ISAF answers the OPSEC/Force Protection question.

The above photo has been circulating all over the internet after the recent attacks in Afghanistan.

In some of the photos the faces of the operators are blurred in others they're visible.

I was curious.  Were the images that weren't blurred wildcat...meaning unauthorized...or does ISAF not have any kind of prohibition on the images and its just something that a few bloggers are doing?

I wrote ISAF public affairs and got an answer.  The whole e-mail will follow but I want to break it down...

It started out very pleasantly...

Sol,
The photograph in question was taken by a member of the media at apublic location. As such ISAF has no control over how the picture waspublished. Some media outlets chose to blur the faces, others did not.That decision was made by individual editors with no input from ISAF.

Wow.  So in a nutshell we have our answer.  Its an individual decision by certain bloggers.

Now on the next part I have to admit that I was trying to be a bit clever and dropped the name of the rumored unit to see if the guy would bite and either confirm or deny it.

I can see him leaning back in his chair, grinning from ear to ear saying (cause I think he's British) "Not bloody likely you silly wanker"  and "You're barmy if you think that you can get me to slip up on classified material you silly berk"....

Anyway, I'm not up on British insults but you get the idea.  Here is the actual response.

As policy ISAF does not comment on Special Ops troops or operations.Additionally, any photos taken by the media while working with themilitary community are always checked before publication to ensureoperational security is not compromised.  
Regarding this specific photo, we have nothing further to comment.  
Regards,
Tim
TP JAMES - UK AOF-3Press Desk ChiefISAF JOINT COMMANDCOMBINED JOINT OPERATIONS CENTER

So long story short.  Operational Security/Force Protection is not violated by the posting of these heroes faces on the internet.

Until a valid reason to do so comes up then pictures like the ones above should be visible to everyone.  In the future these will be historic images of a forgotten war.  They shouldn't be saved for posterity with obliterated faces.

Just my opinion.