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.
