Sometimes when you come back from vacation, you are greeted at the door by a lot of work that has piled up on your desk. For President Obama, a variety of domestic and world events pushed their way into his vacation, as he returns to the Oval Office with all kinds of unfinished business.
Let's look at some of those items, D.C., in no particular order of importance.
1. Iraq
It might seem hard to believe, but U.S. air strikes on northern Iraq began just as Air Force One was leaving for Martha's Vineyard back on August 8. Since then, U.S. fighter jets and drones have helped Kurdish and Iraqi forces push back against Sunni militants, but this fight is by no means over. One piece of news that was well received in U.S. circles is that a new Iraqi government seems to be at hand, but more pitfalls likely await on that front. The larger question right now is the U.S. response to the killing of American journalist James Foley, and any military attacks on Islamic militant forces in Iraq and Syria.
2. Ukraine
After staying on the back burner for awhile, the Russians added some extra ingredients to the Presidential Vacation Stew by moving a supposed humanitarian aid convoy across the border and into eastern Ukraine late last week. U.S. and NATO officials made clear they think it was all a Russian Trojan Horse meant to resupply rebels backed by Moscow in the east of Ukraine. Also some still worry it was a further effort to provoke the Kiev government, and lay the groundwork for a possible Russian invasion, amid reports that thousands of Russian troops were massed along the Ukraine border. President Obama will certainly address Ukraine when he visits Estonia in the first week of September, and then attends a NATO summit.
3. Israel
While the fighting has died down in recent days between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the latest flash of violence involving Israel has left some clear diplomatic bruises between the U.S. and Israelis, with no love lost between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama. For now, the U.S. is on the outside looking in at diplomatic efforts for a lasting cease-fire, which have been led by the Egyptians. So far though, those U.S.-Israeli differences have not made filtered down into the Congress, which remains foursquare behind Israel in both parties, despite a lot of work by Republicans to tug Jewish voters over to the GOP.
4. Immigration
As the number of children crossing the southern border of the United States has slowed, this issue has also dropped off the front pages - but it seems certain to return if President Obama issues new executive orders in coming weeks that could basically legalize millions of people who are now illegally in the U.S. Conventional wisdom in D.C. is that any announcement on immigration won't come until after Labor Day, but I would also note that the President will be out of the country that first week in September. No moves have been made by the Obama Administration as yet to shift budget resources around to deal with any border security shortfalls because of the recent surge in illegal immigration.
5. Ferguson, Missouri
If the President thought he needed one more hot topic to address, he certainly got that during his vacation with the unrest in Missouri after police shot an 18 year old black man to death on August 9. Racial differences are never easy to discuss, and this incident has proved to be no different. It's hard to figure out what's next on this politically; it may all depend when any charges are leveled against the police officer involved, and whether any legal action is taken. Over the weekend, officials told news organizations that the President has ordered a review of how the military gives local police departments surplus equipment, as both parties have raised questions about that program.
6. Syria
A year ago at this time, the President was talking about military strikes on Syria; now there is talk again about that, but in a totally different vein. Last year it was to get rid of the Assad regime, now it is to strike back at Islamic militants who brutally murdered an American journalist last week. One thing working in the President's favor is that ISIL's actions have turned the Sunni militant group into a whipping boy across the Middle East, as Saudi Arabia, the U.S., Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan and others all find themselves on the same team - all trying to stop ISIL in its tracks. In recent days, questions were raised about how good American intelligence is when it comes to uncovering where ISIL leaders might be hiding in Syria.
7. Congress
No matter what the President does in coming weeks, he won't have to deal with the Congress until lawmakers return to work on September 8. This week the President will be in Washington, D.C., while next week he goes to Europe, first to meet with Baltic leaders in Estonia, and then on to a NATO summit in Wales. When lawmakers aren't at work in the Capitol, their voices tend to play a much more minor role in political and world crises, and that's been very true over the past few weeks, as the attention in terms of political action has centered mainly on the President - even when he's been on vacation in Martha's Vineyard.
The President has no public events on his schedule for Monday; that is always subject to change.
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