Video: CNN reporter embedded with Iraqi troops in Mosul documents the battle.

CNN video

The above video documents the battle of Mosul. It does have some graphic content, so be warned. A CNN reporter and photojournalist were embedded with the Iraqi army as they attacked into the city. The battle does not go well. At all. Indeed, if things had gone just a little bit differently, the unit would have been wiped out and ISIS may have captured a couple of CNN journalists. If that had happened, we would probably be seeing a new execution video...

I've been extremely critical of CNN lately. And to be honest, I'm not entirely comfortable giving them views on their youtube channel. Their coverage this election has been so biased that they are essentially part of the Democratic Party at this point.

But I have to give credit when credit is due. These CNN journalists, and unlike most of CNN I can call them that, put their lives on the line to get this story out there. Though I don't like CNN, I can support good journalism like this. If CNN wants to salvage their reputation, focus more on things like this and not being the marketing arm for the DNC. 

As for the battle itself, it's pretty clear that this was a huge mess for the Iraqi forces involved. I was actually impressed at how effective ISIS was at countering this unit. The convoy was made up of Humvees and armored vehicles, but didn't have much in the way of heavy support. All ISIS had to do was destroy or disable their front and back vehicles and then the whole convoy was trapped. And that's exactly what they did. 

I'm thinking that the Iraqi Army was foolish to bring their vehicles into the front lines like this anyways. Mosul is urban combat and in urban combat vehicles are at a very high risk of being trapped like this. If the Iraqi troops had dismounted perhaps the battle would have gone differently. Of course these troops are probably going to be dismounted now anyways since most of their vehicles were destroyed or damaged. 

The CNN report did a good job of showing just how brutal the battle for Mosul is going to be. It pretty clearly showed how the battle is going to impact civilians. One poor taxi driver got lit up because he made a huge mistake by not following Iraqi Army instructions. I don't blame the Iraqi's for shooting that guy, but he looked innocent. That kind of thing is going to happen all the time in this battle. 

And remember, this is just the start of the battle. The Iraqi troops are just on the outskirts of Mosul. This Iraqi unit got chewed up and spit out of the city. I am going to guess, that for the foreseeable future, that will happen again and again until the Iraqis get a better handle on urban combat.