Barack Obama describes his war aims which are still rather vague

IN 1960 John F. Kennedy won the presidency by, in part, making the counter-intuitive argument that his Republican opponents had been too soft on the Soviet Union. Nearly half a century later, Barack Obama seemed this week to be trying something of the same sort.

On July 15th Mr Obama appeared on a stage with no fewer than eight American flags, not to mention the one he has recently started wearing on his lapel. He had his work cut out. Ever since he spoke of "refining" his plans for pulling out of Iraq, liberals have assailed him for backing away from his commitment to all but leave Iraq within 16 months of taking office. Centrists hoped he would further soften his determination to pull out quickly. And whichever way he went, conservatives would criticise him: for flip-flopping if he moved towards the centrists, or for ignoring the success of the American "surge" if he satisfied the left. The right, not known for its love of satire, was already particularly thrilled by the cover of this week's New Yorker, which shows Mr Obama and his wife dressed as terrorists. ...