
After 20 months during which 40,000 bombs and missiles were fired at targets in Iraq and Syria, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter this week announced major escalations in the U.S. military campaign against Islamic State militants that will include attack helicopters and artillery systems to support Iraqi government troops.Some of the weapons that will support Iraqi troops in the effort to retake Mosul are already in theater, namely a dozen AH-64 Apache attack helicopters that have not yet been unleashed.…