Someone in the Pentagon, speaking on background (which is a pretty crowded place, these days) has let the world, and our enemies, know when and where the offensive is coming. According to the New York Times, “The assault to retake Mosul, Iraq, from the Islamic State will require 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi and Kurdish troops and is expected to begin in April or May, an official from the United States Central Command told reporters on Thursday.”

This seems, on first reflection, an unusual way to wage war. A violation, certainly, of Sun Tzu’s insight that, “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” Or, if you prefer something closer to home and in the American idiom, Stonewall Jackson’s rule that a general should “Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible …”