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I'm finding it odd that the same people who don't believe Bergdahl was a deserter "because all the facts aren't known" are also quick to point out the horrible ordeal he went through for five years, even though there's no facts to support that either.
There are also reports of him playing soccer and going to target practice with the Taliban.
Maybe those who want to wait for the facts about the platoon should also wait for the facts about the "capture."
And just my two cents: After the Rose Garden and Susan Rice's "honor and distinction" there's no way he'll get court martialed--optics will look too bad. It's going to be swept under the carpet and the Army will get another "suck it up and salute".
In fact, there already was an initial investigation conducted, and the conclusion was that Bergdahl walked off his post. The fact that he was a serviceman is a non-issue--weren't all deserters?
Nope,nope,nope. Not true as it doesn't fit the narrative the administration is putting out which is this poor kid was snatched after serving "with honor and distinction" and was held as a poor "captive" for 5 years and was at death's door when rescued.
Do not even mention he was out shooting and palling around with his "captors" in the last years. Was he caged at the start? Of course, they thought he was a spy sent by the CIA. I'm guessing they finally realized that not even the CIA could train someone to be THAT flaky.
Hey, maybe he just danced the nutcracker or some other ballet for them as entertainment?
As an aside, all the talk about is eye blinking and rubbing when he was sitting in the vehicle meaning he was probably held in the dark? I think he was actually wiping away tears because he had to LEAVE his new buddies and come back to the despised country he ran away from!
I think the opposing reactions to this show just how wide the cultural divide has gotten in our country. In past generations , virtually no one would have spun this a happy moment of a child being reunited with his mother and father, oh and we'll get to that little detail about him probably being a deserter sometime down the road.
The important thing is the warm fuzzy moment of a boy coming home to the bosom of his family. That is how Obama spun this in the Rose Garden. I can't imagine any president in American history doing what he did.
I really think a lot of people must think desertion isn't that big a deal, at least compared to a family reunification.
We have people from two different planets living in this country now.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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Originally Posted by jimj
Nope,nope,nope. Not true as it doesn't fit the narrative the administration is putting out which is this poor kid was snatched after serving "with honor and distinction" and was held as a poor "captive" for 5 years and was at death's door when rescued.
Do not even mention he was out shooting and palling around with his "captors" in the last years. Was he caged at the start? Of course, they thought he was a spy sent by the CIA. I'm guessing they finally realized that not even the CIA could train someone to be THAT flaky.
Hey, maybe he just danced the nutcracker or some other ballet for them as entertainment?
As an aside, all the talk about is eye blinking and rubbing when he was sitting in the vehicle meaning he was probably held in the dark? I think he was actually wiping away tears because he had to LEAVE his new buddies and come back to the despised country he ran away from!
To me it looked like he was fearful of his captors, flinching when they talked to him. But then I can read facial expressions.
He was in the hospital for quite a long time with malnourishment etc, they don't keep you in the hospital that long unless there are some serious issues, as might come from lengthy captivity.
It's possible that he was crazy (mentally unstable) enough to desert in the middle of a foreign, hostile nation and know that he was deserting in the legal sense. But maybe the Taliban didn't want to dialogue with him like his ballet instructor used to do ...... maybe they didn't trust him for some strange reason he couldn't figure out - maybe he found out the hard way that the Taliban simply didn't care about negotiating and figured they could get a good ransom.
I still can not muster one iota of empathy for this man; he caused so much pain for others dealing with the deaths and life long injuries.
In a way - Bergdahl was as selfish as Obama - not thinking about the human toll on those service members forced to look for this deserter.
To me it looked like he was fearful of his captors, flinching when they talked to him. But then I can read facial expressions.
He was in the hospital for quite a long time with malnourishment etc, they don't keep you in the hospital that long unless there are some serious issues, as might come from lengthy captivity.
It's possible that he was crazy (mentally unstable) enough to desert in the middle of a foreign, hostile nation and know that he was deserting in the legal sense. But maybe the Taliban didn't want to dialogue with him like his ballet instructor used to do ...... maybe they didn't trust him for some strange reason he couldn't figure out - maybe he found out the hard way that the Taliban simply didn't care about negotiating and figured they could get a good ransom.
Yes, he was/is in the hospital which released a doctors report that indicated there's nothing seriously wrong with him aka he's FINE.
His captors/friends didn't trust him at first thinking he was a plant/spy which makes sense. Once they figured out there was little chance of him being a spy he became a "pal" to go shooting and walking around with.
He was always a bargaining chip for the Taliban, maybe willingly but that is yet to be proven. Either way he put himself in that position KNOWING full well what "could" happen and what "probably" would occur with respect to the U.S. response and searching for him.
The important thing is the warm fuzzy moment of a boy coming home to the bosom of his family. That is how Obama spun this in the Rose Garden. I can't imagine any president in American history doing what he did.
Well, so much for the Moderator adminition not to engage in political jabs on this forum (as witnessed in many comments made this far in this particular discussion.
Slightly different, but not that far off: Ronald Reagan negotiated with terrorists for the return of hostages. Other Presidents likely have done so, without public notice. It's not such a novel action by the Commander in Chief.
The President probably understood there would be criticism from those in the Congress who've previously said they'd do whatever necessary to block whatever he wanted to do if he didn't succumb to their demands ... and he had the courage to follow his convictions regarding what he believes is in the best interest of the nation. Time will tell whether he exercised good judgment, or not.
The American people seem to be on the President's side on the matter ... if public opinion polls now being released accurately reflect the nation's mood.
The President and the administration and the military has more information than we do, and they also likely have formulated plans to proceed with an investigation of this soldier's actions and to determine what, if any, further action should be taken (i.e., courtmarshal, dishonorable discharge, whatever).
There are plenty of questions surrounding Sgt Bergdahl. In time, those questions will find answers. Until then, it's not our place to decide what his fate should be.
I think the opposing reactions to this show just how wide the cultural divide has gotten in our country. In past generations , virtually no one would have spun this a happy moment of a child being reunited with his mother and father, oh and we'll get to that little detail about him probably being a deserter sometime down the road.
The important thing is the warm fuzzy moment of a boy coming home to the bosom of his family. That is how Obama spun this in the Rose Garden. I can't imagine any president in American history doing what he did.
I really think a lot of people must think desertion isn't that big a deal, at least compared to a family reunification.
We have people from two different planets living in this country now.
You're right, we do have 2 major worldviews operating here now. In years past Americans would understand we get our men home from harms way as a principle & then deal with the troubling circumstances of individuals. Not now, there is a very loud contingent that knows all the answers & are simply doing God's will.
So after Reagan first lies & then finally 'fesses up about dealing with "terrorists" through the arms for hostages deal only when it was exposed ( and the same wing nuts canonized the bargaining-with-terrorists Ollie North).
And then Bush invades the secular, but oil rich Iraq, under the guise of combating Islamic extremism, since apparently the secular Saddam's wars against Iraq & suppression of Islamic fundamentalism didn't count, (but funny enough the two former oilmen in the executive branch start awarding non-competetive contracts to Cheney's old firm) while also bargaining with the Abu Sayaaf terror group in the Philippines to release their American hostages.
No, those don't matter since the armchair generals of the right wing are already organizing the lynch party & can't wait for any actual facts to be released. Leave our boys overseas in the enemy's hands from now on if we don't like what they did, or are rumored to have done.
Two different planets indeed. Earth back to you now.
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