Last week, in a mission to rescue 70 hostages being held by the group that calls itself the Islamic State, Army Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was killed . He was the first American soldier to die in Iraq in four years.
Overall, the rescue was hailed as a success for saving the lives of dozens of hostages. But it also raised a big question about what role, exactly, American troops are playing in Iraq.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, in a press conference Friday , didn't seem to have a clear answer to that question himself. "This is combat, things are complicated," he told reporters, before clarifying that Wheeler's death "doesn't represent us assuming a combat role. It's a continuation of our advise-and-assist mission."
Charles Sennott, head of The GroundTruth Project , says that lack of distinction points to an uncomfortable truth about the situation in Iraq: that American troops have, indeed, likely assumed combat roles in fighting ISIS.
"This operation was incredible," Sennott said. "But what it touches on is a raw nerve right now that somehow we're supposed to believe that U.S. forces are not actively engaged in combat."
"It's a charade," he continued.
Sennott also hypothesized that there may be more Special Forces troops who have sustained injuries in Iraq than the public has been informed about.
"I really think, at a minimum, it's fair for us to question much more aggressively," he said.
To hear more from Charles Sennott, tune in to Boston Public Radio above.
