But if Obama were to approve putting military advisers in "close combat roles," the risk of American casualties would increase -- regardless of whether those troops are firing weapons themselves or advising Iraqi forces who are.
That's because a combat support role can turn into combat "in a heartbeat," retired Gen. James "Spider" Marks said.
"Enemy advances are not distinctive, you could suddenly be in the midst of a really hairy dogfight and you think you're just refueling trucks," Marks said.
Ultimately the distinction between boots on the ground and troops in advisory roles is semantic, retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona said on CNN.
"Right now we've got young American men and women putting their lives on the line dropping bombs," Francona said. "We've got people in combat, I think we should just say that."
And Dempsey produced a quick and direct response when Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, asked Dempsey whether U.S. pilots dropping bombs over Iraq are in a combat mission and whether the U.S. would "put boots on the ground" to rescue a downed pilot.
"Yes and yes," Dempsey confirmed.
Inhofe also lasered in on Obama's "boots on the ground" distinction later Tuesday in an interview with CNN.
"The President's just flat not telling the truth. We already have boots on the ground there," said Inhofe, a chief political antagonist of the White House. "He knows we're going to have to have boots on the ground. Let's just go ahead and face it and admit we're in a war and you just don't win a war unless you're out there fighting."
I'm so tired of them.
