A deleted photo from the White House social media account originally showed the unblurred faces of service members from U.S. special operations forces.Courtesy of Samuel Shoemate
The White House communications team recently shared an image of President Joe Biden during his visit to Israel, where he met with American special operations forces. Interestingly, in a departure from the standard practices of the Defense Department, the faces of these elite unit members were not blurred in the photograph.
This photo was posted on the White House’s official Instagram account for several hours on a Wednesday and received over 6,000 likes and 792 comments, according to screenshots obtained by The Messenger before the White House eventually removed it. President Biden’s trip to Israel followed the tragic Hamas attack that claimed the lives of over 1,300 civilians, including 32 U.S. citizens.
It’s customary for the Defense Department to obscure the faces of American special operations forces in their official photographs and videos. This practice is rooted in the sensitivity of their roles and the need to protect their identities. On the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website, which serves as a source of videos and images of the U.S. military for global media, the faces of special operations personnel are typically obscured, whether they are in training or deployed in combat zones.
Even during public demonstrations in places like Tampa, Florida, congressional delegations, or in the presence of high-ranking officials, these personnel often shield their faces with items like fleece gaiters or balaclavas.
The Pentagon has deferred inquiries regarding this matter to the White House, and as of now, the National Security Council has not responded to The Messenger’s request for a comment.
In the White House photo from Israel, six men donned combat gear and camouflage as they watched President Biden shake hands with one of the service members. This encounter took place against a backdrop of U.S. and Israeli flags, and the men appeared unshaven with beards and long hair, which are common features of U.S. special operations forces, particularly given their roles in conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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SOURCE
https://themessenger.com/news/white-house-photo-from-israel-revealed-identities-of-us-special-operations-forces