US Army Sgt Bergdhal, thoughts?

[Al Wohlstrom]

How many will die from the release of the five Taliban? I thought we didn't negotiate with terrorist.

Fellow soldiers call Bowe Bergdahl a deserter, not a hero - CNN.com

Soldiers killed trying to rescue Bowe Bergdahl, branded a deserter by comrades - Washington Times

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

Should have left this butthead there.
email to parents,
The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong. I have seen their ideas and I am ashamed to even be american.[sic] The horror of the self-righteous arrogance that they thrive in. It is all revolting.
In the US army you are cut down for being honest... but if you are a conceited brown nosing shit bag you will be allowed to do what ever you want, and you will be handed your higher rank... The system is wrong. I am ashamed to be an american. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools...I am sorry for everything here. These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid, that they have no idea how to live. We don't even care when we hear each other talk about running their children down in the dirt streets with our armored trucks... We make fun of them in front of their faces, and laugh at them for not understanding we are insulting them...I am sorry for everything. The horror that is america is disgusting...There are a few more boxes coming to you guys. Feel free to open them, and use them.

 

[marc]

Why should I have any thoughts about him when he has no thoughts of Americans. Real Americans don't do that.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

Interesting email. If true, it certainly provides some context into the accusations he will face. If true, it appears he was an idealist that came face to face with the reality of the situation over there, and chose a path he may (or does) regret.

 

[Larry L.]

As more and more facts come out, I'm getting more and more DISGUSTED with the completely clueless, knee-jerk AMATEUR in the White House.

Dear God Almighty, deliver us from this fool and his minions...

 

[Pat]

I can't defend the release of the five Taliban leaders as they have a very high probability of returning to their past roles in orchestrating the deaths of others. I also can't defend the precedent that if you can somehow capture and American, you have a massive bargaining chip with which to negotiate with the U.S. government. One, Mohammad A Fazl, served as the Taliban Army chief of staff and was wanted by the United Nations for possible war crimes, "including the murder of thousands of Shiites." He was listed as a high risk to the U.S. and its allies. I believe U.S. troops, civilian contractors and overseas tourists are less safe today as a result.
I wonder how the government of Afghanistan feels about five of their former Taliban rulers now available to seek their former positions back. Ironic that they are so upset given their release of 65 men in February over strong objections from U.S. officials. Karma is a bitch.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the "Taliban Five" are Afghani political candidates in the near future.
As for SGT Bergdahl, I would withhold judgment until all the facts are in. After seeing the whack jobs he has as parents, it wouldn't surprise me if he had mental issues of his own. He certainly wouldn't be the first troop that went "round the bend and over the wire". Most disturbing to me are reports he assisted the Taliban in bomb making.

 

[Scott Calabro]

Now the 5 detainees can be legally killed as enemy combatants. Something that could not be done @ Club Gitmo.

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Perhaps the five have been "chipped" and can direct a Predator to visit them one evening...........

 

[Larry L.]

^^^ 'Exactly what a friend of mine and I were pondering last night.

(We concluded that their buddies would probably scan 'em for such devices immediately, though...loooooooong before they could get anywhere near other 'targets of interest'.)

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

Am I wrong to think we are at war in Afghanistan?
AWOL and Desertion in the US Military
I wonder how the families of the soldiers that died looking for this self centered asshole feel?

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I wondered about this. I think he walked off. It will be a long time sorting out this mess. I am afraid that the al Qaeda folks are laughing all the way to the bank on this one.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I can't say if he was right or wrong to do what he did, that's a matter of personal conscience.
However, you'd think when recruiting and training, they'd have some sort of process to 'weed' out those recruits who might have 'issues' likely to hinder effectiveness, in the future. After all, it's an army, not a political or moral discussion forum.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Why would the US Army promote someone who they thought had deserted? Bergdahl was promoted twice while a POW.

 

[Jack]

Why would the US Army promote someone who they thought had deserted? Bergdahl was promoted twice while a POW.

Because he was reported as MIA/POW. Once he has time in grade, it's automatic.
He was never listed as a deserter, which is the subject of current media debate.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Does 'POW' mean Prick Out Walking ?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Interesting, I know nothing about this other than what I have read, if he left his post he should face a Court Marshall as a deserter, but maybe he was kidnapped who knows?
No way should the five Taliban have been released in my opinion. That puts a value on the head of every soldier captured of five Taliban to one American, how insulting to the troops.
And how stupid of those who make these decisions, they have put every soldier at greater risk by their actions.
No doubt Obama will try to make political gain from this stupidity.

 

[Jack]

He had sent all of his belongings home, with a letter to his parents desecrating the USA. He "walked off" post. Sounds like premeditated desertion to me. Perhaps the
parents of the troops that were killed when sent to look for him have something to say. And, Barky (the magnificent CIC) added fuel by the prisioner exchange. That is
bordering on treason IMO! But, then again, I'm sort of biased too.

 

[Doug S.]

The current administration lists him as a POW and not as a deserter.

I don't know about that...but we do have a long set precedent of trading our enemy POWs to get back our POWs from them.

Personally, I believe that the 5:1 ratio is wrong, particularly considering that the 5 the Taliban get back are the leadership and the one we get back is....well, if he is a deserter I am sure the military will handle him as one as soon as he is "reclassified". I wish they would have done that before the trade so that he would not be welcomed home as a war hero and then have the government change their minds...that makes everyone look bad. No winners there.

My dad put in 32 years in the US military and was a fighter pilot in Europe during WWII, so I do have a rather personal orientation to this matter...yet, I do also feel that the facts are not all in. I'll withold final opinions until the issue of deserter vs. POW is determined. Of course, some will most assuredly assume the government will engage in a conspiracy to avoid classifying him as a deserter just to avoid embarrasment...but, then, we know about those "some" and their radical anti-B.O. viewpoints.

Cheers!

Doug

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

You ever wonder why, when a crisis like the VA or IRS or any of the other many crisis that have happened, along comes something like this, that nobody had any knowledge of to take our minds away. Even Diane Feinstein is a bit miffed, Congress is suppose to have 30 days notice of a prisoner release, not to mention the release of 5 Attila the Huns. Great deal Pres. Sorry Doug, not "radical anti B.O." he's just looking like a little God wanna be fuckup.

 

[Bob Fechter]

The most remarkable, and most destructive to our nation, was when clinton had janet reno order Kenneth Starr to investigate Monica Lewinsky.

You ever wonder why, when a crisis like the VA or IRS or any of the other many crisis that have happened, along comes something like this, that nobody had any knowledge of to take our minds away. Even Diane Feinstein is a bit miffed, Congress is suppose to have 30 days notice of a prisoner release, not to mention the release of 5 Attila the Huns. Great deal Pres. Sorry Doug, not "radical anti B.O." he's just looking like a little God wanna be fuckup.