American held hostage by al Qaeda appeals to Obama... (1 Viewer)

[Jules Winnfield]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

You sure he was held hostage? Maybe he went looking for them?

 

[mr roboto]

So he may have been a deserter. And his father at minimum looks like a sympathizer of the terrorist movement. And we have a long standing policy of not trading POWs. And we sent 5 guys, a few of which were pretty bad dudes, for one soldier.

Do I have that much right?

Is the thought that the father was a "sympathizer of the terrorist movement" from his tweets about Afghan children and re-tweeting that one Islamic dude?

If so, isn't it possible that he just objects to the US's "occupation" of Afghanistan? That's what I took from it.

Possibly. I'm not trying to make a point just asking questions.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

So he may have been a deserter. And his father at minimum looks like a sympathizer of the terrorist movement. And we have a long standing policy of not trading POWs. And we sent 5 guys, a few of which were pretty bad dudes, for one soldier.

Do I have that much right?

Is the thought that the father was a "sympathizer of the terrorist movement" from his tweets about Afghan children and re-tweeting that one Islamic dude?

If so, isn't it possible that he just objects to the US's "occupation" of Afghanistan? That's what I took from it.

Just to be clear - and not making a conclusion one way or the other - but that's the actual Taliban he was tweeting and retweeting there.

 

[whoknew]

So do we have a policy on prisoner swapping?

I'm reasonably sure that it's happened during times of war before, but this instance just sounds like mistakes were made pretty much everywhere.

Pretty sure we've at least tried to do it in most, if not every, war. I.E. -

Civil War

Vietnam

 

[whoknew]

So he may have been a deserter. And his father at minimum looks like a sympathizer of the terrorist movement. And we have a long standing policy of not trading POWs. And we sent 5 guys, a few of which were pretty bad dudes, for one soldier.

Do I have that much right?

Is the thought that the father was a "sympathizer of the terrorist movement" from his tweets about Afghan children and re-tweeting that one Islamic dude?

If so, isn't it possible that he just objects to the US's "occupation" of Afghanistan? That's what I took from it.

Just to be clear - and not making a conclusion one way or the other - but that's the actual Taliban he was tweeting and retweeting there.

Great. Thanks for having me check out the Taliban's twitter page. I'm sure I'm not on any watchlist now.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

 

[StrikeS2k]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

dude. chill. Tim is really getting pissed at our unpatriotic posts questioning this obvious no brainer trade. Who are we to question our government's actions?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

How many POW's does the Taliban actually have?

Is it zero?

Am I wrong in saying that they pretty much kill upon capture?

 

[Jules Winnfield]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

How many POW's does the Taliban actually have?

Is it zero?

Am I wrong in saying that they pretty much kill upon capture?

Ask Tim to ask his brethren what they do

 

[timschochet]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

 

[timschochet]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

Prove it.

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

 

[BeaverCleaver]

Oh Tim

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

Prove it.

Villagers said an American did come through the area and was wanting water and someone who spoke English. Wanted to meet with Taliban.

http://patdollard.com/2014/06/wanted-to-meet-with-the-taliban-platoonmate-who-discovered-bergdahl-missing-paints-portrait-of-long-premeditated-desertion-by-traitor-whose-actions-killed-u-s-troops/

{????}

 

[Billy Bats]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here: Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

How many POW's does the Taliban actually have?

Is it zero?

Am I wrong in saying that they pretty much kill upon capture?

You would be correct. Which lead some people to question Bergdahl's actions/motives even further. But that's pushing into territory.

 

[Billy Bats]

Anyone care to try and explain how this guy is having trouble speaking English?

From the CNN article:

There was no immediate word on Bergdahl's condition after his release. A senior Defense official said Bergdahl is having trouble speaking English but the reasons for that were not clear, given the trauma he's been through.

My guess would be because English wasn't used often around him, and if it's not practiced, it's often lost.

That's what I was thinking, I guess it's hard for me to grasp that idea of forgetting your primary language. Do you even stop thinking in English? He was said to be learning Pashtun and other languages when he was enlisted, maybe he wanted to forget English?

It's called language attrition and, yes, it's definitely possible to forget your native language. I thought it took more like 10 years of immersion in another language and non-use of the native language to have total attrition, but it sounds like the soldier only has partial language attrition.

My father had to take a 2-week Spanish immersion course as part of his job (he works in the federal prison system), where they were supposed to speak nothing but Spanish, and he told me by the end of the training, he was thinking and dreaming in Spanish. Once he got back, he switched back to English easily enough, but I thought it was interesting.

Interesting indeed. Thanks for the posts fellas.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

Bull####. I don't care if it was Bush, Obama, or anyone. This deserter cost some lives. Read the tweets from one who served with him. Read the first tweet here:

Villagers said an American did come through the area...

He wasn't being held hostage. He wasn't a POW. He deserted and it looks like he defected. His spine is yellow like Obama's. Your love for Obama is sick in this situation.

Here are six guys killed who were looking for him.

And yet you approve the deal for Bergdahl? Five of the most dangerous Taliban leaders that were captured that were handpicked for this traitor. And you approve?

Prove it.

Prove that these guys died while looking for him? Holy Christ on a cracker Tim. Go running to your Taliban friends...they await you with open arms.

You are a joke Tim.

 

[jon_mx]

Has Tim weighed in yet? This has got to be part of Obama's brilliant foreign policy that the common laymen are just too stupid to understand.

Good Lord. Doesn't it get old being so friggin negative for 8 straight years? Just chill out a bit.

Find a post where I have been overly critical of Obama the last 4 years. You guys assume so much and completely mischaracterize my posting. In many cases they are out and out lies.

 

[jonessed]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it.

You think the guy shipping everything home, asking about penalties for his weapons coming up missing, having stated if it was boring he may desert, multiple eyewitnesses describing him sneaking off the base (crawling on stomach),etc etc etc isn't all pretty good indicator of his intentions to desert?

I'm sure it was all just accidental.

 

[timschochet]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:

He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

 

[johnnycakes]

Maybe we'll have our first execution for desertion since WWII.

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:

He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

Assuming that's what he meant, who else said it? Because you said "people" are saying it in this thread. That suggests at a minimum two, but more a general theme that you're getting. If you are just referring to Jules why didn't you simply quote or address him? If you're referring to more than him please specify which other posts are part of your assertion.

 

[jon_mx]

So far the defense of this action has been by trying to draw analogies between what Isreal and Reagan have done. Pretty weak.

 

[jonessed]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

There's a ton of proof he deserted. It's all over this thread. Just stop selectively reading and click on a few links. It's all over the news.

 

[timschochet]

If he deserted he deserves to be prosecuted for that, now that he's back. But even if he deserted he was still held hostage, an American held hostage and I'm glad we rescued him. (Unless you're Jules Winnifield and think he defected- what nonsense.)

As for the release of people, this was NOT a 5 for 1 exchange. This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

There's a ton of proof he deserted. It's all over this thread. Just stop selectively reading and click on a few links. It's all over the news.

Tim is keying on the word "defected" to suggest that "people" are saying he actually joined the Taliban.

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he deserted he deserves to be prosecuted for that, now that he's back. But even if he deserted he was still held hostage, an American held hostage and I'm glad we rescued him. (Unless you're Jules Winnifield and think he defected- what nonsense.)

As for the release of people, this was NOT a 5 for 1 exchange. This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

PROVE IT!!!!

 

[jonessed]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

Assuming that's what he meant, who else said it? Because you said "people" are saying it in this thread. That suggests at a minimum two, but more a general theme that you're getting. If you are just referring to Jules why didn't you simply quote or address him? If you're referring to more than him please specify which other posts are part of your assertion.

This is status quo Tim. He finds the most extreme position of someone he disagrees with and then paints everybody else with that same brush. It helps him create a black and white picture of who is "bad" and who is "good".

 

[jon_mx]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

No proof? People who were supposedly involved are tweeting it. It is not solid, but it also is a bit more than no proof.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:

He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

What proof do you want? The guys that served with him isn't enough?

 

[Da Guru]

If he deserted he deserves to be prosecuted for that, now that he's back. But even if he deserted he was still held hostage, an American held hostage and I'm glad we rescued him. (Unless you're Jules Winnifield and think he defected- what nonsense.)

As for the release of people, this was NOT a 5 for 1 exchange. This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

I hope so. 5-1 seems like a steep price to pay. Obama could have negotiated and jewed them down to a 2-1 type deal.

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he deserted he deserves to be prosecuted for that, now that he's back. But even if he deserted he was still held hostage, an American held hostage and I'm glad we rescued him. (Unless you're Jules Winnifield and think he defected- what nonsense.)

As for the release of people, this was NOT a 5 for 1 exchange. This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

I hope so. 5-1 seems like a steep price to pay. Obama could have negotiated and jewed them down to a 2-1 type deal.

 

[tom22406]

This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

Karzai doesn't seem pleased about the deal

The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country, a senior source said on Monday.

The five prisoners were flown to Qatar on Sunday as part of a secret agreement to release Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who left Afghanistan for Germany on the same day.

The only known U.S. prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Bergdahl had been held captive for five years.

"The president is now even more distrustful of U.S. intentions in the country," said the source close to President Hamid Karzai's palace in Kabul, who declined to be identified.

"He is asking: How come the prisoner exchange worked out so well, when the Afghan peace process failed to make any significant progress?"

http://www.newsweek.com/president-hamid-karzai-reportedly-angry-over-prisoner-deal-252968

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:

He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

Tim maybe you're saying no proof because you're not reading the proof he posted. Pretty easy to say 'no proof' when you close your eyes to the evidence.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

If he deserted he deserves to be prosecuted for that, now that he's back. But even if he deserted he was still held hostage, an American held hostage and I'm glad we rescued him. (Unless you're Jules Winnifield and think he defected- what nonsense.)

As for the release of people, this was NOT a 5 for 1 exchange. This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

Prove this please. And it still seems that you don't care about the six soldiers that died trying to look for deserter Bergdahl. That's about right for you. As long as it seems right to you, their lives aren't important to you. Do you just spit on their graves or take a piss on them also?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

Karzai doesn't seem pleased about the deal

The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country, a senior source said on Monday.

The five prisoners were flown to Qatar on Sunday as part of a secret agreement to release Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who left Afghanistan for Germany on the same day.

The only known U.S. prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Bergdahl had been held captive for five years.

"The president is now even more distrustful of U.S. intentions in the country," said the source close to President Hamid Karzai's palace in Kabul, who declined to be identified.

"He is asking: How come the prisoner exchange worked out so well, when the Afghan peace process failed to make any significant progress?"

http://www.newsweek.com/president-hamid-karzai-reportedly-angry-over-prisoner-deal-252968

So Obama didn't check with our allies on this? You don't say.

Smart. Power.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

This is was part of a larger deal that we've been working on for some time in order to bring about negotiations between the Taliban and the Karzai government. The release of this American was only a small part of that larger deal, which apparently is quite complex.

Karzai doesn't seem too pleased about the deal

The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country, a senior source said on Monday.

The five prisoners were flown to Qatar on Sunday as part of a secret agreement to release Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who left Afghanistan for Germany on the same day.

The only known U.S. prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Bergdahl had been held captive for five years.

"The president is now even more distrustful of U.S. intentions in the country," said the source close to President Hamid Karzai's palace in Kabul, who declined to be identified.

"He is asking: How come the prisoner exchange worked out so well, when the Afghan peace process failed to make any significant progress?"

http://www.newsweek.com/president-hamid-karzai-reportedly-angry-over-prisoner-deal-252968

Tim's reply:

That isn't proof. The only proof I need is the fact that I worship Obama. Don't go and send me links because I won't read them. I make up my own #### and go along with it.

 

[whoknew]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

No proof? People who were supposedly involved are tweeting it. It is not solid, but it also is a bit more than no proof.

People? Or just that one person? Was there more than that one dude who tweeted?

 

[StrikeS2k]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

No proof? People who were supposedly involved are tweeting it. It is not solid, but it also is a bit more than no proof.

People? Or just that one person? Was there more than that one dude who tweeted?

Multiple members from his squad have spoken out about it. Please read all the links that have been posted in this thread if you want to read the specific quotes.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

The reaction to this is really starting to piss me off.

I don't care if this guy screwed up by walking off the base. If he deserted, that's another matter, but somebody had better prove it. Otherwise II don't care. And I don't care if he loves the Taliban or his dad loves the Taliban or whatever. He's an American soldier. He was being held hostage. What the #### is wrong with you people??

That was a rhetorical question, because I know what's wrong. If this were anybody but Obama, the country would celebrate that we got one of ours back safely and be damned of the cost. But not with Obama. Whatever he does has got to be wrong.

I'd rather sacrifice one deserter (possibly sympathetic to the Taliban cause) instead of the six that died trying to find him. If he walked off as stated we should have wrote him off then.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

If he actually deserted and joined the Taliban voluntarily, which is what people here seem to be implying, then yes the trade makes no sense and deserves not only criticism but incredulity. And for precisely that reason, I'm not buying it.

No one is saying he joined the Taliban. Heck, I don't think anyone thinks he was a member of the Taliban either voluntarily or involuntarily. God, you're horrible.

You don't even read the posts here do you? Jules Winnifield wrote:He deserted (no proof) and it looks like he defected (no proof).

No proof? People who were supposedly involved are tweeting it. It is not solid, but it also is a bit more than no proof.

People? Or just that one person? Was there more than that one dude who tweeted?

More here:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/bergdahl-deserter-or-hero/index.html

“I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on,” said former Sgt. 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.

And:

http://patdollard.com/2014/06/wanted-to-meet-with-the-taliban-platoonmate-who-discovered-bergdahl-missing-paints-portrait-of-long-premeditated-desertion-by-traitor-whose-actions-killed-u-s-troops/

Villagers said an American did come through the area and was wanting water and someone who spoke English. Wanted to meet with Taliban.

And:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mixed-reaction-to-bergdahls-recovery-by-service-members-who-consider-him-a-deserter/2014/06/01/3713e3ce-e9c5-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html

One Afghan special operations commander in eastern Afghanistan remembers being dispatched.

“Along with the American Special Forces, we set up checkpoints everywhere. For 14 days we were outside of our base trying to find him,” he told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is a member of a secretive military unit.

But U.S. troops said they were aware of the circumstances of Bergdahl’s disappearance — that he left the base of his own volition — and with that awareness, many grew angry.

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.”

 

[jon_mx]

The only people who are endanger of going to jail are the ones who exposed this.

 

[johnnycakes]

Guys are coming out of the woodwork dumping on Bardahl on the Spartan Brigade's Facebook Page.

Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." Bergdahl, who mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books, also wrote: "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong."....this says it all if it's true

I say we welcome him home with a firing squad. hes a piece of trash and everyone from ft rich knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt's for the dog turd

Hope they hang him once in custody then recapture the 5 we have to give up for this a$$..... He isn't worth the air he takes up, and I hope the army finally tells his family of how worthless and a disgrace to the (United States, the Army, to Paratroopers, and to 4/25)

Michelle Johnson Roach, maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this ##### you wouldn't feel the way you do. I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk. What was ignorant about what Brandon Fall said??? He's completely right Bergdahl has some splainin to do....

They even made a T-shirt to welcome him home.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Guys are coming out of the woodwork dumping on Bardahl on the Spartan Brigade's Facebook Page.

Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." Bergdahl, who mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books, also wrote: "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong."....this says it all if it's true

I say we welcome him home with a firing squad. hes a piece of trash and everyone from ft rich knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt's for the dog turd

Hope they hang him once in custody then recapture the 5 we have to give up for this ###..... He isn't worth the air he takes up, and I hope the army finally tells his family of how worthless and a disgrace to the (United States, the Army, to Paratroopers, and to 4/25)

Michelle Johnson Roach, maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this ##### you wouldn't feel the way you do. I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk. What was ignorant about what Brandon Fall said??? He's completely right Bergdahl has some splainin to do....

They even made a T-shirt to welcome him home.

Not enough proof for Tim.

 

[whoknew]

Guys are coming out of the woodwork dumping on Bardahl on the Spartan Brigade's Facebook Page.

Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." Bergdahl, who mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books, also wrote: "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong."....this says it all if it's true

I say we welcome him home with a firing squad. hes a piece of trash and everyone from ft rich knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt's for the dog turd

Hope they hang him once in custody then recapture the 5 we have to give up for this ###..... He isn't worth the air he takes up, and I hope the army finally tells his family of how worthless and a disgrace to the (United States, the Army, to Paratroopers, and to 4/25)

Michelle Johnson Roach, maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this ##### you wouldn't feel the way you do. I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk. What was ignorant about what Brandon Fall said??? He's completely right Bergdahl has some splainin to do....

They even made a T-shirt to welcome him home.

Not enough proof for Tim.

In fairness, there's little, if any, proof in that paragraph that he is/was a deserter.

The CNN article, however, had a bunch of quotes about him. Its all pretty circumstantial, but there does seem to be a lot of people who were there and are convinced he deserted.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Guys are coming out of the woodwork dumping on Bardahl on the Spartan Brigade's Facebook Page.

Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." Bergdahl, who mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books, also wrote: "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong."....this says it all if it's true

I say we welcome him home with a firing squad. hes a piece of trash and everyone from ft rich knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt's for the dog turd

Hope they hang him once in custody then recapture the 5 we have to give up for this ###..... He isn't worth the air he takes up, and I hope the army finally tells his family of how worthless and a disgrace to the (United States, the Army, to Paratroopers, and to 4/25)

Michelle Johnson Roach, maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this ##### you wouldn't feel the way you do. I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk. What was ignorant about what Brandon Fall said??? He's completely right Bergdahl has some splainin to do....

They even made a T-shirt to welcome him home.

I think between the VA, the "speech" at West Point which involved everything but the troops in American foreign policy, what Petraeus said that Obama said about the surge, and this, Obama is about to have a military problem.

 

[MikeIke]

Maybe we injected some kind of micro-GPS into the bad guys we released. That way, when they go back and join their evil friends it's drone time!

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Another member of Bergdahl's unit speaks out:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/02/we-lost-soldiers-in-the-hunt-for-bergdahl-a-guy-who-walked-off-in-the-dead-of-night.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=cheatsheet_morning&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bcheatsheet_morning&utm_term=Cheat%20Sheet

I served in the same battalion in Afghanistan and participated in the attempts to retrieve him throughout the summer of 2009. After we redeployed, every member of my brigade combat team received an order that we were not allowed to discuss what happened to Bergdahl for fear of endangering him. He is safe, and now it is time to speak the truth.

And that the truth is: Bergdahl was a deserter, and soldiers from his own unit died trying to track him down.

On the night prior to his capture, Bergdahl pulled guard duty at OP Mest, a small outpost about two hours south of the provincial capitol. The base resembled a wagon circle of armored vehicles with some razor wire strung around them. A guard tower sat high up on a nearby hill, but the outpost itself was no fortress. Besides the tower, the only hard structure that I saw in July 2009 was a plywood shed filled with bottled water. Soldiers either slept in poncho tents or inside their vehicles.

The next morning, Bergdahl failed to show for the morning roll call. The soldiers in 2nd Platoon, Blackfoot Company discovered his rifle, helmet, body armor and web gear in a neat stack. He had, however, taken his compass. His fellow soldiers later mentioned his stated desire to walk from Afghanistan to India.

The Daily Beast’s Christopher Dickey later wrote that "[w]hether Bergdahl…just walked away from his base or was lagging behind on a patrol at the time of his capture remains an open and fiercely debated question.” Not to me and the members of my unit. Make no mistake: Bergdahl did not "lag behind on a patrol,” as was cited in news reports at the time. There was no patrol that night. Bergdahl was relieved from guard duty, and instead of going to sleep, he fled the outpost on foot. He deserted. I’ve talked to members of Bergdahl’s platoon—including the last Americans to see him before his capture. I’ve reviewed the relevant documents. That’s what happened.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Maybe we injected some kind of micro-GPS into the bad guys we released. That way, when they go back and join their evil friends it's drone time!

If not....This should be standard protocol ....

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Guys are coming out of the woodwork dumping on Bardahl on the Spartan Brigade's Facebook Page.

Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." Bergdahl, who mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books, also wrote: "The future is too good to waste on lies. And life is way too short to care for the damnation of others, as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong."....this says it all if it's true

I say we welcome him home with a firing squad. hes a piece of trash and everyone from ft rich knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt's for the dog turd

Hope they hang him once in custody then recapture the 5 we have to give up for this ###..... He isn't worth the air he takes up, and I hope the army finally tells his family of how worthless and a disgrace to the (United States, the Army, to Paratroopers, and to 4/25)

Michelle Johnson Roach, maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this ##### you wouldn't feel the way you do. I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk. What was ignorant about what Brandon Fall said??? He's completely right Bergdahl has some splainin to do....

They even made a T-shirt to welcome him home.

Not enough proof for Tim.

In fairness, there's little, if any, proof in that paragraph that he is/was a deserter.

The CNN article, however, had a bunch of quotes about him. Its all pretty circumstantial, but there does seem to be a lot of people who were there and are convinced he deserted.

Convinced? Do you really believe he was taken hostage while in the latrine? Or lagging behind on patrol when there was no patrol that evening. Seriously?