While the president is “considering” airstrikes on ISIS forces in Northern Iraq, his press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday that “there are no military solutions” to Iraq.

Earnest made the statement in response to a reporter who asked, "Where is the American leadership on this?"

Earnest: Well, John, the thing that’s important—and it’s important, again, for all of your viewers to understand this—that there are no military solutions to the very difficult problems that exist in Iraq now. The American people cannot solve this problem for the Iraqi people.

The only solution that exists is an Iraqi political solution. That was true six weeks ago, and it’s true today. [talking over a stir in the press corps] That’s why the United States stands ready to support the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people when an inclusive Iraqi government is formed.

As Noah Rothman noted, “Of course, it’s difficult to convene a reconciliation commission while fundamentalist extremists are crucifying people. To suggest otherwise is completely delusional.” And, clearly, ISIS, Shiite militias, Iran, and the Kurds battling it out over there don’t seem to agree with the Obama administration’s take.

As many have pointed out, the current state of Iraq is a far cry from the president’s description in his 2011 Ft. Bragg speech, when he said, while the country "has many challenges ahead... we’re leaving behind a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government that was elected by its people."