US Soldier spends 3rd Christmas as Taliban Prisoner

[Nebor]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2072750/Taliban-recapture-U-S-soldier-Bowe-Bergdahl-3-days-run.html

I couldn't find any reference to SGT Bergdahl here in P&N. It is outrageous that the Taliban has admitted they are holding him in Pakistan, he's been held captive for 3 years and we still haven't gotten him back. How about we hold the Pakistani government's feet to the fire? IMO sheltering Osama Bin Laden isn't as bad as hiding a US POW.

This guy is a hero. He learned Pashto and feigned conversion to Islam to gain their trust so he could make a break for it. I can't imagine how he must feel, 3 years later, his countrymen nowhere in sight. :'(

 

[Lemon law]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2072750/Taliban-recapture-U-S-soldier-Bowe-Bergdahl-3-days-run.html

I couldn't find any reference to SGT Bergdahl here in P&N. It is outrageous that the Taliban has admitted they are holding him in Pakistan, he's been held captive for 3 years and we still haven't gotten him back. How about we hold the Pakistani government's feet to the fire? IMO sheltering Osama Bin Laden isn't as bad as hiding a US POW.

This guy is a hero. He learned Pashto and feigned conversion to Islam to gain their trust so he could make a break for it. I can't imagine how he must feel, 3 years later, his countrymen nowhere in sight. :'(

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Sad to say Nebor, I somewhat agree with you, but when you say nothing about far more innocent people languishing in GITMO for 9 years, which is the greater outrage.

Nebor, there is something wrong with you if you are so eager to go down one side of the street without looking at the other side of the street in the process.

Nebor, Jerks like you will never understand why your repulsive behavior wins the USA second place in a beauty contest with the Taliban. As rotten as we both agree the Taliban is, aholes like you in Nato have somehow managed to be even more rotten than the Taliban.

After 10 years, are we winning yet? But cheer up Nebor, Afghan drug lords love the USA, as Nato stands four square for Afghan government corruption. The finest form of Mafia style democracy to be found in the region.

 

[Nebor]

Wildly off topic. This thread is about our military's failure to rescue a lost soldier after 3 years, not our military's failure to conclude the war in Afghanistan after 18 years.

 

[Craig234]

I think it's terrible for him to be captive so long, but am sick of people who only see injustice when it's done to their side. It changes 'that poor guy' to 'turnabout is fair'.

They don't have drones flying over our cities. How should the people at Guantanamo - some still there for a decade, reportedly most 'innocent' - feel about that?

 

[Nebor]

I think it's terrible for him to be captive so long, but am sick of people who only see injustice when it's done to their side. It changes 'that poor guy' to 'turnabout is fair'.

They don't have drones flying over our cities. How should the people at Guantanamo - some still there for a decade, reportedly most 'innocent' - feel about that?

They're being well looked after on a tropical island, poor souls.

 

[Infohawk]

First time I'd heard about this guy. Yet another reason we need to be at arms-length distance from Pakistan.

 

[chowderhead]

The Obama administration has brokered the release of Sgt. Bergdahl. He is in US hands. It appears the administration agreed to do a swap of 5 prisoners from Gitmo to Qatar in exchange for the release of Bergdahl.

 

[Thebobo]

Good to hear he is coming home.

 

[Bulk Beef]

5 yrs of back pay with BAH should be sweet! Welcome home SGT Bergdahl.

 

[Imp]

More surprised they kept him alive for so long. Best of luck to him... Reports say he may have been AWOL/off base alone when captured. Curious to see how the military handles that.

 

[brycejones]

More surprised they kept him alive for so long. Best of luck to him... Reports say he may have been AWOL/off base alone when captured. Curious to see how the military handles that.

My guess is they will let it go and call 5 years as a POW punishment enough.

 

[TheFamilyMan]

According to many, this so-called hero doesn't deserve a parade and backpay. If true, he's a deserter and should stand trial for that plus insubordination, treason, and maybe even be held responsible for the men who were killed searching for him.

Having quite a few friends that rank fairly highly in the military, their opinions seem to indicate top brass feels he is a deserter but will shy away from any type of penalty due to how much bleeding heart press this guy has gotten.

 

[Northern Lawn]

I wonder if he got fed with a feeding tube?

 

[chowderhead]

According to many, this so-called hero doesn't deserve a parade and backpay. If true, he's a deserter and should stand trial for that plus insubordination, treason, and maybe even be held responsible for the men who were killed searching for him.

Having quite a few friends that rank fairly highly in the military, their opinions seem to indicate top brass feels he is a deserter but will shy away from any type of penalty due to how much bleeding heart press this guy has gotten.

Why was he promoted twice by the military during his capture? I agree that it sounded like he may have walked away from the alleged email he may have sent but why would the military promote him to sergeant if they felt he deserted?

 

[Sulaco]

My question is, how abominably stupid would one have to be to desert/go AWOL in fucking Afghanistan?!?

Where are you going to go?
What are you going to do?

You are literally surrounded by enemy combatants, blended superlatively into the environment, who would LOVE to kill you/torture you in the most excruciating of ways.

On top of the fact you don't speak the language, know nothing of the culture, aren't a follower of the predominant religion, are nowhere NEAR any sort of infrastructure for leaving the country (rail, airport, coastline), are in one of the most desolate and wartorn places on the planet.

...and oh yeah. You stick out like a sore fucking thumb as a white American military member.

I just have a hard time believing anyone, however disillusioned and impotent, would soberly make that decision who wasn't at least as dim-witted as many of the posters on these boards.

 

[schmuckley]

"In exchange for the 28-year-old American, President Barack Obama agreed to release five high-level Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
So in order to release this soldier,Obama negotiated the release of 5 high-level terrorists.
I'm at a loss for words.

 

[boomerang]

"In exchange for the 28-year-old American, President Barack Obama agreed to release five high-level Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
So in order to release this soldier,Obama negotiated the release of 5 high-level terrorists.
I'm at a loss for words.

And it appears that he violated the law by not notifying Congress of the release of the five from Guantanamo. But, he does have a pen and a phone as he's mentioned.

 

[schmuckley]

impeachibru?

 

[michal1980]

Ahh so now we negotiate with terrorists. Ok terrorists, if you want something, capture our soldiers Obama will give you whatever you want.

 

[schmuckley]

Ahh so now we negotiate with terrorists. Ok terrorists, if you want something, capture our soldiers Obama will give you whatever you want.

exactly.

 

[Northern Lawn]

And it appears that he violated the law by not notifying Congress of the release of the five from Guantanamo. But, he does have a pen and a phone as he's mentioned.

If Obama is exchanging prisoners (not that the guy was a real prisoner) wouldn't that endanger current soldiers? The muslims might get motivated to kidnap them etc. I mean obviously they would.

 

[cabri]

If Obama is exchanging prisoners (not that the guy was a real prisoner) wouldn't that endanger current soldiers? The muslims might get motivated to kidnap them etc. I mean obviously they would.

Kidnap vs execution?

I think the former is better.


Concern is what the exchanged Taliban leaders are going and can we track them?

 

[IronWing]

Ahh so now we negotiate with terrorists. Ok terrorists, if you want something, capture our soldiers Obama will give you whatever you want.

The United States has negotiated with terrorists since the nation's founding. We had a whole thread on this very topic. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, the U.S. has a long history of negotiating with terrorists, kidnappers, and pirates.

 

[schmuckley]

The United States has negotiated with terrorists since the nation's founding. We had a whole thread on this very topic. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, the U.S. has a long history of negotiating with terrorists, kidnappers, and pirates.

How did those Carter hostage negotiations go? :whiste:

I seem to recall hearing "sheet of glass" after Reagan took office...
Lo and behold the hostages were released.

 

[IronWing]

How did those Carter hostage negotiations go? :whiste:

I seem to recall hearing "sheet of glass" after Reagan took office...
Lo and behold the hostages were released.

You clearly don't know fuck about Reagan. Reagan not only negotiated with the Iranians, he armed them.