The U.S. and Iraq are changing tactics in the fierce battle against ISIS for the Iraqi city of Mosul, NPR News has learned.
The Iraqi commander coordinating the battle tells NPR the Iraqi military will slow an offensive pushing into the crowded old district of the city to try to minimize civilian casualties. The new tactics will mean fewer U.S. and Iraqi air strikes.
For all the reasons I set out here, this just likely means that the battle will drag on, killing more civilians and Iraqi troops.
And it will clearly leave civilians under the control of ISIL longer, for all the bad things that achieves compassion-wise.
