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Bungling Bergdahl
Townhall.com ^ | June 5, 2014 | Rich Galen

Posted on 06/05/2014 2:20:50 PM PDT by Kaslin

I have spent a good deal of time considering how to approach this column.

We know about the "fog of war" when first reports of action are typically incorrect because of the confusion borne of people shooting at each other.

There is also the "fog of five years" when memories that might have been, contemporaneously, crystal clear have become fogged with retelling, hearing others retelling, or just plain forgetting certain parts and innocently filling in the blanks.

Finally, there is the Galen/Gore Gallop wherein if we tell a story long enough we think it actually happened, even if we made it up in the first place.

I don't know (and neither do you) what the arrangements are to keep track of those five Taliban leaders who are now in Qatar.

Are they living it up in a Ritz Carlton? Or are they in just slightly nicer prison cells from their accommodations in Cuba? Are the Qataris keeping tabs on them, or do we have to commit some number of security/intelligence operators to watch what they do?

Let's assume that someone in the State Department, the CIA, or the Pentagon went to someone at the White House and said, "We've got a deal to get this kid back."

And, let's assume that the best deal the Qataris could make on our behalf were those five Taliban.

It appears to me that whoever at the White House makes these kinds of decisions, said:

"Let's hit it hard."Let's bring Bergdahl's parents to Washington and do a Rose Garden announcement announcing their kid is coming home after five years in captivity.

"Let's allow the country to share a national moment of joy and relief in getting our lone POW back safe and sound.

"This will be another 'We got Bin Laden' moment for the President."

In the words of the sainted Governor of Texas, "Oops."

It is impossible to believe that the President's people were in such a state of panic over the growing Veterans Affairs scandal that they grasped at this straw without anyone doing even the most basic background check to see what the possible blowback might be.

Blowback? This is a category five hurricane.

I don't believe President Obama traded those five Taliban for political purposes. I choose to believe he traded them because that was the only deal he could get.

But, I DO believe once the opportunity presented itself, the White House completely lost whatever professionalism they have left and talked themselves into turning the Bergdahl release into a major production.

By attempting to take what should have been a pretty positive story into a major victory for the President, the White House totally bungled Bergdahl.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: 0bamaadmin; berghdahl; military; miserablefailure; veteransaffairs
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1 posted on 06/05/2014 2:20:50 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

I have spent a good deal of time considering how to...slap lipstick on this pig.

What a good little Storm Trooper marching in lockstep for his messiah.

Pray America wakes up


2 posted on 06/05/2014 2:24:11 PM PDT by bray (Palin 2016)
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To: Kaslin

They thought no one would remember, because liberals don’t..................


3 posted on 06/05/2014 2:25:37 PM PDT by Red Badger (Soon there will be another American Civil War. Will make the first one seem like a Tea Party........)
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To: Kaslin
I think it certainly could have been for political reasons, to push the VA Death Panels off the news. I can envision it going something like this.
4 posted on 06/05/2014 2:26:27 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Conservatism is the political disposition of grown-ups.)
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To: Kaslin

“I don’t believe President Obama traded those five Taliban for political purposes”

Have you been living in a cave for the past 5 years? Off planet maybe? Obama will use anyone and anything for political purpose. Its all he knows. Its who he is.....


5 posted on 06/05/2014 2:27:41 PM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (I am an American - Not a Republican or a Democrat.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

I think your ascertain may ring true....harumph!!


6 posted on 06/05/2014 2:28:17 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
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To: SECURE AMERICA
You can take the boy put of the hood but you cant take the hood ut of the boy!




7 posted on 06/05/2014 2:29:16 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
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To: bray

This swap was never about Bergdahl, it was all about getting those five Taliban leaders back to their troops back home so that they retake Afghanistan once the US military leaves.

Can you say, Muslim Climate Change?


8 posted on 06/05/2014 2:32:26 PM PDT by Delta Dawn (Fluent in two languages: English and cursive.)
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To: Kaslin

Journalists are so stupid. And they are the ones instructing our national consciousness.

How does someone ‘choose to believe’ without getting I to a religious war?

He doesn’t get to choose what the truth is


9 posted on 06/05/2014 2:32:28 PM PDT by stanne
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To: bray

Great post start to finish. As for your last line:

He said it only takes two of His children (more are welcome) praying (and believing He hears and will answer) in His Name and (assuming what we pray is really in His Name and Will) we get what we ask for! Even with an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka dot size of true faith!

Even to cast mountains into the sea.

Sooooooo, gang; when do we start REALLY praying and believing?


10 posted on 06/05/2014 2:32:43 PM PDT by Resettozero
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To: Kaslin

Yeah ... and Bergdhal’s parents just happened to be in DC for the Saturday Rose Garden press conference. Think this whole contrived BS deal wasn’t orchestrated to take the heat off the VA hospital scandal?


11 posted on 06/05/2014 2:37:52 PM PDT by BluH2o
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>> Let’s assume ...

Let’s not. Let’s take the data on its face value.


12 posted on 06/05/2014 2:40:41 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: BluH2o

Probably.


13 posted on 06/05/2014 2:41:37 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Kaslin
I don't believe President Obama traded those five Taliban for political purposes. I choose to believe...

Rich... Rich... Rich...

You chose poorly...

Can you point to anything... ANYTHING... that Obama has done previously that was NOT for political purposes?

Are you asking us to believe that this is the FIRST time that Obama did something that was not for political purposes?

-PJ

14 posted on 06/05/2014 2:43:38 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: Kaslin

the “fog of five years”

Democratic transparency:
Anyone with knowledge of some travesty is sworn to secrecy and required to sign a confidential non-disclosure `agreement.’
From then on they delay, obfuscate and stonewall.
Then, when enough time goes by and the sordid matter finally sees the light of day, the `rats and their MSM allies object:
“But that was so long ago!”


15 posted on 06/05/2014 2:51:03 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
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To: Kaslin

Another idiot trying to protect a worthless President.


16 posted on 06/05/2014 2:59:54 PM PDT by mulligan (I)
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To: Kaslin

Townhall paid this moron to write this???

Seriously??


17 posted on 06/05/2014 3:05:46 PM PDT by DB
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To: BluH2o
I think it was to COUNTER the VA mess...an "I Love "My" soldiers" so much....and to prove it further, I brought one home...even one upping Congress.

What a great CIC I am".

And here's the traitor's mom and dad...to verify what a great CIC I am.

18 posted on 06/05/2014 3:10:02 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Kaslin

I’d bet that no one on this side is watching them, to be honest. Yeah, maybe the NSA, but they seem more interested in patriots than terrorists. I doubt they are watching to see of they”do anything” that looks like a return to terror. That’s what they are, anyway, so what is Obama going to do if they do? NADA!


19 posted on 06/05/2014 3:29:17 PM PDT by Shery (in APO Land)
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To: Kaslin
I don't believe President Obama traded those five Taliban for political purposes.

LOL. I defy anyone to identify an important Obama decision that was not done EXCLUSIVELY for political purposes. This may have been a poor decision but I don't believe it was made with the expectation that it would be a political negative for the President.

OTOH, here are some possible explanations:

1. Libs including the President and his senior advisers are really as stupid as we think they are.

2. Obama foolishly believed that he could, with the help of the MSM, supress the fact that Bergdahl was a deserter and very likely a collaborator to boot.

3. Obama was blackmailed into making a trade that even he knew would be political poison.

4. Obama was just doing his job as an al Qaeda operative.

20 posted on 06/05/2014 3:43:32 PM PDT by InterceptPoint
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