From the beginning of the Iraqi invasion of the ISIS-held city of Mosul, US and Iraqi officials have repeatedly issued upbeat assessments, claiming the offensive is going at either the planned pace, or even slightly ahead of schedule, trying to present the offensive as having a certain level of ineivtability.
With early fighting centering on mostly empty villages, however, it’s hard to imagine the offensive going anything but smoothly so far, and US officials are conceding that as they get closer to the city, ISIS is digging in, and the fighting is going to get alot uglier, and deadlier, when they actually reach the city.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said the resistance so far was “pretty significant” and that there had been indirect fire and IEDs. That’s going to seem a lot less significant by comparison when the troops reach the city, with thousands of ISIS fighters positioned.
ISIS spent the last few months building defenses around Mosul, from oil-filled moats and walls to tunnels and booby traps. The early offensive saw ISIS burning tires around the city to create smoke, limiting visibility for warplanes, and further complicating the offensive.
The American public hasn’t exactly been prepared for the number of US combat casualties this could mean, with the first death already happening to an IED north of Mosul, and officials trying desperately to downplay the number of US troops engaged in “advisory” roles that are, for all intents and purposes, front line combat.
It is also surprising that so little has been said about ISIS counter attacks. They have not exactly been idle in the run up to the invasion. We see results in Kirkuk, as well as further South. It is a surprise that a petrochemical plant has not been secured, or other key infrastructure assets. This invasion is too linear — like a front, as opposed to asymmetrical goals. Thus, the tone of this article is a good description of an operation that has been prematurely optimistic. Granted, Iraq has more ground troops than what is available to Syria in its attempts to run down Al-Qaeda (under what ever name du jour). Still, taking of east Aleppo is going to take time. Syria is expecting now a major offensive from Al-Nusra in the region — and is getting ready for it. This is why they are focusing on approaches from both north and south. Because this was effective in stretching Al-Qaeda’s defenses — it is now believed that an offensive is pending from Al-Nusra and allies from Idlib.
It is hard to imagine how the battle for Mosul will be very different. In one way — it will be. Primarily, because ISIS is not Al-Qaeda, which is by far more organized and technically superior. Al-Qaeda has also received a remarkable amount of indirect support from all the Western countries — by attacking with all guns ablaze Syrian and Russian advances into Aleppo, gave Al-Qaeda the aura of brave souls defending barricades, with the population supporting them enthusiastically. Gone is the picture of a ten year old that was recently beheaded by Al-Qaeda for refusing (or just being scared) to join militants. Gone is the information about the kidnapped girls for “marriage” with militants, or preventing anyone from leaving, even sick people to leave for treatment. So, with such a robust protection of Al-Qaeda, minimizing their importance in the siege of East Aleppo, the focus has been diverted from the shameful record of all Western countries that continue, and continue to take a lead in defining the regional security. And the results — region getting worse by the day.
Mosul and Aleppo are the two cities that will define the outcome. The outcome that could combine the regional forces to combat all the militant groups that refuse to put themselves under the control of a country’s armed forces — must be considered a terror group, and fought by all the participating states in the region. The idea that anybody can take up arms, and once taken — the rights of states to protect themselves cease. That takes away the human rights of MAJORITY, and gives all the power to armed groups. The laws of states and their institutions are thus considered null and void — in favor of human rights of “rebels”, regardless of their conduct and the treatment of civilians or captured soldiers. We are indeed living in very strange times, with institutions of civilization being trashed by the most civilized and advanced countries in the world. All in the name of human rights — rights that are given to some, while taken away from others. Selectively, almost barbarically. What a strange turn of history.
There is no ‘battle’, it’s a pantomime in which a lot of people get killed.
This is America’s army against American (and Israeli) proxy forces.