>> and kurds in northern iraq there, an flori na are taking o. how is the fight playing out on the grounds today? >> definitely, the real strategic place at the moment for this mission to try and hit isis hard is around mosul dam. we were up there last week when the kurdish forces managed to take it back from isis who claimed it earlier in the month. it's interesting, we would have thought they would have pushed through the surrounding areas. they haven't been able to. isis is digging in. the u.s. air strikes you mentioned have really focused on that area. there's been about 110 to date. and they are helping the peshmerga move these areas, advance to a certain extent but isis is laying plenty of land mine, ieds, booby-trapping houses and buildings. so this is what is slowing this em down but from the kurdish military officials that i've spoken to, they are saying they need the usair offensive to expand and intense phi if they are going to cripple isis