Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi

The Pentagon says it is considering modest numbers of ground troops to fight alongside Iraqi forces. Joint Chiefs chairman Dempsey to the House Armed Services Committee:

I’m not predicting at this point that I would recommend that those forces in Mosul and along the border would need to be accompanied by U.S. forces, but we’re certainly considering it

The statement comes after Baghdadi releases an audio recording saying that the air campaign has failed.