The Battle for Mosul has started

[JasonPratt]

I suppose it's easy to forget that we disbanded the professional Iraqi army after we invaded and tried to replace it with a bunch of rank amateurs cobbled together in a force designed for internal security, then more or less left them out to dry when their country was invaded by a battle-hardened ISIS army that was both ruthless and fought like a conventional force.

Oh, I remember all that well; I'm just impressed they've clawed back to being competent.  O0

[GDS_Starfury]

Isn't that what the Abrams is designed to do when taking a hit like that to the turret rear? The ammo blows up and out, away from the crew compartment?

Yes, if the interior ammo doors are closed.  The bigger problem us that an atgm team got an ass shot like that.

[bayonetbrant]

Yes, if the interior ammo doors are closed. 

The interior ammo doors are always closed unless they're in the process of reloading the main gun.
They're on automatic sliders.

[mirth]

^that's what I thought

[Airborne Rifles]

Pretty intense account from a CNN reporter with some of the first Iraqi troops into eastern Mosul: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/05/middleeast/iraq-inside-mosul-battle/index.html

The highlight is walking wounded in a casualty collection point, being led by a lieutenant who's been shot twice, fighting off multiple ISIS attacks until relief arrives. 

[Martok]

Sounds like they've a taken a level or two in badass. 

[JasonPratt]

But aside from the heroic courage involved, can we hope they'll treat the population better if they're the winners?  :-\

I honestly don't know. Past experience of regimes in the area doesn't lead me to be hopeful about this; I'd like things to be different this time.

[Airborne Rifles]

Really incredible 60 Minutes report tonight from Lara Logan embedded with the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces fighting ISIS in Mosul: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-battle-for-mosul-iraq-lara-logan/

Many of the Iraqi soldiers you see in this report are dead by the time it ends, but the survivors keep fighting, keep pushing forward. Some interesting comments by the reporter as well, that the enemy in Mosul is really something new to our age: not just a suicide bomber here or there, but an army of suicide bombers defending the city.

[OJsDad]

that the enemy in Mosul is really something new to our age: not just a suicide bomber here or there, but an army of suicide bombers defending the city.

Isn't the 'army of suicide bombers' the fear that the US had if it had been forced to invade the Japanese homeland. 

[Airborne Rifles]

Perhaps, perhaps not. We didn't have to put that one to the test, fortunately.

[Gusington]

That was an incredible report. I feel terrible now for posting what I did about the Iraqis and M1s.

[Boggit]

Good report.

[Airborne Rifles]

The battle for western Mosul is about to begin: http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-iraq-mosul-assault-20170218-story.html

Taking eastern Mosul took a hundred days and some Iraqi units suffered up to 50% casualties, possibly partly because of this:

In the aftermath of the offensive for eastern Mosul, aid agencies lauded Iraqi forces for their restraint. The troops relied mainly on small-arms fire and avoided needless destruction of property and killing of civilians.

The urban terrain in western Mosul is supposed to be much more difficult, with narrower streets and older buildings, and a less supportive population.

[Airborne Rifles]

I'm always surprised by the variety of "technicals" that arise in resource constrained environments. Old up-armored HMMWV as an MLRS? Check.

[mirth]

Impressive bit of jury-rigging.