General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, says he is watching how Iraq’s government responds to the recent spate of ISIS attacks in Baghdad for any signs that the Abadi government may pause their current anti-ISIS campaign to deal with protecting the capital city.
While he doesn’t see that shift in Iraq’s priorities yet, he calls it a potential worry as he looks at ISIS attacks.
While ISIS is still committed to a caliphate, Votel suggests the organization is shifting back to its terror roots to try to gain momentum.
“We are seeing them see opportunities,” he said.
Addressing the capabilities of ISIS, “we have to respect our enemies and respect their ability to adapt and adjust on the battlefield,” he said.
Votel emphasized that ISIS’ activities are “abhorrent.”
If ISIS attacks in Baghdad continue, “there is a little concern that if this is not addressed quickly it could cause them to have to take action to divert forces and divert their politics focus on that as opposed to things like Mosul or finishing up their activities out in Anbar,” the general said.
CNN is the only television network on this military plane carrying General Votel, the four-star of Central Command, overnight to the Middle East to meet with his commanders, the troops and regional military officials.
Votel is assessing how the war is going, and what else needs to be done.
The fight for Mosul
The U.S. has trained over 22,000 Iraqi forces at six locations.
But the key question is whether Iraqi forces are ready for the fight to retake Mosul that will happen in the coming months.
And with the ongoing devastating ISIS attacks in Baghdad, the Iraqi government is keeping tens of thousands of troops on hand for the defense of the capitol.
Critical goals
Votel gets instant updates on this plane packed with communications gear, his most senior staff constantly sifting through information.
The key battlefield goals remain critical:
Eventually recapturing Mosul — though that may not happen for months.
Stabilizing Anbar Province which may be the launching point for many attacks into Baghdad, the U.S. believes.
Pressuring and isolating Raqqa — ISIS’ self-declared capital in Syria.
So far, the U.S. is devoting nearly 5,000 forces to getting Iraqi and moderate Syrian rebels trained and ready to fight.
Another 217 American forces are authorized to go into Iraq to help Iraqi forces and another 250 into Syria.
So far very few have arrived. And it’s not clear when Iraqi forces could be ready to do what the U.S. wants — envelope Mosul and strangle ISIS’ hold.