US Army Sgt Bergdhal, thoughts?

[Doug S.]

He was never a POW as no war was declared.

Agreed, Pete...however, even though we never declared an official war against North Korea in the '50s, against Viet Nam in the 60s, or against Iraq or Afghanistan more recently, we have still referred to our captive soldiers as "POWs"...it has become a commonly used acronymn without regard for whether or not any official Declaration of War was issued...a colloquialism, if you will.

I share your optimism that our government will sort out the truth...in accordance with promises made by our POTUS recently.

Cheers!!

Doug

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Doug, I think Obama has done some things well. But he doesn't seem to get his role as CIC. He just seems inept as far as the military goes. I read Robert Gates' book ("Duty") recently and I was surprised at how favorably he described Obama. I didn't expect that.

I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but he doesn't seem to understand what the CIC job involves- that's how it feels to me.

I also think that countries which formerly counted on us to support them now have doubts about whether the USA is good for its' commitments. I wonder myself. The more public statements we see from our SOS (Dudley Doright) and Obama, the less I vbelieve them. It's not a good situation.

 

[Robert May Eng.]

These things will always leave a bad taste in the mouths of those affected but long before any final decisions were made this would have been heavily debated and many facts that joe public are not privy to considered. The internal workings of these deals are for sure a lot more in depth and complex than would appear from the surface. These trade off`s are not new , we have had them with the IRA in years gone by and the public`s fear off the release of " terrorist`s" have largely been unfounded , the bigger picture in Northern Island was a lasting peace which while still in its infancy and not without the odd hiccup is working. Sometimes we the mis/uninformed need to put our trust in the powers that be and pray they know what they are doing:stunned:

Bob

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

That the problem, Bob I don't think Obama knows what his role is as C.I.C. Either that or he is getting terribly bad advise.

 

[Keith]

Agreed, Pete...however, even though we never declared an official war against North Korea in the '50s, against Viet Nam in the 60s, or against Iraq or Afghanistan more recently, we have still referred to our captive soldiers as "POWs"...it has become a commonly used acronymn without regard for whether or not any official Declaration of War was issued...a colloquialism, if you will.

I share your optimism that our government will sort out the truth...in accordance with promises made by our POTUS recently.

Cheers!!

Doug

Doug, Vietnam was the only 'war' that you quote that may/may not have required a formal Declaration of War. May not, as it was essentially a Proxy War without the US officially involved. (That's a laugh for a start) All the others you mention were as a result of UN Resolutions and were thus UN 'Police Actions.' Splitting hairs perhaps, but future wars will be (are being) fought owing to opposing interpretations of such actions.

The US has a Mandate for Afghanistan therefore International Rules of Engagement apply.

In Vietnam, technically Americans couldn't be deemed as POW's as the absence of a Declaration means they didn't exist! Bet the recruiters never told 'em that!

Quick edit: sorry had to break off - doctor house call. The above is my opinion based on what knowledge I have on- board at this time and I tend not to Google by reason of cynicism. By the way, all this hoo-ha about your President no doubt will be answered when he's no longer in office

 

[Keith]

That the problem, Bob I don't think Obama knows what his role is as C.I.C. Either that or he is getting terribly bad advise.

Pete, you are fined 1 Paddock Point for yor speling of advice.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Pete, I am going to step up and pay your fine as you are a fellow WOGG. Plus today the exchange rate has improved a bit.

I don't think we'll find out a lot about the Obama administration when he's no longer in the White House. They have been more paranoid about leaks than any other administration in my memory, and that goes back far enough to include Tricky Dick Nixon. And this is the administration that made a point of how transparent they planned to be. What nonsense.

No, I think they'll keep the lid screwed down on all of it. Too bad. There's probably a lot of interesting reading in there.

 

[Keith]

But think of the almost endless conspiracy theories Jim. More than enough to keep GT40s powered up for years to come!

By the way, I agree your hike in Pete's fine.

Pete, you are now fined 2 Paddock Points for the speling transgresion.

 

[Larry L.]

I share your optimism that our government will sort out the truth...in accordance with promises made by our POTUS recently.

You do? Really. Why? On what basis?

POTUS also "promised" we could keep our doctor...we could keep our plan...Obamacare is NOT a tax...'what we said was if your plan met Obamacare's minimum requirements before Obamacare came into effect'...healthcare negotiations will be on C-Span...he'd get to the bottom of (you name the scandal)...he'd close Gitmo within his 1st year in office...he'd have the most transparent admin in history...unemployment wouldn't exceed 8% if we passed the 'spendulus' now, now, NOW...he'd cut the debt/deficit in 1/2 by the end of his 1st term...he'd create 5 million NEW JOBS in the green energy sector alone...there'd be no lobbyists in his administration...Benghazi happened because of a video...Bashar al-Assad has to go/'red line' in the sand...the NSA isn't spying on Americans...there's not a smidgeon of corruption in the IRS...“No family making less than $250,000 will see any form of tax increase"...'Canceled plans to complete a missile defense shield in Poland...'told Israel they must return to the 1967 borders as a pre-condition for continuing talks with the Palestinians...'went against Great Britain and essentially took Argentina's side regarding its new claim on the Falklands...and on, and on, and on, and on, and...

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

I quite frankly don't understand how anyone without some prior military officer experience can be expected or allowed to be commander over the armed forces. The whole idea is scary, especially if they make crucial decisions without consulting with the rest of government.
To take someone without experience and give him that power is beyond belief. LBJ running the war from the WH, geeez, no wonder we lost. But with good advisors......................I guess that's why we have alcohol and drugs.

 

[Keith]

You would like someone unelected to run a 'war' for you?

 

[Doug S.]

You do? Really. Why? On what basis?

POTUS also "promised" we could keep our doctor...we could keep our plan...Obamacare is NOT a tax...'what we said was if your plan met Obamacare's minimum requirements before Obamacare came into effect'...healthcare negotiations will be on C-Span...

Larry, these are redundant issues for you...just curious, are you in the medical field, perhaps a physician? I ask b/c in a previous discussion involving Jim Craik I think I credited you for being a physician and there was some discussion about that. If you are a physician who lost patients b/c of the Affordable Care Act, that would explain why it is such a sore point with you.

I remind you that ALL presidents make promises during their election campaigns that they find it hard to keep...the elder Bush comes to mind immediately with his "Read my lips---NO NEW TAXES" faux pas. B.O. should not be held to a higher standard...unless you have a personal agenda...such as being a physician who lost patients.

Just curious, you understand...and I promise I won't be insulted at all if you remind me that it is NOMB...

Cheers!!

Doug

 

[Larry L.]

Nice try at deflection/redirection.

You tied your confidence in the govt "(sorting) out the truth" to/with/because of "promises" made recently by Obama. I listed some of the 'b.s.' "promises"/statements the man has made just since he took office and asked WHY YOU CONTINUE TO TRUST THE MAN in light of all the CLEAR BULL he's pedaled from day one...and your answer/rebuttal to all that is just to accuse me of having a personal agenda!

(These days if Obama says it's raining anyone with a brain that functions normally will automatically look out the window to verify it.)

 

[DaveM]

I quite frankly don't understand how anyone without some prior military officer experience can be expected or allowed to be commander over the armed forces. The whole idea is scary, especially if they make crucial decisions without consulting with the rest of government.
To take someone without experience and give him that power is beyond belief. LBJ running the war from the WH, geeez, no wonder we lost.

Actually LBJ was in the Navy 1940-1942 and flew as an observer in combat over New Guinea. Not that he had good judgment about Vietnam.
W. and Cheney are the pair without real military experience. Cheney was especially egregious with 5 deferments. You think Cheney (Darth Vader) gives a rat's ass about the thousands dead in the Iraq war he cooked up? Neither he nor W. would send their children to war.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

LBJs involvement in the war was QUITE minimal, and that's putting it politely. This is detailed in Caro's biography of him. He did very little in his stint in the military, except polish his own ambition as usual, which was the central theme of his life.

Bush 43 was in the reserves; the rather prolonged gap in his service history was probably while he was in treatment for alcohol or drug abuse, although I have no proof of that at all.

Cheney had no military time whatever. He was deferred by the SSS five times. I suspect he was not the only person to do this- those of us who wanted to be in the military just enlisted. Cheney's efforts to avoid military service seem reprehensible in light of his actions later as a hawk- the perception (and I share it) is that he was quite careful about his own life, but hardly careful at all about the lives of soldiers and sailors that he sent into harm's way, many of whom died.

I agree that neither Bush nor Cheney would send their children to war. Dying in combat, I suppose, is for the children of less privileged individuals.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Pete, I am going to step up and pay your fine as you are a fellow WOGG. Plus today the exchange rate has improved a bit.

I don't think we'll find out a lot about the Obama administration when he's no longer in the White House. They have been more paranoid about leaks than any other administration in my memory, and that goes back far enough to include Tricky Dick Nixon. And this is the administration that made a point of how transparent they planned to be. What nonsense.

No, I think they'll keep the lid screwed down on all of it. Too bad. There's probably a lot of interesting reading in there.

Thanks Jim, much appreciated!:laugh:

 

[Keith]

Thanks Jim, much appreciated!:laugh:

Hmmm what happened to Jimbo's suggestion that I increase the fine?

Curse this edit fucktion... :furious:

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Oh, it was increased, and I paid it, and you sent me a receipt. I have it right here, somewhere.

 

[Keith]

It's underneath the tyre bill in it...

 

[Pat]

I agree that neither Bush nor Cheney would send their children to war. Dying in combat, I suppose, is for the children of less privileged individuals.

I think you're right, George W. and Dick Cheney probably wouldn't want their daughters to die in combat. I suspect Mr. and Mrs. Clinton would not as well.

How about Sarah Palin? She has a son. So does John McCain. Wonder what happened to them?

I personally didn't have any interest in enlisting, Mr. Johnson and Local Board 29 thought otherwise though... My claims of being a homosexual, bedwetting, necrophiliac with bad knees, back problems and frequent panic attacks in the draft physical fell on deaf ears. My efforts to alter my blood sugar by only eating bananas for a week before the physical also failed to affect the urine and blood samples. I was assured it would indicate I was diabetic or something.

So my service in the U.S. Army began, like SGT Berghdal's service with the Taliban, involuntarily.