What Does 'Boots On The Ground' Really Mean

Reuters

Kathy Gilsinan, The Atlantic: Cliché of the Moment: ‘Boots on the Ground’

Since when did footwear decide whether or not America is at war?

Last week’s announcement that the United States would be sending roughly 50 Special Operations Forces to Syria to help fight ISIS—after President Barack Obama’s repeated promises not to put American “boots on the ground” there—commenced a delicate rhetorical minuet for White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Wasn’t it the case, wondered more than one reporter at his press briefing on October 30, that 50 special operators stationed on Syrian soil were indeed “boots on the ground”? And if so, hadn’t Obama broken his promise?

WNU Editor: OK .... so its not "U.S. boots on the ground" in Syria that we have .... what we have are "U.S. sneakers on the ground" in Syria.