From my reading on Iraq, it seems that the President isn’t thinking about air strikes, but has decided to do them, and is waiting for up-to-date intelligence and a better sense of the lay of the land.
It also seems pretty clear that those air strikes won’t just be in Iraq, but will be in Syria too.
We seem to be proceeding on two tracks — a military track using air power and a political track to get Maliki ousted.
Embattled Farmers 
Love reading your analysis!