NOBEL PEACE PRIZE UPDATE: More U.S. troops to Iraq seen as tipping point, Pentagon sources say.

Tipping points are usually only clear after the fact. But Pentagon officials who just a few months ago were openly pessimistic that Mosul could be liberated this year now see more fight in the Iraqi Army.

And in his remarks in Baghdad, [Defense Secretary Ash] Carter made it clear he would not hesitate to ask for even more troops if it would speed the defeat of the Islamic State.

“At every step in this campaign, we have generated and seized additional opportunities to hasten ISIL’s lasting defeat,” Carter said. “These additional U.S. forces will bring unique capabilities to the campaign and provide critical support to Iraqi forces at a key moment in the fight.”

It’s always reassuring to see President Ash Carter on the scene.