President Obama is Briefing Congressional Leaders about Iraq Today.

Sunni militants are fighting the Iraqi army to gain control of country’s largest oil refinery in the northern town of Baiji.

 

The group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria controls most of the town…and smoke could be seen pouring from the refinery.

 

Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki says in the overall fight against the militants – Iraqi forces have regained the initiative. But he still wants US help – and President Obama may be closer to a decision on what steps he’ll take.

 

The president invited Congressional leaders to the White House this afternoon where sources say he’ll pitch a plan to send a limited number of special forces to help train their Iraqi counterparts.

 

Craig Boswell/CBS News/The White House

But President Obama is taking criticism from Republicans who say the current crisis could have been avoided if he had kept some US troops in Iraq.

 

(SOT:  Rep. John Boehner/(R-OH) Speaker of the House)

“I WANT TO HEAR A STRATEGY FOR KEEEPING THE FREEDOM THE US PAID DEARLY FOR.”

 

Former Vice President Dick Cheney wrote in Wall Street Journal op-ed:  “Rarely has a U.S. President been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many.”

 

Democrats are pushing back.

 

(SOT:  Sen. Harry Reid/(D-NV) Majority Leader)

“IF THERE’S ONE THING THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT NEED, IT’S THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING ADVICE FROM DICK CHENEY ON WARS.”

 

But both sides agree.. if Iraq collapses…it will create a safe haven for terrorists to attack America.

 

Craig Boswell, CBS News, The White House.>

 

The Obama administration is also pressing for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to take steps to make his Shiite-dominated government more inclusive.

 

Okay… what do you think about the growing crisis in Iraq? Do you think it’s time for the U-S to intervene? That’s our facebook question of the day. We want to know your thoughts. To the alabama news network facebook page and let us know what’s on your mind.