We do not have soldiers in the forefront, as we did in Iraq and do in Afghanistan.  However, we have soldiers near the battle, as we see in this report from CNN:     

The forces here -- US and Iraqi -- are now preparing for the next stage of the offensive that will bring Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces to the gates of Mosul on three sides of the densely packed city, where as many as 1.2 million civilians still live under ISIS control.

Al Jobouri slips out of the operations room for a quick cigarette; it's difficult to find a commander -- Iraqi or Peshmerga -- that doesn't smoke. 

He thinks the offensive is going well but worries about the next stage -- saying that as it retreats, ISIS is driving civilians back into Mosul from outlying villages, and using them as cover. 

The general is well aware that ISIS is a resourceful enemy capable of hitting back. 

He suddenly yells into his cellphone: "You guys need to get them out of there!" They have been flanked by 15 Daesh and I don't want to hear bad news."

Let's review this, because our men are a lot closer to the action than the Obama administration, and the media in the tank for B.O., is letting on.    

Speaking of the media, we should remind you that we are actually fighting in a lot of places around the globe.  Can you say five of them?  Just curious, but what war resolution are they fighting under?

Back to Mosul.  First, let's pray for the soldiers and our Iraqi allies.  My son recently completed his military service, and we need to stand with the troops.

Second, I believe that ISIS will soon start testing President Obama's resolve.  ISIS knows that the Western media will soon start publishing stories about the civilians they are killing.    

Third, ISIS will try to attack U.S. soldiers, or better than that, capture them.  They hope that such actions will draw the U.S. into a broader war in Mosul and Syria, where it can get very complicated.  Remember Vietnam?  Does President Obama have the backbone to go into Syria as President Nixon did in Cambodia?

We hope it all works out, but there are serious challenges ahead for the next president.  Who knows what this will look when #45 is sworn in?  My guess is that it won't look good and that further U.S. action will be required.

Sadly, the media has not challenged the candidates.  Mr. Trump promises to beat the heck out of ISIS.  Mrs. Clinton, like LBJ in '64, promises that no ground troops will be sent and that her GOP opponent is scary.

In the meantime, we watch Mosul and look forward to some very dark days in the region.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.