“American forces will not be returning to combat in Iraq.” So said President Obama during a press conference in which he announced that up to 300 military advisors will be sent to Iraq to “train, advise and support” Iraqi forces. Obama also said that the U.S. military would take “targeted and precise” actions if necessary. Here’s a full transcript of the remarks.

+ WaPo: U.S. seeking alternatives to Maliki.

+ MoJo: Here’s what the battle over Iraqi oil means for America.

+ (Too) much of the recent coverage of the Iraq crisis has been dominated by an incredible WSJ op-ed by Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney in which they argue that we are “watching American defeat snatched from the jaws of victory” in Iraq. In tomorrow’s WSJ, maybe Dick Cheney and George Custer will advise Obama on winning at Little Bighorn. I try to lean away from politics here, but in this case, even Fox News can’t believe Cheney is giving advice.