Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Details

[Ockham]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Believe it when I see it. The Blaze is not always a good source.

I'll wait until the Army formally charges Bergdahl.... I will not doubt the WH will try like hell to dissuade it from occurring since that would make the Rose Garden photo op with the parents look quite silly ...

 

[Mycroft]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

your stated objections to the prisoner swap that brought him home

the alternative was to leave him in enemy hands

seems obvious to me. what did i miss?

Ummm...

You missed the fact that I didn't express any objection to the prisoner swap.

 

[mac]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

You seem to be making the prisoner exchange a political issue rather than a truth, that we don't leave service members behind if we can help it.

Trading 5 ranking members of the Taliban for a deserter is what made it a political issue.

 

[Mycroft]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

You seem to be making the prisoner exchange a political issue rather than a truth, that we don't leave service members behind if we can help it.

I'm not making it a political issue. I'm saying that I am of the opinion that, to Obama, everything is a political issue. I am all for rescuing our soldiers...or any other Americans...from the enemy. Negotiation is one means to doing that.

 

[mac]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

That guy was apprehended on a criminal charge in another country. That's different than being on orders and captured by enemies of the state.

after he deserted (a criminal act) and walked into their hands.

 

[Grand Mal]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Trading 5 ranking members of the Taliban for a deserter is what made it a political issue.

He's a deserter after he's found guilty, or has the US abandonded the presumption of innocence? If he was still in enemy hands you'd never know the truth.
Give him a fair trial and then hang him. Otherwise, you're telling your servicemen that you'd rather keep the enemy prisoners than get them back.

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Trading 5 ranking members of the Taliban for a deserter is what made it a political issue.

So the issue is you think we could of got a better deal?

 

[mac]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

He's a deserter after he's found guilty, or has the US abandonded the presumption of innocence? If he was still in enemy hands you'd never know the truth.
Give him a fair trial and then hang him. Otherwise, you're telling your servicemen that you'd rather keep the enemy prisoners than get them back.

I'm not a judge, and he is a deserter. All that's left is the formality. Had you ever served, you'd know that no servicemember would think of this situation the way you described. There is no respect for a soldier that deserts his/her fellow soldiers in a warzone. The only people that didn't know he was a deserter are the people that didn't know he was missing prior to the swap.

 

[mac]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

So the issue is you think we could of got a better deal?

The issue is we should have waited until hostilities ceased to do a prisoner swap...in accordance with the Geneva convention.

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

I'm not making it a political issue. I'm saying that I am of the opinion that, to Obama, everything is a political issue. I am all for rescuing our soldiers...or any other Americans...from the enemy. Negotiation is one means to doing that.

That's the thing, people on the right see everything Obama does as a political issues. Even something as simple as getting out someone with a prisoner swap before we pull out of a warzone. I don't think it's Obama that treats everything as political...

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

The issue is we should have waited until hostilities ceased to do a prisoner swap...in accordance with the Geneva convention.

The terrorist organizations in Afghanistan aren't participants in the Geneva conventions. They don't act in accordance with the conventions. I'm assuming the administration believed that once we left there was a greater chance we would never get the soldier back.

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

after he deserted (a criminal act) and walked into their hands.

That's not my argument. I'm arguing he was there on orders, in a war zone, therefore America should of done everything it could to get him back before we pulled out.

 

[Mycroft]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

That's the thing, people on the right see everything Obama does as a political issues. Even something as simple as getting out someone with a prisoner swap before we pull out of a warzone. I don't think it's Obama that treats everything as political...

Given Obama's actions since before he was elected the first time, I think the only people who don't think Obama does anything unless it's of political benefit to him or his Party are those who have deliberately blinded themselves.

 

[Helix]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

So you are a supporter of leaving soldiers overseas when we pull out of country?

few threads have disgusted me more than the initial thread when it was revealed that this guy was finally coming home. that's when i became convinced that there is pretty much nothing that divided American can be happy about together. i mean, when you can't even be glad about an American POW being released without bumping some hyperpartisan hive, that's kind of disturbing, as well as ridiculous.

 

[Lutherf]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

I think he should have access to due process and be charged in US criminal courts. He was overseas on orders.

Desertion is a military crime and should be tried by a military court. If you're going to get a "jury of your peers" and you're military then the panel should also be military.

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Given Obama's actions since before he was elected the first time, I think the only people who don't think Obama does anything unless it's of political benefit to him or his Party are those who have deliberately blinded themselves.

There's no doubt someone in the highest elected office makes actions based on politics. The idea that he completely operates 100% based on politics is really an issue with the right. If anything it might be projection.

Take for example the middle class tax cuts that were part of the stimulus. During W Bush's rebate they made sure that everyone received a check and it was known it was because of the George W Bush. Obama on the other hand, based on advice from his economists, gave those tax breaks out in small chunks over time. That would increase the likelihood that the portion was spent in purchasing the goods and boosting the economy (as per economists). So who exactly was operating based on politics in those two situations? The guy standing on the deck with a mission accomplished banner or the guy that slipped in a little more spending money and didn't get credit for his tax rebate? If anything, this "everything is political" seems to a projection by the right.

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Desertion is a military crime and should be tried by a military court. If you're going to get a "jury of your peers" and you're military then the panel should also be military.

True, I mispoke. He would be punished under UCMJ. I have like 4 people responding to my comments.

 

[Ockham]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

few threads have disgusted me more than the initial thread when it was revealed that this guy was finally coming home. that's when i became convinced that there is pretty much nothing that divided American can be happy about together. i mean, when you can't even be glad about an American POW being released without bumping some hyperpartisan hive, that's kind of disturbing, as well as ridiculous.

For me, the guy was identified almost immediately as a deserter and the stories that leaked out over his 5 years of being held seemed to suggest just that. Once the release was announced and occurred and I read the accounts by his platoon - and not just one or two but I thought 7 or 8.... I knew this wasn't just some BS to make Obama's deal look bad it was probably legit. Frankly, a deserter in my eyes isn't worth 5 Taliban members from Gitmo. Sure, I think he deserves the right to defend himself in a military court of law and yes, I would want all American's to come home. I think what spoiled it for me was the political theater this WH made of it.... never letting an opportunity go to political waste. He deserves his day in court but I'm skeptical it will ever happen.

 

[Mycroft]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

There's no doubt someone in the highest elected office makes actions based on politics. The idea that he completely operates 100% based on politics is really an issue with the right. If anything it might be projection.

It's not only an issue with the right...the left doesn't like it either.

Here is an example of action from Obama that nearly half of Democrats polled said was politically motivated.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/u...y-marriage-support-motivated-by-politics.html

 

[iliveonramen]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

It's not only an issue with the right...the left doesn't like it either.

Here is an example of action from Obama that nearly half of Democrats polled said was politically motivated.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/u...y-marriage-support-motivated-by-politics.html

Sure, him supporting SSM and his "evolution" was political. His views were starting to get further and further from his base and he flipped from his "centrist" view to support of SSM. I've never said he never made decisions based on politics, but every President makes political calculations. The issue I have is this view that he makes decision based on politics more than any other President. It also seems to come from hyper partisan figures on the right.

 

[Mycroft]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Sure, him supporting SSM and his "evolution" was political. His views were starting to get further and further from his base and he flipped from his "centrist" view to support of SSM. I've never said he never made decisions based on politics, but every President makes political calculations. The issue I have is this view that he makes decision based on politics more than any other President. It also seems to come from hyper partisan figures on the right.

Oh...I didn't say he makes politically based decisions more than any other President. I said EVERY decision he makes is politically motivated.

In other words, Obama never makes decisions because he believes it is best for the country. He makes decisions because he believes it's best for him...or for his Party.

 

[shrubnose]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Given Obama's actions since before he was elected the first time,

I think the only people who don't think Obama does anything unless it's of political benefit to him or his Party are those who have deliberately blinded themselves

.

Which includes just about everyone on the right who had 2 chances to beat him and couldn't do it, eh? :roll:

If Obama's so bad, why couldn't the GOP beat him? :lamo

 

[shrubnose]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

Desertion is a military crime and should be tried by a military court. If you're going to get a "jury of your peers" and you're military then the panel should also be military.

If Bergdahl goes on trial it will be in a military court-martial.

 

[Henrin]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

The only reason to get a deserter back is to debrief them and get whatever Intel you can get. After that you throw the POS in a hole and let him rot.

For breach of contract? Seems a bit extreme to imprison someone for breach of contract.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

Re: Report: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to Be Charged for Desertion — Here Are the Detail

So you are a supporter of leaving soldiers overseas when we pull out of country?

We've done it many times before. Plenty of people deserted In theater during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and we didn't lift a finger to bring them back