What are your thoughts on the Bowe Bergdahl incident? I've wanted to ask here for days, but didn't want to start controversy. Today it got the best of me, so here I am. There are enough reports from people who served with him to confirm now that he deserted. But the thing that keeps coming back to my mind that bothers me on every level is... well since WHEN does America negotiate with terrorists and TRADE by releasing terrorists? Good gracious, every time a terrorist wants their people released now, they're going to take prisoners! Have we ever done this before? I don't think so, but could be mistaken. I won't mention the people who were killed looking for him not knowing he deserted. I won't mention that he's refusing to talk to his family. I won't even mention that this was done probably illegally by not telling Congress because they wouldn't have approved. I won't mention that even Hilary Clinton was against this. Ooops, I just mentioned it all... but it's upsetting. And then the lie about not having time to tell Congress because this "hero's" life was in danger?! PLEASE! Anyone else have thoughts? I don't want this to turn into a political argument (pretty please?) but rather to hear your thoughts of a country trading 5 known terrorists for a deserter... and why? For nothing more than a hope it will raise approval rating? Wow, if that's it, it's backfiring tenfold.
To be perfectly candid, I find the whole affair rather troubling. By the whole affair, I mean just that: the trading of five terrorists for his release, the circumstances surrounding Sgt Bergdahl's disappearance, the statements made by his father, and finally the President's actions upon all of that. I wish to withhold judgement until all the facts are made clear, but my intuition says, and to quote the Bard, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
I've often wished that I had the wisdom to withhold judgment but it rarely happens and I blurt. But that said, I agree, GearZ... and I know there may be things that we haven't heard and I'm not above changing my opinion if necessary, but when I read an interview with "always steadfastly strong Democrat" Dianne Feinstein saying she doesn't think it was truthful that Bergdahl was "near death" at all and Congress was lied to... well that says a lot. She's stated that she feels out of the loop... of course, Congress is required to have a say in things like this. So yeah, Denmark is mighty stinky.
And for a little update... the more I hear on this Bergdahl story, the more upsetting it gets. I guess it would be worse if so many people wouldn't be picking up on it now, but... just don't know how things like this can happen. Makes me wonder just how far this is going to backlash. Any ideas? Will it blow over or cause an even larger scandal?
I think it was a bad idea trading terrorist prisoners for him. It is like feeding an animal at the zoo or the park, they are going to come back for more, and they know how they can get it. They will just take more prisoners, and then exchange them for their own prisoners. This could end up being very bad for the fight against terrorism.
I'm surprised this story stopped getting coverage since there were so many reports from soldiers about the desertion issue. But I also know enough about the military to realize that just because we don't hear it all doesn't mean that they're not constantly looking into those things behind the scenes. I agree about turning the terrorists loose. Of course we need to find a way to get all Americans back home safely, but there are other ways.
This story has kind of been forgotten about lately, it seems. I'd like to see the media do a better job of covering it. But there is a lot of other stuff going on right now with Russia on the move and Isis terrorists beheading American journalists at an alarming rate. To be honest i found the story kind of troubling and fishy from the start. I don't think i would have made the same swap if I were president of the United States. Bringing an American home is a good thing, but when you think about all the shady activity associated with Bowe Bergdahl, it does give you some pause.
Yes, it certainly does, @gmckee1985 . It's not only that, though, in my eyes. I *do* think we need to bring all American prisoners home... and then if the stories of desertion are true, we deal with it here. It's always been that way. But this... going against the law that states a president has to give Congress 30 days notice... that went way beyond. Did he know they wouldn't approve? Probably. Did he know that even Hilary has said she would not have advised a trade like that? Probably. Which makes doing it on the sly even worse. I won't try to figure out why he thought it would be a good idea... how could anyone not know that this type of deceit would cause at least some dung to hit the rotating oscillator?
The whole affair has kind of a "crickets" sound to it as of late. I know what the soldiers in his unit have to say, but even they have been hushed up lately. Oops!! Off topic but good news! I just caught the news that Sgt. Thomooressi might be released as early as tomorrow or Friday! He shouldn't have been there for even a day, and Obama had the power to get him out but let him rot in a Mexican jail while a suspected deserter was freed and is still pulling military pay and sitting behind a desk.
This whole story is just fishy to me. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but why haven't we heard anything else about this story lately? It seems like it's been kind of forgotten about and buried. Which is odd considering the magnitude of it.
I do believe that "buried" is more the truth. Even one of the radio show hosts I listen to said about the same thing yesterday. I guess with all of the other scandles that keep popping up concerning this administration they couldn't take one more. I mean, what's a deserter or so among friends? Do we have anything else that we want to trade a few bad guys for? Maybe O'Bama could trade a few for a golf course in Bagdad.
Well! Yep, it sure seems to be one thing after another. Do you think the right people are finally seeing the light, @preacherbob50 ? In his own party, I mean? I can't put a finger on why they're keeping quiet after seeing all the blunders. (the latest being him "hugging and shaking hands with" those Ebola health care providers... I mean say WHAT?! Or maybe that's another Secret Service blunder? Anyhow, I was telling @Peninha in another thread that I have found myself missing the Bill Clinton days... something I wouldn't *believe* I'd ever hear myself saying... but I feel that yes, it truly has gotten that bad.. and scary.
zup Kate??? Welcome home! There was a little blurb about Bergdahl last night and this morning. Apparently the military has already finished its side of the investigation but will not release their findings. One of the commentators put in his two cents worth and believes that it's another thing on hold until after the mid term elections. The border thing is on hold. The keystone pipe line is on hold until after the elections. I think I know what the problem is. Michelle is on hold until daddy gets tired of golf. After which she will tell him what to do about each and every problem.
I guess I had best catch you up Kate. It isn't the last blunder..The shaking hands thing I mean. The real last thing I know of was yesterday when the media told ISIS where they can find the chemical weapons that weren't there when Bush was in office. They were saying that the weapons aren't dangerous any longer, provided whoever is handling them is wearing proper protective gear. Doesn't sound too defunct to me!!
Oh dear! I am sooooo out of the loop and hadn't heard this. Thank you for the ketchup.. uh, catch up, @preacherbob50 . I think it's funny (uh wait, that's not the right word.. shocking? Disgusting? Well, whatev...) that all the people who know basically nothing about American politics always use the "so where were all those WMD's Bush talked about?" with a smug look because they think those weapons didn't exist. I just shake my head and walk away from those conversations now... maybe this will cause a few "oooops" moments and some red faces. But I doubt it. Scariest thing is realizing how much time is left for blunders between now and 2016.. it boggles.
How should I hate this administration? Let me count the ways. Let's see. Where to start. This morning it was reported that some of the prisons where illegal alien felons are being held are being set free. The ACLU claims that these upstanding South American citizens are all innocent of the charges brought against them so they are just being set free. ICE is seriously ticked, because now they have to go out and catch the upstanding illegal critters. No borders. O'Bama loves illegals. Benghazi, IRS, the "justice" department thing, Ebola (O'Bama says it's really nothing to worry about) our stock market is crashing, ISIS has access to chems now. Brown, of Fergusen fame, was a poor innocent Christian boy who was just passing out tracts, and anyone who doesn't like O'Bama or any other black person is a racist. I do not like any politician, but as long as I only specify the white guys I do not like no one will be looking for a white sheet and cone head hat. Forget it. I'd have to write a novelette in order to build on what's already wrong in order to try to figure out what's going to happen for the next 2 years...unless O'Bama does figure out how to be king. Could happen!
Your post made me chuckle, @preacherbob50 . I guess that's because frightening true facts have to be perceived as funny 'cause laughing is better than crying. All true, plus so much more. The norm now seems to be that the way to handle any controversy is to hide everything you can and hope upon hope that no one ever finds out... but they always do. Some things are just too hard to hide... like birth certificates, which, by the way, boggles me that there hasn't still been more of a stink about certain hidden uh... "issues." I hadn't heard about the felon release. I'm rather concerned (not being sarcastic here, it's a true statement) that now when I hear things like this and the other things on your list, it's like "oh, well, doesn't surprise me" as if I've been desensitized or something. Scares me... but so many others seem to be in the same boat... like giving up that the "hand basket on the way to blazes" can no longer be stopped or something. Now right there's the one that causes me the most grief. That's how they're getting away with so much garbage. At least that's how I personally feel. It's the PC craziness. People (read that "congresspeople") are so afraid to be labeled racist and lose their precious jobs that they'll sit there and watch all kinds of bad and sometimes deadly decisions being made while sitting on their little fraidy-cat hands and twiddling their thumbs. (Okay, okay, so THAT was sarcasm.) That novelette you mentioned? Please don't write it. I have enough nightmares.
Yeah, the people who claim if you don't like this administration you are racist are the worst. And there are plenty of people who think that way. It's sad and pathetic. There are plenty of things you can criticize about this administration, legitimately. They are one of the worst in modern history, in my opinion. Certainly the worst since I've been alive.
The latest is Sgt. Bergdahl will likely stand trial for desertion. A final decision has not been made yet though. Details are available here.
He will forfeit back pay and future benefits and that's it!? Wasn't desertion in the face of the enemy at one time a capital offense where the best you could hope for was a long prison sentence instead of a dance at the end of a short rope?
