Still, Iraq's military is thousands of soldiers short of the estimated 30,000 troops needed to launch the assault, and the existing forces are stretched thin trying to hold other recaptured territory, particularly in western Anbar province...."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAQ_BATTLE_FOR_MOSUL?SITE=DCUSN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
-vk-