War

U.S. sends 500 more troops to help fight Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq - UPI.com
UPI reports: "The United States has increased its deployed forces by more than 500 troops to assist Iraqi security forces in the operation to claim Mosul from Islamic State control. Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for the United States' Operation Inherent Resolve mission against the Islamic State, on Thursday said the increase in deployed troops is to help Iraq seize the Islamic State's Iraqi stronghold, Mosul -- where he estimates there are up to 4,500 IS militants remaining. U.S. President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi both hope to seize Mosul before the year's end [...] The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh, captured Mosul as part of a land grab in 2014 that saw to the militant group's peak in terms of land acquisition."

Comment: How's the war in Iraq going? Well, they hope to retake Mosul by the end of the year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the past, didn't the harsh winter months slow down operations considerably?  Of course, that may have just been a reflection of using so many tribal fighters, they tend to be seasonal workers at best. Now that we have a "professional" Iraqi army, that may no longer be the case.