Mark Collins – Iraq: Upcoming Battle for Mosul, Plus Turkey

The latest at the invaluable MILNEWS.ca:

– Closer to Mosul Push “Anti-ISIS fight will get harder after Mosul, says Canadian general” – “Canadian general: ‘Fall of Mosul is inevitable’ “ – “Mosul’s Liberation From ISIL ‘Inevitable,’ Canadian General Says” (US DoD Info-machine) – “Coalition general: ‘Final rehearsal’ before Mosul fight underway” – “Plans Take Shape for Iraqi Assault on Mosul” – “Islamic State conflict: How will the battle for Mosul unfold?”
– “To Drive ISIS from Mosul, a Complicated Coalition Joins Forces”
– “Canadian general warns Islamic State fight will get harder after Mosul”
– “Daesh leaders defecting before Mosul operation: general”
– “Abadi to Mosul residents: “victory is near” “ – “Iraq Prime Minister Promises Victory In Mosul”
– “Iraq: Impending Mosul assault puts 600,000 children in line of fire – Iraq” (Save the Children)
– “IS Plans Widespread Destruction in Mosul as Conditions Worsen for Residents”
– “Shia Badr forces will consider foreign troops intervene in Mosul battle”
– “Turkey’s presence at Bashiqa military camp in northern Iraq is at the request of Kurdish authorities who recognize their forces in the country, Turkey’s deputy prime minister declared on Wednesday, adding that no one has right to object to their presence …”
– TUR-IRQ Friction “Turkey-Iraq Tensions Rise as Battle of Mosul Approaches” – “Iraq Warns of Regional War With Turkey” – “Turkey not in Iraq as occupiers: Deputy PM” – “Turkey says it does not aim to be an occupier in Iraq” – “Iraq asks UNSC to discuss Turkish presence in N. Iraq” – “Iraq seeks emergency UN Security Council session over Turkish military presence”
– “Pro-govt Iraq fighters ‘likely’ killed in coalition airstrike near Mosul – US official” – “At least 20 Iraqi Sunni tribal fighters die in mistaken air strike” – “Pentagon probes pro-govt Iraq fighter deaths in coalition strike”…

Not exactly simple.

Mark Collins, a prolific Ottawa blogger, is a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute; he tweets @Mark3Ds