[W]hen Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked about the state of operations against the Islamic State terrorist group, he was blunt. He rejected the notion that he, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and other U.S. officials have adopted a strategy that is too reactive — gradually increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria whenever bad news dictates. – Washington Post’s Checkpoint
Pentagon officials say the U.S. is unlikely to deploy ground-level American combat advisers to support the Iraqi Army’s new operation to oust Islamic State militants from Fallujah. – Military Times
[E]ven as these troops seem within touching distance, they are a long way from retaking Mosul. What the maps do not show are the bitter rivalries, political ambitions and regional power struggles behind the forces gathered around Iraq’s second-largest city, hindering what will be one of the most important campaigns in the war against the jihadis. – Financial Times
Iraqi forces shelled Islamic State targets in Falluja on Tuesday, the second day of an assault to retake the militant stronghold just west of Baghdad. - Reuters
Even as Iraq slowly claws back territory from the Islamic State group, faith in the government is crumbling among many, particularly the country's Shiites, angered by political disarray and the continual pounding of the capital, Baghdad, by militants' bombings. – Associated Press
Michael Knights writes: Special operations, intelligence, smart thinking, and technology can meaningfully reduce the threat to Baghdad, keeping the militias under control and keeping the Mosul operation on track. This should be a priority for Iraq and its coalition partners. Because what, really, is the point of liberating Mosul, only to lose Baghdad in the process? – Foreign Policy
Max Primorac writes: In sum, the case for immediately extending U.S. military assistance to Iraq’s minority forces is justified by the gravity of ISIL’s genocidal campaign, its strengthening of Iraq’s military capacity to defeat ISIL, and as a political crucible for catalyzing a post-ISIL Iraq that is inclusive, stable and peaceful. – The Daily Caller