(BrightPress.org) – Executive director for the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) David Cook said the Biden administration has endangered the lives and long-term careers of multiple special operators working in Israel. The group represents the interests of military contractors and servicemen who perform some of the most dangerous tasks, including undercover work.
In a misguided attempt to promote their policies, the White House posted a picture of President Joe Biden meeting with some of the special forces operators in Israel that showed their faces, exposing their identities. The picture was ultimately taken down, but the damage was done.
Speaking with Daily Caller, Cook said that the photographs handed Hamas a huge win in the propaganda war. Cook indicated there were a series of mistakes, from allowing the photographs to be taken in the first place to posting them online. He further elaborated that the images could not only endanger the men and their careers but potentially put their families at risk.
Some of the images feature blacked-out faces but still display watches, tattoos, and other details that could be used to identify the men. Criticizing the error and informing policymakers of the particular dangers associated with the special forces is one of the reasons SOAA exists, Cook explained.
The military sent the special operators into Israel to advise and help the IDF plan things like hostage rescue, according to the New York Times. Officials have repeatedly claimed that American military members are only there in an advisory capacity and will not directly be involved in rescue or other offensive operations in the occupied territories.
The White House issued a public apology after the fact, explaining they removed the post as soon as they were alerted to the harm being caused. Even in a best-case scenario that it was simply a security detail, Cook said Hamas won’t delineate between security guards and special operators.
Hamas is already calling for violence against American military personnel. However, there is still no direct evidence that the American military is engaged in any combat roles and U.S. officials deny that is happening.
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