via Defense One.
While everyone is happy that the guy is back in US hands, we can't forget how he landed in this situation.
He walked away from his unit and into the hands of his captors.
That's desertion. I imagine many will want to paper over that part of the story but if good order and discipline still are parts of our military culture then instead of awarding him a Prisoner's Medal, he rates a Bad Conduct Discharge.
We'll see if right wins or if political correctness carries the day.
In a statement, President Barack Obama said, “Today the American people are pleased that we will be able to welcome home Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, held captive for nearly 5 years. On behalf of the American people, I was honored to call his parents to express our joy that they can expect his safe return, mindful of their courage and sacrifice throughout this ordeal.”Awesome.
While everyone is happy that the guy is back in US hands, we can't forget how he landed in this situation.
He walked away from his unit and into the hands of his captors.
That's desertion. I imagine many will want to paper over that part of the story but if good order and discipline still are parts of our military culture then instead of awarding him a Prisoner's Medal, he rates a Bad Conduct Discharge.
We'll see if right wins or if political correctness carries the day.
There were allegations that he just left an FOB for no reason. If so, too bad for him he can't pull the Jill Metzger card and get away with it.
ReplyDeletethis bears watching though. i wonder if the Army is going to stick to its guns and charge the guy or if they're going to cave to limited public awareness of what actually happened.
Deleteif they give this guy a parade i'm gonna be punching walls though.
To be fair to the guy it hasn't actually been proven that he deserted. There are claims made by the Taliban that he deserted and gave them information but information from Wikileaks suggests that he was captured while on a latrine in the field, I don't trust the Taliban but Wikileaks admittedly might not have all of the data needed to know for sure what happened.
ReplyDeleteBasically I think it's possible that he may of deserted or been captured,
Anyway, even if he did desert he's had five years locked up in some Taliban cave, isn't that enough?
the US Army said he walked off the base, not the Taliban. and yeah, he's been in Taliban hands for 5years but whose fault is that?
Deletewe award our heroes for acts of valor not only because they earned it but as an example to the rest of the military as to what is expected of them.
if this guy is praised then we are sending the wrong message to the rest of the force.
i pointed out the desertion part to someone today and i got the, "no....he was captured response" haha how little people actually know about this situation. I honestly dont know why we gave over 5 prisoners for someone who left thinking he would be embraced with open arms and then surprised he was taken prisoner
ReplyDeletei'm not surprised. even those people who are paid news journalist don't actually keep up with the news. they learn a few facts and then move on to the society pages.
Deleteour biggest problem is that we're actually seeing the two Americas that everyone talks about. the hardcore do the right thing and then the brony, i want to make you feel good pussies on the other side.
Hopefully the GPS trackers inserted under their skin are working just fine.
DeleteThe circumstances remain unclear with several contradictory sources there is a real risk that any accusations made by journalists could be incorrect and constitute defamation or libel. As such I don't think even the most cynical editors will dare to do more than lightly question the circumstances of his capture.
DeleteThe strongest evidence against him was that he 'may' have walked off base and some unverified personal correspondence that is circumstantial at best, anyone calling him a deserter in a national paper wouldn't have a leg to stand on if he is found innocent.
DUDE!!!! THIS MOTHERFUCKER DID WALK OFF BASE. END OF STORY!!!
Deletehe wanted easy money and found out that the oath carries a commitment.
you're beyond cool Scot but on this one you're full of shit. call a spade a spade and a deserter a deserter. Bergdahl is a deserter!
I'm not questioning whether he is or isn't a deserter, I'm just saying that in cases like this a journalist may have to prove that they made their statements in good faith in the belief that they were true given the information available to them.
DeletePersonally I'd be uncomfortable openly accusing that guy given the information available, I still think he's probably guilty but I can understand why most journalists and editors aren't willing to gamble their reputation or potential damages on it.
Most likely he was searching for women or drugs if not he walked off in a funk and got grabbed by some sympathetic Taliban.
DeleteLooks like a win for the Taliban. ---news report, Miami Herald:
ReplyDeleteThe events leading up to Bergdahl’s disappearance from his Afghan base have never been clear. Some military officials have suggested that he left the base voluntarily and may have deserted.
Published accounts, especially a Rolling Stone report on Bergdahl’s emails home, suggest that the soldier willingly walked away from his unit soon after arriving in Afghanistan.
Rolling Stone cited emails in which Bergdahl told his parents he was “ashamed to even be American” and had lost faith in the mission. He also hinted at desertion, according to the report, and mailed home boxes of personal belongings such as uniforms and books. Bergdahl reportedly wrote that the “future is too good to waste on lies.”
An Associated Press examination of the case quoted radio intercepts, released by Wikileaks, as indicating that he was later captured while sitting on a makeshift latrine.
A win for the Taliban, really?
DeleteI'll wake tomorrow a Free American and they will wake up a raghead Taliban living like a rat in a hole.
A win, I think not.
Here is what his dad has been up to. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpAfiLsIgAAhVLv.jpg:large Not falling far from the tree and all that?
ReplyDeleteA few more tweet pictures: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/01/was-sgt-bergdahls-release-part-of-a-plan-to-free-terrorists/
DeleteNow I know why this was done on the weekend; less people paying attention.
The Army has a promotion point-based system for promotion. It would be interesting to learn how Bergdahl got promoted from Pfc to sergeant while in captivity.
ReplyDeletethats not a mystery. the US Military promotes members that are taken prisoner at the same rate as their counterparts that are serving. its designed so that if even two of them are together and assuming they're getting news from the outside, they can maintain discipline and the highest ranking prisoner will take charge to maintain moral, discipline against torture etc...
DeleteI doubt if the Army will charge him with desertion, a possible capital crime under the UCMJ (if wartime rules apply) The administration would not want the bad press of having traded a deserter for 5 terrorists.
ReplyDeleteeven though thats exactly what they did???!!!!!!
DeleteWhat bad press? The page 1 article in my paper this morning simply said "the circumstances of how he was separated from his unit and captured have remained a mystery". At least the paper said that much. The bits I saw this morning on NBC Today and ABC didn't talk about how he was caught at all. Press is in full cover mode from the VA scandal. With all the showing of Obama with this guys parents in the Rose Garden I doubt there will be any investigation.
DeleteI was laughing at the talk that the administration didn't have the time to notify Congress about this because things "were moving too fast". Really? Everyone has a cellphone on their hips and they expect us to buy that story?
If it is proven that he did desert, then some kind of charges have to be put forward. The reason for this is example, unit, Army, Service, DOD morale. And deserting while in a combat zone appears even worse then someone that refused to deploy. Finally, it is an all-volunteer service. No one is drafted. Even more reason to bring charges if the facts support it. --Regards
ReplyDeleteThey could always charge him and then count his captivity as time served...
ReplyDeleteThe administration will of course take credit for this but I believe that the way it came down is that the Taliban provided a video on Bergdahl to the US via Qatar some months ago, along with the five for one proposal. So it's a win-win-win, if that's the way it happened. Taliban, US and Qatar all get brownie points, in any case.
ReplyDeleteIn the larger situation it's only a blip, as the US goes through its Vietnam redux strategy toward the last-helo-from-Saigon moment.
Oh well, He at least will be a good subject for intelligence to pump dry about his sojourn in the gentle hands of the Taliban.
ReplyDeleteWill he be RELACDU or does he have to serve the rest of his tour in the Army?
Yes, deserter's were welcomed home with a pardon by the Georgia Giant Jimmy Carter after the Vietnam war ended.
So will Bergdahl by Jimmy Obama.
i know you know this Zebra but many might not.
Deleteat one time desertion was punishable by death. especially if it was in the face of the enemy. considering the combat conditions in Afghanistan it can be said that Bergdahl deserted in the face of the enemy and is therefore subject to the death penalty for the act.
whats gonna happen?
idiots are going to praise this worthless piece of shit and his hometown is going to give this msifit/freak/hippy a fucking welcome home party!
Nice camo job on the bullet spitter at the top of the page.
ReplyDeleteyeah its german so i don't know if they were going for MARPAT or FLEKTAR (?)
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