I've said it before, but think it bears repeating: let's compare the Mosul "liberation" with another one, Paris, 1944. Mosul's liberation has taken close to 9 months. Coalition forces faced small-arms fire, hand-held rocket-launchers, heavy machine-guns mounted on pickups driven around by rag-tag bands of guerrillas-type "soldiers."  Almost 9 months!

From D-Day landings until Liberation of Paris: June 6-Aug 25, less than three months. Not just one liberated city along the way, but many: Cherbourg, Caen and Falaise, where Allies faced elite troops and SS Panzer tank divisions.  Facing ISIS-type resistance, the Allies would have entered Paris in mere weeks.

The "save the civilians" excuse rings hollow.  Mosul's "victory" took this long because it's "war as a way of life" (how many months for Raqqa to be taken?) Iraqi soldiers enjoy a wartime lifestyle that equates to the "good life" in a ravaged land: they're clothed, fed, housed, and paid--prestige, too. Why hurry?  Some victory.