Sergeant Bergdah freed

Really surprised the administration chose to make a big deal over this even aside from the "negotiation with terrorists" aspect. Did they not think there would be a backlash?

Very strong indications of desertion were present immediately after he went missing. And significant negative backlash due to the lives lost trying to recover him.

Then the dad has been extremely vocal essentially supporting the evidence that he at best went AWOL and in all probably even deserted.

My view is that if this guy walks with no investigation for court martial it will be for political reasons and a discredit to the current administration.

We have historically pulled citizenship for anyone who serves in another military. How is this any different?

Having read what the Dad's view is on this I am disgusted every time I see them on the news. Sorry, had to say this. I'd normally give parents benefit of the doubt. But not when the Dad was essentially encouraging and supportive of the son's actions.
 
Interesting timing, and for an administration bent on the "publicity" of actions (know first hand), I'm not sure how PURE I see this being. Maybe I'm just cynical?

More like your don't lose perspective and attention when the headlines change.

From the Hill

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/207856-bergdahl-bumps-va-from-spotlight

ABC News "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos asked Rice whether such allegations would be "investigated."

"If it is found that he did, will he be disciplined or has he already paid the price?" Stephanopoulos asked.

"Certainly, anybody who has been held in those conditions in captivity for five years has paid an extraordinary price, but that is really not the point," Rice said.

"The point is he's back. He's going to be safely reunited with his family. He served the United States with honor and distinction."

"We'll have the opportunity to learn eventually what happened in the past years,” she added. “But what's most important now is his health and well-being and that he have the opportunity to recover in peace and security and be reunited with his family, which is why this is such a joyous day."

Ms. Rice, should have said something along the line of it's for the DoD to determine.

Since health and well being of SGT Bergdahs is very important, how about health and well beings of some veterans that are being short change by the VA?
 
"with honor and distinction"



ummmmmm...... I guess we'll see. Distinct may apply if he did desert.... honor.... add three more letters to the beginning of that word.

"have a heart"

Ummmmmmmmm.... but not for the soldiers who died looking for him?


It would be VERY interesting to see this backfire on the Obama administration... reminds me of the movie "Wag the Dog".
 
@Hawk

Totally agree with you. This story started with a romantic tone of saving a POW of five years. Now it is unfolding into something disgusting. Im very surprised White House PR is chasing this. It could be a big bruise to this admin.

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
Im very surprised White House PR is chasing this. It could be a big bruise to this admin.

Once that train gets moving... it's hard to stop it. I'm sure Jay Carney is happy he will have a limited time to have to spin this one (I'm hoppy everyone dug through the VA secretary's resignation Friday to also see the White House press secretary resigned too).

Here's how it's generally works, and remember in the White House, and a number of agencies, there are political appointees who influence what is "news" (as opposed to career flacks).

Someone says "We're really getting beat up on this. Hillary Clinton is exposed for Benghazi, we're getting beat up on our foreign policy, with respect to Syria, Iran, Ukraine, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc etc etc. The disclosure of the CIA station chief in Afghanistan is a black eye. There's the stupid Marine in Mexico thing. Now we have the VA issue burning us up. Our signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act isn't in the news (which may be a good thing), we need to show we care. Oh hey, here's a soldier we could trade for, bring him home and remind people that we never stop (even though he's been locked up for Obama's entire presidency) looking. This will be the big story!"

Makes sense.... and then you dig deeper.

Yes he's an American, but he's a deserter. Yes he wore a uniform, but he was anything but honorable, his service anything but courageous. He walked away from America and six soldiers who were doing their jobs died looking for him and trying to undo his damage. Is five years hard? Sure, but tell that to the families of the six who haven't had a second to share with their lost loved ones.

This is likely NOT the feel good "look we never forgot you" story the administration was looking for, and in exchange for bring that trash home, the U.S. gave up five detainees.
 
For those feeling sympathy for the parents, what about the families of the 6 who died directly because this guy went AWOL?

Staff Sergeant Clayton Bowen, 29, of San Antonio, Texas
Private 1st Class Morris Walker, 23, of Chapel Hill, N.C
Staff Sergeant Kurt Curtiss, 27, of Murray, Utah
2nd Lieutenant Darryn Andrews, 34, of Dallas, Texas
Staff Sergeant Michael Murphrey, 25, of Snyder, Texas
Private 1st Class Matthew Martinek, 20, of DeKalb, Ill.

These soldiers died on missions trying to find/rescue/recover the AWOL soldier. It could be one of our's just as easily.

And there are indications other deaths and certainly injuries resulted from forces being diverted to try to rescue Bergdahl.

So when I see the teary eyed mom and the unrepentent dad on the news all day today, I think of the families and brothers-in-arms of these six.

Bergdahl needs to face UCMJ to determine guilt or innocence. But not lauded as hero until the issues of AWOL/desertion are addressed.
 
@LITS

Thank you.....I agree whole heartily with you.

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
This may be a bridge to far for the POTUS though. Methinks some smell blood in the water. The freeing of 5 high level terrorists, to go along with other less than 'correct' prior issues not enough by themselves to file for Impeachment, may embolden leaders to take a run at him this time. Guess we'll shall see...
 
Always happy to see an American soldier back on our soil......but

The comments from soldiers in his unit, circumstances of his capture and his previous messages/emails home before his capture are... well...interesting.

In addition, six soldiers died and we gave up five Taliban higher ups to get him back.

First priority is to get him back and reintegrated then the pieces can fall where they may.
 
This may be a bridge to far for the POTUS though. Methinks some smell blood in the water. The freeing of 5 high level terrorists, to go along with other less than 'correct' prior issues not enough by themselves to file for Impeachment, may embolden leaders to take a run at him this time. Guess we'll shall see...

It will never happen unless the Senate changes hands. Also, I personally don't feel errors in judgement and bad decisions are high crimes and misdemeanors. I think the President is correct, at least when doing a "POW" exchange, that the law requiring him to give 30 days notice to congress is unconstitutional.

I like none of this and am certainly not a supporter of current POTUS, but that's how I see it.

Aside from that I agree with Aglahad. Let's get this guy well and back home. Then we can see where the chips fall. I don't like the way we brought him home but I do think it right that we bring him home. He can face whatever charges someone prefers against him (if any) later.
 
Then we can see where the chips fall.
You mean where POTUS and Hagel tell the Army the chips will fall? If there was some impartial system for evaluating (judging) and sentencing this "soldier" then maybe the let's sit back and wait message might have some impact. How many people really believe that politics won't continue to affect the outcome of this fiasco?
 
President Obama has been looking to close Gitmo since he took office. So my only surprise is that he didn't trade EVERYONE in Gitmo for our soldier.
 
. I think the President is correct, at least when doing a "POW" exchange, that the law requiring him to give 30 days notice to congress is unconstitutional.

I didn't think we are fighting a war with the Al Qadea or Taliban, rather they are terrorist organizations. Hence the President still utilizes the GITMO holding enemy combatants or authorizes drone strikes. If so SGT Bergdah was a hostage, not a POW. I wonder if the President even bother to get a legal opinion from the Justice Department if his action was legal or not. Probably no, since he knows everything and can't do anything wrong.
 
I didn't think we are fighting a war with the Al Qadea or Taliban, rather they are terrorist organizations. Hence the President still utilizes the GITMO holding enemy combatants or authorizes drone strikes. If so SGT Bergdah was a hostage, not a POW. I wonder if the President even bother to get a legal opinion from the Justice Department if his action was legal or not. Probably no, since he knows everything and can't do anything wrong.

I'm sure he didn't. As you say, he knows it all. And if he did I'm sure the guys in Justice worked it towards what POTUS wanted to hear.

We're fighting someone over there... and I can see a case can be made for either POW or hostage. You say tomato and I say tomato. I would argue hostage but I'm not sure how a court would see it.

I think the pressure might be too intense for Obama or Hagel to direct the military on this one. I think it will go through a "regular" process. Color me naive perhaps.
 
I'm sure he didn't. As you say, he knows it all. And if he did I'm sure the guys in Justice worked it towards what POTUS wanted to hear.

We're fighting someone over there... and I can see a case can be made for either POW or hostage. You say tomato and I say tomato. I would argue hostage but I'm not sure how a court would see it.

I think the pressure might be too intense for Obama or Hagel to direct the military on this one. I think it will go through a "regular" process. Color me naive perhaps.

Always have to bring them home. If they did something against the code, have to bring him through the process. Especially if he and his parents left a trail like emails, and journals. and talking to fellow soldiers. Long time in the brig.

Didn't we give 6 additional Gitmo guys last summer for Bowe. So thats 11 for 1.
 
I think the pressure might be too intense for Obama or Hagel to direct the military on this one. I think it will go through a "regular" process. Color me naive perhaps.
I hope instead of being naive that you are correct and I'm just being cynical.....again. :cool:
 
I am no fan of Obama but his "illegal" swap is a non-issue. The US published a blatant lie to free the crew of the USS Pueblo (remember them?) and then when the crew was back, publicly retracted it. As far as the Guantanamo 5, they are dinosaurs to the Taliban. They have been sucked dry of intelligence and have long since been replaced by younger, aggressive people who are not about to be bumped off their pedestals. I would bet they look really credible to their homeboys with the extra pounds of easy living on them too.

The idea that he is somehow responsible for the deaths of fellow Americans should never be used as a beating point. To do so says that to go after a POW needs to be a function of how "good" he is----if you think the guy is a dirtbag than you just leave him to rot as people might get killed otherwise. If he is a faultless warrior than the risk of people getting killed is the risk you take according to this line of thinking. Obviously, that is wrong----you go after everybody and anybody that is captured and the risk of casualties is the price we pay for being Americans.

This is great time for politicians to keep their mouths shut but they just can't.
 
Never leave a man behind.

...even ones you don't think are honorable. If he is guilty, let him face trial. The important thing is WE can do that because he is an American and back in US hands.
 
The Coast Guard still rescues the idiot that thought the Severe Storm Warning didn't apply to them.

Rescue climbers still rescue non experienced climbers that were not prepared for the dangerous terrain.

This puts these rescuers all at risk but they still do it.

That being said, it doesn't mean we parade those rescued as heros and I hope they refrain from doing so in this case. I truly hope there is never a book deal or movie of the week that goes along with this.
 
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