Bergdahl released
The Associated Press reports that the only known POW of our enemies in Afghanistan, SGT Bowe Bergdahl, has been released;
The officials said the Taliban agreed to turn over Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The transfers happened after a week of intense negotiations mediated by the government of Qatar, which will take custody of the Afghans.
In a statement, President Barack Obama said Bergdahl’s recovery “is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield.”
Officials said the Taliban turned the 28-year-old Bergdahl over Saturday evening, local time, in Afghanistan. Several dozen U.S. special forces were involved in the exchange, which took place in eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border.
The article continues that Bergdahl is in good physical condition and able to walk on his own. He had been held by the Haqqani Network since June 30, 2009.
Category: Terror War
outfuckingstanding.
about damn time
Welcome back sergeant!
About damned time.
Gonna be a hell of a debrief, that’s for sure.
Yea, NH, it won’t be pleasant. Hope they don’t make it any worse. Whomever ‘they’ is/are. Whatever, I have not a clue to this story, but I’m happy for his family. It’s been a long time, they need some type of closure. At least for his mom and pop. Whatever the outcome, we’ll get the straight scoop here eventually. I’ll be waiting. At least he’s back. That’s a start.
Yea, NH, it won’t be pleasant. Hope they don’t make it any worse. Whomever ‘they’ is/are. Whatever, I have not a clue to this story, but I’m happy for his family. It’s been a long time, they need some type of closure. At least for his mom and pop. Whatever the outcome, we’ll get the straight scoop here eventually. I’ll be waiting. At least he’s back. That’s a start.
sorry, double tap…
CWORet…”to the center mass then one to the melon”. Referring to your “double tap”.
Good news.
NOW proceed with the heated discussion about what he did and what he should be held accountable for.
Also, can you say, Stockholm Syndrome?
Good, now demote his ass and court marshal him.
Question is, now that the Obama administration did this swap, will the Taliban attempt to grab more soldiers to get more asswipes released from Gitmo?
You bet they will. lot of bloodshed will happen because of this.
Bottom line, as I understand, is he went over the hill in a combat zone.
ohio I read your post above and while there is merit to it, between you and me and fence post brother, I sure hope that’s not the case. If this guy did go over the hill, he will never be able to hide that during his debriefing. One way or the other it will come out. Unless of course, Obama or the Pentagon intervene and give him a “pass” on a serious debriefing for fear of what may come out about their policies there. Don’t know what he could know about such things but in that length of time, he had to had heard things from the Taliban about our military and its communications and ROE. Just my thoughts. I hope the guy is a straight arrow, for his and the nation’s sake.
Also, I agree this will be precedence setting to the Taliban. If they can get five for one out of Gitmo, the bad things ahead are only beginning.
Here is an article about the 5 being released. The worst of the worst. Why I said there will be a lot of bloodshed.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/taliban-five-guantanamo_736892.html
ohio…Thanks for the article. I agree, they let the worst go. We will see them again soon in Afghanistan killing more Americans. I’ll bet money on that.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27651483
Sudan lets woman sentenced to death for refusing to convert to go free.
Wonder if this had anything to do with the trade.
This one is a weird story. Glad he’s back, but yea got some ‘splaining to do there buddy. I’ll give him the benefit for now. Hope his head ain’t completely bernathy, but I doubt it. he spent a long time in the hole; one way or another.
It’s about damn time.
How many terrorists have been released while the “negotiating” has been under way?
I am very glad he is home no matter what. What I will hate to hear now is how Obama spins this into a glory moment for himself. He’s only had since 2009 to get this done. So welcome home Sergeant and when Obama shakes your hand…count your fingers afterwards.
Yea! Hallelujah!
ugh………
Yes!!! So glad to hear this!
Assuming for the sake of argument that he did initially go AWOL, I’m thinking a little clemency is in order, credit for time served, or whatever. I’d much rather spend five years in Leavenworth than five years’ captivity with the Taliban.
Good, glad he’s back. Now court martial for desertion, and if found guilty, execution.
This reminds me of that guy who was a POW in Viet Nam for beau coup years, and was photographed carrying a weapon and patrolling with NVA forces.
I think he was a Marine, but I’m not sure.
I can’t remember his name.
I think he was court-martialed, but I’m not sure, because so many years have passed.
I do remember that, after returning to active duty (awaiting court-martial?), he was arrested for molesting one of his First Sergeant’s children.
Does anybody else remember that guy?
Is he in Leavenworth?
Bobby Garwood.
That is correct!
Thank you for reminding me.
Yep, Robert Garwood, the only American charged with collaborating with the enemy during the Vietnam (still waiting on Jane Fonda’s trial). There was a book titled Conversations With The Enemy, and an ABC movie with Ralph Maccio and Martin Sheen, both heavily slanted from his version of events. He claimed to be captured when he was driving a jeep to pick up some officer, but a few blogs out there say he was captured while making a visit to a Vietnamese cathouse. There is also a blog out there from a retired Sailor who said that Garwood was a neighbor of his, and stole the sailor’s wife.
I arrived in RVN about 10 months after he disappeared. Unit was about 10 miles south of Marble Mountain. “The Word” was to stay away from any whore houses, that is where he was captured. Truth? Don’t know but makes you behave.
A very tough way to get the POW Medal. I hope no-one, in the future, claims they were on the team that did the exchange.(posing) But you know, its probably commin’.
PeteOldABH…Wow, it never struck me until you posted it. Now there will be a multitude of posers claiming to be one of the “several dozen U.S. Special Forces” involved in the transfer.
Glad none of our guys got hurt retrieving Bergdahl.
Except the guys who were WIA and KIA looking for him when he decided to go for a stroll…
Yeah…I guess I meant glad that no more of our guys got hurt.
Good to see this – even if it royally sucks that we gave up a bunch of true terrorist sh!tbags to make it happen.
Let the man be debriefed, then take things from there. Let’s see what comes out during debriefing.
I’m glad he is returning, however, he does have some explaining to do.
Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but, as far as I know, no male soldier ever captured, or in the case of at least 1 guy who walked off base, was ever left alive.
Makes one wonder how he stayed alive for 4 years, it certainly wasn’t as a bargaining piece, up until last year at least.
Everyone over there at the time that it happened knows what Bergdahl did. It wasn’t a secret.
I’m glad he is back. I have been a supporter of our government trying to bring him home since his disappearance. I know many many many people think he is a traitor, hippie, coward, etc. This may all be true and now that he his home, I find no fault in those who question his actions and intent. However, he was still an American and one of our soldiers. That alone in my mind, gave us the responsibility and duty to find him and bring him home.
I also think if there was malfeasance on his part and he did abandon his post, that his 5 years of captivity with Taliban/Haqqini terrorists is enough punishment, as long as the guy is honest about what happened.
With that said, ff he wants to lie about what happened, fuck him and the bird he rode in on.
“Time served?” For the soldiers killed while searching for the DUSTWUN? For the weeks spent by an entire brigade trying to find him and not conducting their normal mission?
He’s ours and we take care of our own. That means we give him a hero’s welcome if it’s deserved or we stand him up against the wall if he went over to the other side. But we don’t leave him in enemy hands either way.
I didn’t read the rest of the comments here on purpose, I don’t want to be swayed by others opinions on this.
Honestly? I have hugely mixed emotions about it. I’m happy to see an American Soldier brought home,
BUT
I’m mad as hell we ‘struck a deal’ to achieve it.
Just one more way we are weakening ourselves as a nation.
Grrr
Clemency? For his “time served?” If this Kwai Chang Caine wannabe actually did leave his post, then no amount of “time served” could make up for the soldiers, NCO’s and officers who died looking for him.
So we negotiated the trade of five “senior” Islamic terrorists who were being held in Guantanamo (and whom the Taliban apparently really wanted back) for one dumbass (at best) who leaves his base carrying a compass and a water bottle? We traded a guy who was a Taliban Governor and four others for a guy who was “ashamed to even be an American”?
Great work.
OK, he’s been released. So, can we focus again on the mess at the VA? Vets are still dying.
You know,by the looks of his picture(s) if he did just take a walk and leave, he doesn’t appear to be to happy about his decision.