Is recently recovered U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl a hero or a deserter? I can’t presume to the absolute truth, but this certainly doesn’t paint him in a good light.
The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him, veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose “selfish act” ended up costing the lives of better men.
“I was pissed off then, and I am even more so now with everything going on,” said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl’s platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. “Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war, and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him.”
Vierkant said Bergdahl needs to not only acknowledge his actions publicly but face a military trial for desertion under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
A reporter asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Sunday whether Bergdahl had left his post without permission or deserted — and, if so, whether he would be punished. Hagel didn’t answer directly. “Our first priority is assuring his well-being and his health and getting him reunited with his family,” he said. “Other circumstances that may develop and questions, those will be dealt with later.”
While I’m certainly glad Bowe Bergdahl has been returned to the United States, there are very serious questions that need to be answered regarding why he left his post while serving in Afghanistan.
Agreed, the truth will follow.
It is unfortunate that the Obama administration chose to “shoot first ask questions later”. There are just too many things wrong with this picture.
First and foremost is a prisoner exchange, negotiating with terrorists, making a deal or whatever you want to call it, the result is the same and deviates from a long standing policy. More kidnappings, ransoms etc. will surely follow.
Second, who on earth thinks the 5 released Taliban leaders will return to their families and day jobs in peace? No one.
Third, the politics that surround Gitmo were bad before Obama took office and this move has made them worse.
Forth, IF it turns out Bergdahl deserted, and IF American soldiers died trying to locate him this maneuver will go down in history as one of the dumbest moves ever and yet another black eye for the current administration.
Like many, I am glad Bergdahl is safe and that his parents and families are relieved, but the way it came about and the predictable dangers created will be realized.
These actions by the administration do not surprise and are exactly what is expected of Obama, Kerry and Hagel’s foreign policy. Rather than standing tall and leading in the World they look more like the trifecta of weakness and the rest of the world has noticed.
This was a prisoner exchange. The Taliban are a military force and have never been designated as a terrorist group by the UN or the USA (http://www.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/367).
Read more about the five released prisoners (http://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/releasing-the-guantanamo-five-1-biographies-of-the-prisoners-first-posted-09-03-2012). Even John McCain has backed off on his characterization of them as “murderers.” They might be bad guys, but five of them for one of ours seems like a price worth paying.
Obama bypassed an obstructionist Congress to achieve this prisoner swap. Maybe he can do the same thing to close Gitmo. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/02/bergdahl-deal-could-be-first-step-to-emptying-gitmo.html)
Bergdahl is likely to face court martial. If the wheels of justice work as they should, how is that “one of the dumbest moves ever and yet another black eye for the current administration”? Innocent until proven guilty, man.
After the suffering thru the crimes of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Addington/Wolfowitz years, don’t give me that crap about “standing tall.”
Joeross, What’s the problem? You have it your way. All others have done is point out the obvious f__k ups that surround the situation. Seems to me Feinstein is on the Presidents side and he blew her off. Hmmm.
I’m no Dr. Phil, but, as he says “the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior”. We’ll hear about the 5 released from Gitmo again. Not a question of if but when.
Yeah, okay there “independent guy” IF Bergdahl is guilty THEN we should leave him to the Taliban?
Also since you are soooooooooo worried about these Taliban leaders name the military actions and terrorist attacks they have lead or participated in…
Ooooooh, and the “world has noticed” the “trifecta of weakness”? What a bunch of bs.
Describe this standing tall and leading the world.
It’s clear “independent guy” you are little more than conservative chicken hawk.
Well Gene, why don’t you share your feelings regarding the Bergdahl situation?
It’s important in any discussion or debate to define terms.
1. Taliban: A rival armed force/political movement operating in their own country. The Taliban control and are a government for the people in 80% of the land mass in Afghanistan.
2. Taliban Prisoner of War: Those five Afghanistan men exchanged for an American POW, Bowe Bergdahl.
I neither admire or support the Taliban whose tribal and religious form of government is of the dark ages.
The point here is there was no “negotiating with terrorists” but rather with the Taliban, a rival form of government in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda or Hamas are a terrorist organization with no land mass or borders defined as their county.
Ok Duane, I follow your points and your logic and agree definitions are important.
But to call the Taliban a rival form of government is being kind. I wonder what the Afghan people would call them? Does a rival government treat women as property? Does a rival government destroy Buddhist temples/statues nation wide? Does a rival government behead their opposition?
IG, and I agree with you that the Taliban,described elsewhere as an “insurgency” are not the “good guys” but who I believe is a tribe or culture a couple centuries behind the rest of the world’s civilization. Unfortunately, their tribal/religious community is not democratic or compares to any other modern ideological or poliical entity.
The Times also state that “Obama Didn’t Negotiate With ‘Terrorists’, for Bergdahl.
http://time.com/2809612/bowe-bergdahl-obama-taliban/
When this Unit 1st arrived in Afghanistan, Their primary mission was to Conduct Combat Operations, Offensive Op’s, Recon Patrols, Ambush patrols, Daily Basic Security Patrols at the Small Unit Level and as part of Large Unit Op’s. To even suggest this Units Primary missions would completely shift focus, To one of conducting nothing but S/R for this Soldier is absolutely LUDICROUS. Was there a sense of Urgency during these types of Normal Patrols to look for Him? Yes, Whether a Soldier was missing or not, Those types of Missions would continue, Ultimately they are what keeps your Unit alive.
Prisoner Swaps, Nothing New, What about the 500+ Detainees released prior by Pres.Bush? Any concern? Want to put a value on life, The Israeli’s released 1K Prisoner for 1.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/04/the-hero-who-died-looking-for-bowe-bergdahl.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/02/we-lost-soldiers-in-the-hunt-for-bergdahl-a-guy-who-walked-off-in-the-dead-of-night.html
Before I come to a conclusion,I’m waiting for the official DOD investigation and court martial, if necessary, charging Bergdahl with desertion, “conduct unbecoming,” AWOL,or any other failure to follow orders or betraying his oath of office.
Really? You comment on this blog about Scott Walker being investigated but NEVER CHARGED. I have yet to hear one person say he didn’t leave his platoon, it was a bad trade. The Taliban are not dumb people, all they have to do is realize they can capture another American to get more prisoners released
Sounds like Bergdahl’s ordeal is just beginning.
IndGuy –
This was a prisoner exchange. The Taliban are a military force and have never been designated as a terrorist group by the UN or the USA (http://www.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/367).
Read more about the five released prisoners (http://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/releasing-the-guantanamo-five-1-biographies-of-the-prisoners-first-posted-09-03-2012). Even John McCain has backed off on his characterization of them as “murderers.” They might be bad guys, but five of them for one of ours seems like a price worth paying.
Obama bypassed an obstructionist Congress to achieve this prisoner swap. Maybe he can do the same thing to close Gitmo. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/02/bergdahl-deal-could-be-first-step-to-emptying-gitmo.html)
Bergdahl is likely to face court martial. If the wheels of justice work as they should, how is that “one of the dumbest moves ever and yet another black eye for the current administration”? Innocent until proven guilty, man.
After the suffering thru the crimes of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Addington/Wolfowitz years, don’t give me that crap about “standing tall.”
I have very conflicting feelings about this. As an Army veteran, part of me wants him court martialed, part of me want the Army to give him dishonorable discharge and let him go away. Nevertheless, to say that we have never negotiated with bad guys is utter nonsense. We’ve negotiated with bad guys dating back to the revolutionary war until present day. One need look no further than Ronald Reagan trading arms for hostages.
I don’t say this often, if at all. But it is very admirable that a liberal blogger such as yourself would question the Obama administration on Bergdahl. We right-libertarians view liberals like you all, as our fierce enemies, haters of freedom, contemptuous of us Veterans and of the military on the whole.
This is the first time I’ve seen a liberal question the Obama administration on this, instead of viciously attacking us right-wingers for criticizing the Bergdahl for Muslim terrorists swap.
Kirsten Powers on Fox, and sometimes Juan Williams parts with liberal dogma. We thank you for your dissent.
Eric Dondero, Publisher
Libertarian Republican
Eric Dondero,
Zach’s post didn’t question the Obama administrations decision to swap Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders, he expressed concern about Bergdahl leaving his post. As for your view that all liberals hate the military and veterans, maybe you should quit watching Fox News or listening to Glenn Beck and you’d have a more accurate view of who we are. For example, I’m a big fan of one of the most decorated Marines in the history of the USMC, General Smedley Darlington Butler, who wrote ” War is a Racket ” and who felt that American soldiers should never be sent to war for Wall Street profits. I guess I’m not sure how you interpret that to mean I hate veterans and the military.
Bergdahl is a POW and had to be brought home. I am sure Bergdahl’s case will be examined but I would need to see a lot more than what I have scene so far to make a sound judgement. Obama made the right decision here regardless not to abandon an American Soldier. The Guantanamo Bay prisoners who have not had charges filed against them need to all be released anyway. Looking over the contradicting statements from the Republicans on Bergdahl they look like a bunch of political jesters.