“When the battle got tough in the city of Mosul, the troops dropped their weapons and abandoned their posts, making it an easy prey for the terrorists.” Insurgents associated with Al Qaeda have gained complete control of Mosul, the effective capital of northern Iraq.

+ The Daily Beast: Why the terrorists are winning in Iraq — and how that could cost them everything.

+ Five American soldiers and two Afghans were killed by friendly fire after calling in airstrikes during a battle with the Taliban.