Not a Smart Trade, Sir

| June 3, 2014

There’s an old joke here in Arkansas about President Clinton returning to his home state for a Razorbacks championship football game. While there, he’s given two cute little piglets by a wealthy agribusiness, Razorback alumnus. As he later disembarks Marine 1 on the White House lawn Bill has a cute piglet under each arm. At the foot of the stairway, a sharp young Marine lance corporal snaps a smart salute and barks, “Nice pigs, Sir!” A grinning Clinton hoists them a bit higher and says, “Yeah, they a couple of real Arkansas beauties aren’t they; I got one for Hillary and one for Janet Reno.”

The Marine, still holding his salute says, “Smart trade, Sir!”

Well, it would appear that America’s second black president isn’t quite as adept at hog-swapping as America’s first black president was. As we have learned in the past twenty-four hours, our outlaw president has taken it upon himself to ignore the law and oversee a prisoner trade between our country and the Taliban.that is so one-sided as to once again demonstrate to the world that in the Obama White House, ineptitude is the acceptable standard of performance.

Obama got his pig, and I make no apology for that description of PFC Bergdahl (he was promoted to sergeant while being held captive) for this is where this discussion turns deadly serious. As a former non-commissioned officer who served in combat with another airborne unit, my first reaction upon hearing of Bergdahl’s desertion many years ago was, get him back, give him a fair court-martial and put him in front of a firing squad. Good, honorable paratroopers lost their lives searching for this treasonous bastard. Various sources from Bergdahl’s unit, the 501st Airborne Infantry are reporting in around the Web with this information:

PFC Matthew Michael Martinek, Staff Sgt. Kurt Robert Curtiss, SSG Clayton Bowen, PFC Morris Walker, SSG Michael Murphrey, 2LT Darryn Andrews, were all KIA from our unit who died looking for Bergdahl. Many others from various units were wounded or killed while actively looking for Bergdahl.

Those deaths, every single one, are on Bergdahl’s head. For the squeamish among you who find my opinion too harsh, here’s Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the statutory regulation dealing with desertion:

(c) Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the desertion or attempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.

And there is damning evidence against PFC Bergdahl from those in his unit. He made no secret of his disillusionment with America, sending emails to his parents, one of which contained this statement, “The system is wrong. I am ashamed to be an american. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools…I am sorry for everything here”

Notice that non-capitalization of American. A fellow trooper, Jason Fry, has reported that Bergdahl told him, “If this deployment is lame, I’m just going to walk off into the mountains of Pakistan.”

So yes, we can court-martial this dishonorable deserter whose selfish views and actions caused all those unnecessary deaths and take his life or lock him away for the rest of it for the simple reason that the son of a bitch walked out on his band of brothers in an active combat zone in an act of betrayal that caused the deaths of his brothers in arms who willingly went in search of him, to save his sorry, weasel ass. Those events have immeasurable consequences on those both above and below his rank that he deserted. There is no greater crime that a combat infantryman can commit than desertion to the enemy on the battlefield. Were he to be judged by his fellow paratroopers, he’d be dead in the blink of an eye for the deaths that he caused. He willingly manipulated and violated the code of, “No man left behind,” for his own selfish sense of fulfillment that proved deadly to troopers in the 501st Infantry, and who knows how many more in special operations, who sent in patrols for years trying to find this weak-ass traitor.

So, Mister President, in another demonstration of your unprecedented presidential ineptitude, you just unleashed five, ferociously rabid, bloody-tusked, Islamic boars on our world and our troops for a weak-ass, whiny, little piglet traitor that would fit neatly under Bill Clinton’s arm.

Not a smart trade, Sir…

Crossposted at American Thinker

Category: Terror War

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streetsweeper

You hit that one outta the ballpark, Poe.

10thMountainMan

Certainly time to break out the Manual of Courts Martial and break it over this privates head. I’m seeing a lot of folk around the web taking up the stance of “Well you don’t know, we don’t know.” But I was an NCO also, a fister, and I served in a few rifle units. And for me his platoon is jury enough.

Berghdal is the prick of the litter. BTW, is it normal for POWs to get promoted in captivity?

Devtun

Promotions probably haven’t stopped. Heard on CNN Cooper 360 last night a mention that Bergdahl is due to be bumped to SSG later this month…

MrBill

Should never have happened. Once there was credible information that he walked away on his own, he should have been flagged.

H1

While trying to knock the VA debacle of the front page is understandable.
They need to fire whomever is doing the war gaming for COA’s.
This outcome was the most dangerous.

AW1 Tim

Bergdahl’s father is, (or would appear to be, from his statements) a muslim. He (the father) has repeatedly called for our withdrawal from all islamic nations, and the son’s comments echo fully his father’s own beliefs.

I have come to the conclusion that PFC Bergdahl not only willingly left his post, but was doing so to further his father’s agenda to release ALL the prisoners at Gitmo (and elsewhere, such as the Blind Sheik, etc).

Think about it. PFC Bergdahl makes himself available to the Taliban in order to force a trade for their leaders held in captivity. It isn’t any stretch of the imagination to believe that this is the actual case.

He has not only deserted, but provided assistance to our enemies. Now that president mom-jeans has decided to deal with terrorists, they have the incentive to capture MORE Americans, wherever they may be found, and hold THEM for ransom as well.

The actions of PFC Bergdahl are beyond reprehensible, and should warrant the death penalty. The actions of president mom-jeans are disgusting, and should rise to the level of impeachable offense.

Would that we had a Congress with sufficient courage to draft Articles of Impeachment, and prove themselves worthy of the military and citizens whom they represent.

OWB

Yeah, what Poetrooper said.

Meanwhile, not only has the VA scandal been knocked from the headlines, so has news about the Ukraine.

Roger in Republic

Right, and meanwhile “The most respected name in News, CNN is still 24-7, 365, babbling on about flt 360. I guess fredom of the press means freedom to be stupid.

Matt

First, I do not oppose the swap. PFC/SPC/SGT/MG/Whatever Bergdhal is an American Soldier AT LEAST IN NAME if not by deed. We trade for our held Soldiers and bring them home. We ALWAYS have. Sometimes we have waited till the end of hostilities, but that is not a real good option here.

What I do oppose is the hoopla. It should have been, “welcome home. Here is your TDS attorney, we have some questions for you.”

Richard

Mr. Obama CANNOT be THIS tone-deaf. What the hell is going on in the White House? The first thing I thought is that the Democrats know that they are going to lose in 2014 and they are willing to lose HUGE now and try to make it up in 2016. The second thing is that they think that all of this stuff will energize their base but then I repeat my first observation — they cannot be this tone-deaf. Benghazi, IRS, VA, Bergdahl, Choke Point, and on and on. What the hell?!

MustangCryppie

Matt, he isn’t that tone deaf. The smartest man in the world is that STUPID!

Valerie

He isn’t this tone deaf: you just have to be aware of who he is listening to. Imagine Bill Ayers or Bernadine Dorhn commenting on this event and you’ll get the tone he is hearing.

Veritas Omnia Vincit

Bergdahl should certainly get his day in court, and then he should get the needle (we don’t do firing squads anymore from what I understand).

That will never happen, this president will ignore all that and they will promote Bergdahl to SSG as indicated on the news and everyone will pretend on the one hand that a deserter is some kind of hero for suffering through 5 years of collaboration while on the other hand they continue to hose vets with p1ss poor administration of the VA and veteran benefits.

I truly hope to be proven wrong in my thinking, but I’ll not hold my breath while waiting.

MustangCryppie

Any bets that Bergdahl will be promoted to SSGT in the Oval Office?

Calypso Facto

“Dempsey also said that Bergdahl’s planned promotion — from sergeant to staff sergeant — is on hold now that he’s been recovered.”

So hopefully your scenario doesn’t come true and I don’t have to blow a gasket!

A Proud Infidel®™

In the meantime, WHAT HAVE B. Hussein 0bama & Company done for the US Marine still imprisoned in Mexico for possession of a gun when HE WAS NOT allowed to turn around at the Border?

radar

Excellent piece, and thank you for referring to the deserter by his actual rank. As a former NCO it burns my ass to see him called by a rank he did not earn and does not deserve.

royh

The deserter will not get what he deserves. I can guarantee that. I’m willing to bet he doesn’t even get much time, if any, in Leavenworth. Not after “Another senior Defense official said Bergdahl will not likely face any punishment. ‘Five years is enough,’ he told CNN on condition of anonymity.”

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

This whole thing just makes me so mad. When I think about this I feel powerless and mad and sorry for every living person, American or not, who died or suffered for no reason because of the deserter. And the deserter probably won’t be punished.

O-4E

“Promotions: POW personnel continue to be considered for promotion along with their contemporaries. Policy provides for each missing or captured officer/enlisted member to be considered for promotion to the next higher grade when they are eligible. The eligibility for officers is based on the date of rank in their current grade. For enlisted members, eligibility is based on time in grade and time in service.”

http://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Home/Benefit_Library/Federal_Benefits_Page/POW__MIA_Entitlements.html?serv=147

Cases in point

Colonel Nick Rowe – Captured as a 1st LT. Promoted to Major during 5 years of captivity

Senator McCain – Captured as a LtCdr and promoted to Commander during captivity

68W58

Nick Rowe’s book-Five Years to Freedom-is excellent and relate his experiences as a POW. His tale of Rocky Versace’s heroism and his own harrowing escape are good stuff.

O-4E

One of the best books ever. Hell of a man. Same with Versace.

Unlike Berghdahl

Sparks

Poetrooper…Homerun. Thank you and well said.

ohio

Pentagon considered him a deserter, not worth a high risk rescue attempt:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/2/pentagon-knew-berghdahls-whereabouts-but-didnt-ris/

MAJMike

I heard all the stories about Bergdahl back when he first deserted. I immediately began to inform my friends of the details of this guy’s service record when news of the exchange broke.

I’m surprised that the usual cover up hasn’t been instituted. We owe it to the dead to keep the truth in circulation. This must not be forgotten.

Thunderstixx

I have a nephew that went ASOL and then deserted back in the 80’s… He lived a quiet life in San Diego for many years and finally went to the Navy to get things straightened out.
He did no time behind bars and was given a DD.
The only good thing about that is that we won’t see him at the VA Hospital…
This guy needs to be tried and not let off like my nephew was.
I still seethe about that little bastard…

Club Manager

Well said, right on target. Go HOGS!!!

David

The main-stream media is busily pumping out “no one REALLY knows” chaff to confuse the issue.

More importantly, I saw articles this morning spinning “well, they say people died trying to search for and rescue him, but further DoD analysis says they were all just routine combat deaths during an upswing in hostilities.” So within a week no one will have died seeking him and his record will be clean as the new driven snow used to be.

1AirCav69

“No one really knows chaff”….love it!

1AirCav69

Great article Poetrooper! My wife said, you were a Paratrooper, what possible reasons would his brothers have for making it up that he deserted? I said, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. NO REASON! I would believe 1 Paratrooper over 1,000 of anyone else and over the word of 10,000 politicians. His own brothers, “Swift Boat Shipmates anyone?”, would be defending him until death if he had been honorably “captured”. There is no possible way in this day, age, and administration he’ll get the death penalty, but he’d better look over his shoulder the rest of his life to see which brother is climbing his six. May he rot in HELL! My other hope is when he dies he won’t meet 72 virgins, but he just might get to see 6 of his brothers and they just might get to make the decision on whether or not he gets in. I couldn’t sleep, which isn’t unusual, last night over this bastard.

Herbert J Messkit

I approve of the trade for THE FIVE if and only if in about a week one of them suddenly and mysteriously and painfully drops dead. Then a few days later another drops. A little psychological warfare.

Flagwaver

Forget psychological warfare. Pump them full of the Measles and send them directly home. That should fix a great deal of problems in about three to five weeks.

Roger in Republic

I would suggest Pneumonic plague. It has a much higher mortality rate and spreads like wildfire.

Herbert J Messkit

But is it painful?

fishaddict

I was going to say AIDS but that would only reduce the goat population…

royh

“Separately, the former official said, ‘Military commanders were loath to risk their people to save this guy. They were loath to pick him up and because of that hesitancy, we wind up trading five Taliban guys for him.'”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/2/pentagon-knew-berghdahls-whereabouts-but-didnt-ris/

Maybe the fact that military commanders didn’t want to risk the lives of their men to rescue a deserter should have clued someone in to the fact that he wasn’t worth 5 prisoners!

Some1

Not only will this embolden attacks on our troops by Taliban hoping to get another trade, but it really takes away the incentive for any of our men to take prisoners in the first place. Why take prisoner someone who’s only going to be released in a few years and who will be back shooting at you then? It’s making it a matter of self-defense, IMO, to just about require a take-no-prisoners attitude on the battlefield. Thanks, Obama.

2/17 Air Cav

The Bergdahl parade is to be held in Hailey, Idaho on 28 June. The family would like your money. They make no bones about it, saying outright that the money is not for a charity, is not tax deductible, that they are not an organization or a group and are not affiliated with one. And if that’s not clear enough to protect them from prosecution or a lawsuit, they add: “This account is a BENEFIT account for the use of the Bergdahls only.” You know, I have two words for them, The second one is a personal pronoun. You can guess the first.

They raised money last year, too. http://www.bringboweback2014.com.

O-4E

Love how they think the Army is going to let him go to be home by that date.

streetsweeper

A six pack of Budweiser says; Bergdahl or *needledick* as I am gonna call him, gets the extended stay package at the MCB, Quantico vacation park and swimming pond AND! he also will also receive all kinda flowers, trinkets and a visit from the very famous, world renowned communal members of? CODEPink!

😎

Sparks

I have written part of this before. I don’t believe Obama is through with Bergdahl by a long shot. He still has some mileage in him. When you start telling lies, tell really big ones and it goes over better in the liberal media spin and the minds of the bleeding heart’s of the ill informed. You know, the ones who are, “just so happy this young man is home, I don’t care how and nobody knows what really happened to him”. Deflect, obscure and clutter the truth, is the order of the day for Obama and always has been.

I believe, though I hope I am wrong, that Bergdahl will receive The POW Medal, The Purple Heart, The ARCOM and possibly a Bronze Star. I also believe it will be done at the White House with all family present for the really big lie media hype. Obama, who lives by the lie, knows that the bigger the lie and line of bullshit the better it goes over.

Answers to any naysayers will be, 1. He’s suffered enough. 2. He is a honored POW FINALLY brought home by Obama. 3. It’s really none of your business America, any more than the the way we side stepped the law to get him back. My money is on these thoughts being processed in the White House and Pentagon as we speak.

I don’t thing Bergdahl will face a Court Martial at all. How do you Court Martial a POW? The Obama camp has already spun him into a hero. They cannot back peddle from that position now, only go forward in a bigger, grander way. Sorry for the long rant and post.

Sparks

Poetrooper…I can only hope.

Flakpup

I can’t quite sort out how exactly Bergdahl left, but from some of the accounts it sounds like he was posted at the time and left his weapon and equipment at the post when he departed. If this is the case… why bother trying to make the long push to have him sentenced as a deserter since he could always argue that he was merely going for a walk to clear his head and accidentally got captured. There is a much more applicable Article in the UCMJ that covers this type of action and wouldn’t leave any doubt (as long as the facts fit)–

Article 113—Misbehavior of sentinel or lookout

Any sentinel or look-out who is found drunk or sleeping upon his post, or leaves it before he is regularly relieved, shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the offense is committed at any other time, by such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct.

Jacobite

Unfortunately some of his fellow soldiers, men who were there that night, say he was already relieved and disappeared rather than hitting the rack.

It’s my belief that there is enough evidence currently available to convict him of desertion. That would be good enough for me.

ArmyATC

I agree. The evidence supports desertion. He deliberately walked away from his unit and sought out the Taliban.