The Pentagon is sending another 1,300 ground troops to Iraq to help local forces fight Islamic State, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters on Dec. 19.

The reinforcements will include an unspecified number of counterintelligence specialists whose job it is to protect American forces from spies and saboteurs.

And for good reason. Iranian agents, proxies and supporters are all over Iraq, also helping fight the Sunni militants. With U.S. and Iranian troops in such close proximity, the risk is high for Washington that Tehran could scoop up some pretty useful intel.

Or worse.

We don’t know which U.S. units are providing the counter-spies. However, all of the American armed services have troops who specialize in this mission. The U.S. Army’s 902nd Military Intelligence Group at Fort Meade in Maryland is one example.

Whichever counterintel troops are heading to Iraq, their work in the embattled country will be “routine,” public affairs officials for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve—the American task force in Iraq—told War Is Boring.

The specialists are “needed to protect personnel and the mission,” the officials added.

Timing is a question. Why now? We weren’t able to find out what specific threats might have prompted the Pentagon to send the counterintel troops to the Middle East.