U.S. troops ambushed in Mosul.
A suicide bomber detonated a fuel truck outside of a house in Mosul occupied by U.S. troops. U.S. troops responded to the blast, only to get ambushed by a human bomb and approximately 50 insurgents with rifles, RPGs, and mortars. Close air support was called in, which allowed U.S. troops to beat off the attackers and evac the wounded.

Initial reports claim 25 Iraqis were killed and that 15 U.S. soldiers were wounded -- apparently seriously. Al Jazeera says that none of the U.S. wounded have been returned to active duty.

Given that the traditional ratio of Iraqi-to-US casualties has got to be something like ten-to-one if not more, this sounds like a fairly effective ambush to me -- a brutal, violent form of attrition. Given that the soldiers just went through the bombing of their camp just last week, it must be a particularly damn intense time to serve in Mosul right now. Pain, sorrow, anger, and paranoia. I haven't heard any chatter online from those soldiers I do know who are in Mosul -- I hope they are ok -- so all I can assume is that they've shut down the internet on base while family of those wounded (or killed) in the ambush are notified.

Many of those soldiers are going to be nervious and frustrated. Many of them are going to want serious payback, too. I have a feeling that things could get real ugly real soon.

*Update - Reuters confirms at least one U.S. soldier killed in the attack, and includes further details on the assault. *