Dealing with ISIS, however, is a long-term political challenge - one that the U.S. cannot and should not try to solve on its own. Obama can support the Iraqi military and its political leaders; he can share intelligence and provide direct military support. But ultimately, as Obama noted this week, in order to "degrade ISIL over the long term," it is crucial to "build a regional strategy." That will depend on the level of support from the Iraqi government and that of other key actors in the region, as well as the ability of the US to not only potentially strike at ISIS targets in Syria but also develop a long-term strategy for stabilizing that war-torn country.