Recent reports out of the Iraqi invasion of Mosul suggest that little to no territory has changed hands in days, and intense fighting involving Iraq’s special forces is not leading them any closer to taking the city from ISIS.
US Brig. Gen. Matthew Isler sought to downplay this total lack of progress, insisting that Iraq had kept up a “high tempo” in the first 65 days of the battle, and that they are now in “refit mode” and not expected to make any progress while that’s going on.
That means effectively the invasion is on hold while Iraqi troops focus on repairing vehicles damaged so far, resupplying ammunition, and preparing for “the next stage.” He said the offensive would resume “soon” but that Iraqi forces would decide on that timeline.
Isler also said he didn’t think “anyone can deny momentum” is on their side in the fight against ISIS, despite the clear lack of momentum of any sort in recent weeks of an offensive likely to take many months more, and in which only small portion of the eastern part of the city has been taken.
This action was a planned “no win” from the start, with the Iraqi troops being used as canon fodder.