks from president obama on the situation in iraq any moment now. Stay with us. Well bring those to you live. Important legal matters in just minutes. Now its quicker and easier for you to start your business, protect your family, and launch your dreams. At legalzoom. Com we put the law on your side. Been all fun and games, here at the harrison household. But one dark, stormy evening. She needed a good meal and a good family. So we gave her purina cat chow complete. Its great because it has the four cornerstones of nutrition. Everything a cat needs for the first step to a healthy, happy life. Purina cat chow complete. Share your rescue story and join us in building better lives. One rescue at a time. Im spending too much timer our calhiringer. And not enough time in my kitchen. Need to hire fast . 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So, earl, part of what i keep hearing commentators say we are at least somewhat surprised as a state of a little bit back on one foot just how organized, how disciplined, and how well armed isis is . Why are we surprised to find that out . Im surprised our intelligence didnt tell us just how well armed and prepared isis is. I think it m