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Fellow Soldiers Call Bowe Bergdahl a Deserter, Not a Hero
CNN ^ | Sunday, June 1, 2014 | Jake Tapper

Posted on 06/01/2014 8:06:58 PM PDT by kristinn

The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him -- veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men.

"I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sergeant Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."

Vierkant said Bergdahl needs to not only acknowledge his actions publicly but face a military trial for desertion under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

A reporter asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Sunday whether Bergdahl had left his post without permission or deserted -- and, if so, whether he would be punished. Hagel didn't answer directly. "Our first priority is assuring his well-being and his health and getting him reunited with his family," he said. "Other circumstances that may develop and questions, those will be dealt with later."

Following his release from five years of captivity in Afghanistan on Saturday, Bergdahl was transferred to a military hospital in Germany.

SNIP

On August 18, 2009, Staff Sgt. Clayton Bowen and Pfc. Morris Walker were killed by an IED in the search for Bergdahl. Staff Sgt. Kurt Curtiss was killed on August 26; 2nd Lt. Darryn Andrews and Pfc. Matthew Michael Martinek were killed after being attacked in Yahya Khail District on September 4; Staff Sgt. Michael Murphrey was killed September 5 by an IED at the Forward Operating Base, Sharana.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; awol; bergdahl; bergdahldeserter; bobbergdahl; bowebergdahl; deserter; desertion; gitmo; jaketapper; tapper
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To: ilovesarah2012

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3162634/posts?page=1#1

Michael ledeen has questions on the ‘no tie’ thing also.


101 posted on 06/02/2014 7:18:59 AM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
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To: WildHighlander57

Who would possibly have tried to force a non-disclosure on a soldier without higher authority?

That really reeks.


102 posted on 06/02/2014 7:23:01 AM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: xzins; smoothsailing; Girlene
Very well said, xzins!

The non-disclosure statement really stinks. Sounds like the powers that be knew years ago he's a deserter and this could come back to haunt them after soldiers were killed trying to find him.

Another senior Defense official said Bergdahl will not likely face any punishment. "Five years is enough," he told CNN on condition of anonymity.

I'd surely like to know the name of that official, s/he sounds like a mouthpiece for 0bama or one his close lapdogs in the WH.

I'd also like to see that senior official host a meeting with every family member of the soldiers that lost their lives or were severely injured on missions looking for Bergdahl.

This entire fiasco is sickening, from the start up to and including what the brass and civilian officials are doing now.

103 posted on 06/02/2014 8:35:37 AM PDT by jazusamo (Sometimes I think that this is an era when sanity has become controversial: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo; xzins; smoothsailing; Girlene

“...host a meeting with every family member of the soldiers that lost their lives or were severely injured on missions looking for Bergdahl....”

The sad fact of this is that MORE Americans will now likely face lethal danger because of the five professional POSs that the Sock Puppet in Chief set free.

I keep waiting for articles of impeachment to be drawn up. But ... silence.... crickets....


104 posted on 06/02/2014 9:24:12 AM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: NFHale; xzins; smoothsailing; Girlene
The sad fact of this is that MORE Americans will now likely face lethal danger because of the five professional POSs that the Sock Puppet in Chief set free.

You're absolutely right, there's no question about it.

It's my understanding these five terrorists will have a one year no travel order in Qatar, after that they're free to go wherever. Of course anyone believing they'll even honor that is in need of a mental evaluation.

Impeachment is long overdue.

105 posted on 06/02/2014 9:35:22 AM PDT by jazusamo (Sometimes I think that this is an era when sanity has become controversial: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo; xzins; smoothsailing; Girlene

I’m hoping that we have Patriots willing and ready to track these b*stards wherever they go and ensure they have an accident en route.


106 posted on 06/02/2014 9:48:08 AM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: RummyChick
As Cody pointed out, who lasts 5 years as a hostage with those ruthless captors.

Nobody, they don't take prisoners, they cut their heads off.......

And I will go out on a limb to say this. His walking away from his unit in the middle of the night and hiking to some strange village as an unknown white honkey wearing a military uniform was probably planned over the internet with his muslim connections.

He knew who to ask for and they knew he was coming..........

107 posted on 06/02/2014 10:03:10 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (By now, everyone should know that you shoot a zombie in the head. Don't try to reason with them...)
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To: Zhang Fei

Bump and bookmarking


108 posted on 06/02/2014 10:05:32 AM PDT by FBD
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To: Hot Tabasco

Lots of reporters contacting Cody on twitter for an interview...


109 posted on 06/02/2014 10:09:44 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: RummyChick

This is what sets this scandal apart - having witnesses coming forward immediately with the truth. The truth is powerful. We have been so starved for the truth that we forget that.

Carney on now - “We do not leave our people behind....” Could anything be lamer or more ironic?


110 posted on 06/02/2014 10:13:09 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!)
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To: Chaguito
I predict that this deserter will not see a court martial, no matter what comes out by way of the soldiers who know the truth.

Of course not! Then he would have to answer to why the terrorists were released........

There's going to be some major spin going on........

111 posted on 06/02/2014 10:27:34 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (By now, everyone should know that you shoot a zombie in the head. Don't try to reason with them...)
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To: don-o

“Good. Please find out why Dad is uttering Islamic phrases in a foreign language when addressing Americans from the White House.”

I don’t know them personally. I do plan to ask the close friend this week when I see him, to get his take on it. I am also puzzled, given their long Christian history, no shadow of turning up until now as far as I know.


112 posted on 06/02/2014 10:55:39 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: WildHighlander57

“What about the dads tweets, and speaking in the local language?

The tweets I find puzzling, unless he got hacked or they’re phony, but I’ve seen no claim about that.

The local language I find more understandable. If I’d learned that my only son a POW was speaking only Pashto or whatever you call it, I’d be inclined to learn it, too. That makes sense to me, as I’d be doing everything I could to be closer to my captive son.


113 posted on 06/02/2014 10:57:21 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: WildHighlander57

Very helpful article.

The more I read the more it seems to me like Bowe had a mental break. I am not saying he did. I don’t know that he did. That’s just what I am leaning towards.

The way his parents were talking at the news thing was like parents trying to talk to a fragile person, as well.

I am not defending desertion if that is what happened. I am sick over the loss of the six who went to look for him.

I am just not certain Bowe is a traitor, and I am even less certain that his family are in some way Taliban supporters. I am at a loss to explain the tweet by his dad but it is inconsistent with his basically entire lifetime so I am baffled on that.

I mean are we all agreed that Bowe did not want to stay with them? He reportedly tried to escape. He asked “SF?” in the helicopter rather than tried to escape his rescuers. When told they had been looking for him the whole time, he broke down and cried, presumably for gratitude. Not the behavior of a jihadi, is it?


114 posted on 06/02/2014 11:02:59 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: rbmillerjr

“Everything coming out in this case points in the same direction.”

Not everything.

As I posted on a recent thread, when he was taken up, he wrote “SF?” on a paper asking where they special forces. He didn’t write “death to America!!!” or whatever. When told yes, and that they’d been looking for him for years, he cried, I assume in gratitude/relief. Not the behavior of a jihadi, is it?

And earlier reports said he tried to escape. His parents have been known as Calvinistic (!) Christians, members of Bible believing churches, active in trying to get their son rescued, no defenders of Islam or whatever. Trying to be careful what they say, I’m sure, in order not to endanger him.

So all signs DON’T point to a jihadi family with a traitor son, not at all. It’s all very confusing.


115 posted on 06/02/2014 11:09:28 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: RummyChick

“Why would his father be working to free all the Gitmo detainees? Because he is not a Muslim or a liberal?”

I don’t defend it and find it confusing.

He JUST said it. He’s never said anything like this publicly before, as far as I know. So why now?

Was it part of the deal? Is he just trying to get his son back? Because this is very new.


116 posted on 06/02/2014 11:10:29 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: ilovesarah2012

Then tell us Bergdahl’s side if you know it so well. Are you saying the guy in his unit is lying? And if he tried to “escape”, do you really believe he would still be alive? And what about daddy’s tweets?

And even at the Rose Garden press conference, Obama wasn’t wearing a tie. Some have said muslims don’t wear ties and this was a signal of some sort. Conspiracy theories are so easy with Obama in charge.

I don’t know it so well. Nobody does. That’s my point. We are condemning him without knowing. That’s not right.

There are things that point to his guilt; to his losing his mind; and to his being an innocent or at least partly innocent captive.

I don’t know. But I don’t think anyone else on the board knows, either, and I hate to see him so vilified.

I doubt any guy in his unit is lying. They are saying what they know is true. I respect them.

If he tried to escape, yes, I think they’d keep him alive. He was more valuable alive than dead, wasn’t he? I think that makes some sense.

I won’t defend Obama, tie or no tie. I am just interested in seeing the Bergdahls treated fairly.


117 posted on 06/02/2014 11:19:39 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: Colorado Doug

“Please do set the record straight. The father proclaiming “allahu Akbar” or “god is great” in whatever language is puzzling. (where have we heard that phrase before? His beard and study of Pashto is puzzling. The tweets are disturbing, if true. Please tell us if none of this is true. I am not flaming you. Just asking for your version of things. “

Thanks for the tone. I am not trying to defend desertion, the death of six excellent soldiers, or Islam here, not at all.

The father’s behavior is VERY recent. As in, two days old. All his life, lots of public stuff, nothing like this. It’s very sudden. I suppose learning Pashto took time, but did he learn it or did he just get told a few stock phrases to say? My impression, and it’s only an impression, is that he was being handled. Why? I don’t know. Bowe’s out. Was that part of the deal? I don’t know.


118 posted on 06/02/2014 11:23:03 AM PDT by Persevero (Come on 2016)
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To: Persevero
Not the behavior of a jihadi, is it?

Strikes me as exactly the behavior of a foolish traitorous jihadi wannabe who spent five years learning what murderous scum he had delivered himself to.

Then when the "disgusting" lying "fools" (his words) of the U.S. Special Forces show up to save his traitorous arse he bawls and blubbers because he is going home alive.

While many of the good men who searched and fought for him are dead and gone.

119 posted on 06/02/2014 11:23:35 AM PDT by Fightin Whitey
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To: xzins

The guys that didn’t sign em would know.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3162450/posts?page=171#171


120 posted on 06/02/2014 11:33:33 AM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
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