The New York Times: Reports " American intelligence agencies and the Pentagon are struggling to determine how difficult it will be to retake Mosul, the Islamic State’s de facto capital in Iraq, as planning intensifies for a battle that is becoming a major test of the Obama administration’s strategy to stop the spread of the terrorist group in the Middle East. "
Lets Get Real:
In many respects Mosul could decide the result of the 2016 Presidential Election, the Oval can not afford for its Iraqi Allies to start a fight for Mosul and lose, that would be a disaster for the new Iraqi Government and for the Obama Administration, in other words the US has to win, the release of the US battle plan was to intelligent for its own good, the IS terrorists will want to make the Iraqi and US forces pay for any action in Mosul. The Oval has to be careful about placing US forces at the front, the best outcome for IS would be to make Iraqi pay with the death of its soldiers and for IS to take US prisoners of war, one only has to recall what happened to the pilot from Jordan who was burned to death. The IS will want to inflame US public opinion, thus the Oval Office if it places US forces in combat positions will want to make sure they are secured on the battle front. Mosul is the test, will only US air power work, can the Iraqi forces fight on their own. The battle for Mosul could decide the future of Iraq and the US Presidential Election.
