What does authorization of US airstrikes mean for Iraq conflict?

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Obama: I have authorized targeted airstrikes if necessary

Fox News contributor Joe Trippi weighs in

This is a rush transcript from "The Kelly File," August 7, 2014. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: As commander-in-chief I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq. And so, even as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq because there's no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHANNON BREAM, GUEST HOST: That was President Obama just moments ago after announcing U.S. military air drops in Iraq and also authorization for airstrikes in certain conditions.

Joe Trippi, former presidential campaign manager for Howard Dean, for a number of Democratic presidential campaigns and he is a Fox News contributor. Joe, always good to see you.

JOE TRIPPI, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Good to be here.

BREAM: All right. So, the president is under a lot of pressure. It seems like he sort of made a two-pronged decision here. Of course, to beef up the humanitarian aid, make those drops. But you were hearing from folks that you know there on the ground that airstrikes by somebody were happening. We know the U.S. has authorized them under certain conditions. But it didn't seem clear to me that the president will saying, we've actually done that or that we have it.

TRIPPI: Well, somebody has.

BREAM: Yes. Somebody has.

TRIPPI: I worked in this area in 2010. And I have a lot of friends there and they were -- first, they were calling me in the morning saying please save us, please do something. And then they started to call and say bombs were dropping, that there was air power being unleashed. Now, whether that was the Turks or the US or the Iraqi armed forces, we don't know. But somebody was doing air support there just within the last hours.

BREAM: Well, the president made it clear here, we're not going into a new war. He says, no boots on the ground. Do you think those assurances that this will be enough for folk on the left to say, listen, you campaign on getting us out of there, and that's why we voted for you?

TRIPPI: Well, right now, I don't think the president cares about the politics. The people are welcoming this news are the Kurdish Christians and the people who are at the north. Who -- if somebody doesn't do something to stop ISIS from moving into Irbil, if Irbil falls, that would just be a -- I mean, an unmitigated disaster. And I don't think anybody on either side isle, the ideological spectrum saw the Kurds being in trouble. That was the one safe place we all thought in Iraq. So, look, I think those people are watching this and welcome this news. It's a real important step for the U.S. to take.

BREAM: Absolutely. Joe, always good to see you.

TRIPPI: Good to be with you.

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