On Tuesday, US special forces accompanying Afghan troops engaged in a protracted firefight with Taliban forces in the Helmand Province. One of the US soldiers was killed and two others were wounded.
When asked if the fatal skirmish meant the US combat mission continues in Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook was evasive. He labeled the mission only a "train, advise and assist" operation.
When pressed about the US soldier's death, Cook said Afghanistan "is a dangerous place" and that US troops backing Afghan soldiers "are in harm's way when they're there."
The troops were deployed in response to Taliban gains in Helmand, with an eye toward fighting them off. US warplanes have been increasing their airstrikes against Helmand all the while.
"Despite being 14+ years into the Afghanistan occupation, Pentagon officials are increasingly loathe to present anything the US is doing as combat, even when it involves shooting people and blowing stuff up," Jason Ditz writes at antiwar.com
The narrative in Afghanistan in particular is one of the US taking a "support" role, and the admission that US troops have to get into combat to keep the Taliban from seizing important parts of the country undercuts the pretense of progress.
Similarly, the Pentagon has opted to label gunfights in Iraq as "training" operations.
