A US Navy SEAL was killed Tuesday morning when ISIS fighters infiltrated a Peshmerga position in Northern Iraq. The SEAL was advising Peshmerga fighters about three to five kilometers behind a forward line of troops when ISIS fighters attacked the position, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement. The SEAL, who has not yet been identified, is the third combat death in Operation Inherent Resolve. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a briefing Tuesday in Stuttgart, Germany, the death is a reminder of the dangers troops face in the conflict. “It’s a serious fight that we have to wage in Iraq,” he said. The US-led coalition responded with fighters, bombers, attack, ground-attack, and remotely piloted aircraft strikes to counter the ISIS attack, according to the Pentagon.
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…