# Pentagon Calls Mosul Briefing a Mistake by CentCom **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 4, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180 "2015-03-04T05:42:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/1 "2015-03-04T05:42:35Z")
[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-mistake-centcom-29366425](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-mistake-centcom-29366425) A U.S. military officer’s media briefing about plans for an Iraqi-led ground offensive in Mosul, including its expected timing, amounted to a mistaken disclosure of “military secrets,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday. What a screw up. It looked really bizarre from the beginning to publicize your battle plans and your allies’ battle plans to the world. And when both Iraqis and Kurds came back with statements that the plans were unrealistic, it became even more bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/2 "2015-03-04T16:52:15Z")
You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/3 "2015-03-04T17:32:54Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? This was not about a contingency plan. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/4 "2015-03-04T17:49:26Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? Yes but they’re being very hush hush about the actual timing. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/5 "2015-03-04T18:14:30Z")
Geebus, Obama says he wants a more transparent government, and his critics go berzerk when something isn’t transparent; and they also get mad when something is transparent! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/6 "2015-03-04T18:17:53Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Geebus, Obama says he wants a more transparent government, and his critics go berzerk when something isn’t transparent; and they also get mad when something is transparent! Simple flow chart from the GOP. Obama\>wrong. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/7 "2015-03-04T20:00:06Z")
I suspect this was no accident. The US wanted to deliver a message to ISIS. Make it clear there will be a Spring offensive. Time to pack your bags and go home. The timing of course is not set in stone. The offensive can begin whenever its the right time. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/8 "2015-03-04T21:26:32Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > This was not about a contingency plan. Way to miss the point: the Pentagon has a long history of making unrealistic battle plans. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/9 "2015-03-04T21:37:15Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Geebus, Obama says he wants a more transparent government, and his critics go berzerk when something isn’t transparent; and they also get mad when something is transparent! Now, now, the OP didn’t say anything about Obama. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/10 "2015-03-04T21:37:56Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Way to miss the point: the Pentagon has a long history of making unrealistic battle plans. The Pentagon does not release such plans in press conferences as a matter of course. The whole incident has been pretty strange. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/11 "2015-03-04T21:54:07Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? And people think the Polar Vortex is just a natural phenomenon. Canada has plans as well. They just cloak them in snow. (So far, their East Coast war games have been pretty successful this winter.) ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/12 "2015-03-04T23:35:19Z")
Even now their elite polar bear cavalry mass on the border. Soon you will hear their dreadful battle cry, “We’re going to get you, eh” ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/13 "2015-03-05T00:45:12Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? In my mind there’s an officer in CENTCOM swearing extensively about being appointed the 15-6 Investigating Officer on this one. I’d guess it’s not actually a uniformed appointed investigator. My image is funnier than the likely reality. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/14 "2015-03-05T01:55:05Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You are aware that the Pentagon still has contingency plans for an invasion of Canada, yes? Yes, but once again they’ve been outsmarted by Canadian Common Sense… Hallmark doesn’t have (and will not make) a card for that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-calls-mosul-briefing-a-mistake-by-centcom/714180/15 "2015-03-05T01:59:52Z")
Could be the plans were released accidently on purpose. Or, it could be a screw up. The military’s been known to do that. Will Daesh/IS do something differently now?