The Pentagon says forces are ready for the Iraqi ground offensive to liberate the Islamic State’s de facto capital of Mosul and is hinting the operation could start any day now.
The U.S. has largely completed its part of the preparations, which included setting up a large logistical base south of the city, and training and equipping thousands of Iraqi soldiers.
The timing of the assault is now up the Iraqis, said Capt. Jeff Davis a Pentagon spokesman.
“I think we’ve told you before that you could logically expect them to be ready in October,” Davis told reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday. “Check your calendar.”
Asked if the U.S. was giving away too much information about the impending invasion, and thereby sacrificing the element of surprise, Davis declined to answer.
“I see where you’re going and I’m not going to go there,” Davis told a reporter.
Military officers are obligated to remain apolitical, so Davis, a Navy captain, avoided the question because it mirrored concerns voiced by Donald Trump in the second presidential debate Sunday night.
“We have announcements coming out of Washington and coming out of Iraq, we will be attacking Mosul in three weeks or four weeks,” Trump said. “Why can’t they do it quietly? Why can’t they do the attack, make it a sneak attack, and after the attack is made, inform the American public that we’ve knocked out the leaders, we’ve had a tremendous success?”
While not responding directly to Trump’s criticism, Davis noted that the Iraqi government has made a point of warning civilians in Mosul and other cities when an invasion is imminent, so they can take measures to protect themselves until the shooting stops.
“These are statements that the government of Iraq has made and they have been very forthcoming about what the plan is,” Davis said. “They are done largely in the name of warning civilians in Mosul to be ready for it, and to try to get out if they can.”
But at the debate Trump complained the public pronouncements were also giving Islamic State leaders plenty of time to escape as well.
“All of these bad leaders from ISIS are leaving Mosul,” Trump said. “How stupid is our country?”
When moderator Martha Raddatz suggested the military might have its reasons, Trump responded, “I can’t think of any. And I’m pretty good at it.”
Davis would not discuss the latest intelligence on how many of the estimated 3,500 to 5,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Mosul, but noted that when they leave the city they become much easier targets for U.S. and coalition airstrikes.
“I’m not going to get into specific intelligence, but we do see ISIL leadership moving a lot,” Davis said. “They do move, but they do so, again, at their own peril. Anytime they are moving, that’s when they are at the greatest risk.”
