Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

[Gregory Matthews]

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is in the news and that should not be news to anyone. After some time of reflection over the controversy that involved him, I thought that I would comment.

My background is: 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Army, both as enlisted and commissioned officer. I have served in combat. I have walked beside a representative of the International Red Cross while that person inspected the conditions under which we kept POWs.

NOTE: The Geneva classification of people commonly called POWs by the news media is EPW, Also, the Geneva divides such people into more than one classification. I have simplified this by simply calling them all POWs.

Before writing this comment, I have reviewed the Geneva Conventions, in part. They are clear in classifying Sgt. Bowe Bergdahll as a POW (EPW) and for the entire period of time that he was in the hands of the Taliban.

There has been discussion as to whether or not misconduct was involved on his part. It is right that everything involved in his capture by the Taliban and his conduct during the time he was in their hands, be evaluated to determine of misconduct on his part was involved. I have no doubt that this will be investigated.

If misconduct on his part is determined, the level of misconduct can be decided and an appropriate punishment can be decided. That all waits until a future time. We are a people who do not judge the guilt of a person prior to a determination of that guilt by legal means. That is exactly what our military has fought for.

So, until Sgt. Bergdahl is determined to be guilty of grave misconduct, he is a hero who has survived years as a POW. This is exactly how every returned POW should be treated.

Our men and women who voluntarily choose to serve their country and wind up in enemy hands, deserve to be treated as a hero until such time as it is proven that they should not be so treated. Sgt. Bergdahl deserves that respect, the same as everyone else.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

A number of soldiers from his platoon don't share those sentiments of Bergdahl being a "hero".... and I admit I may be trusting in their eyewitness views perhaps more than I should.

One of my relatives was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. I find it very difficult to place Bergdahl in the same category of honor...

[Gregory Matthews]

am, I understand.

My point is that there is a process which must be followed. Until that process is completed we should treat him as a hero.

I read the same news reports that you read. But, I also have the mind of a former Army officer and the training that I received. From my perspective, it is not clear cut.

If he committed misconduct, what is the level of misconduct? This is a major question. It is certainly not clear that he intended to desert.

If he committed misconduct, what is the just punishment for that level of misconduct. It is certainly not clear as to the degree of punishment that he should receive.

[Gregory Matthews]

1) Let us say that Sgt. Bergdahl left his post without permission. That is a much lower offense that that of desertion.

It should be noted that the news media reports that he had left several times before, gone into the village and always returned.

The fact that he always returned is an indication that he may not have intended to desert.

2) Did he, while a POW, give the enemy (the Taliban) information that gave them aid? This may surprise you, but doing so, as a POW, which he was, is NOT automatically a military crime. The reason is that sooner or later just about all POWs do such. There are rare exceptions. But, the U.S. does not want to criminalize behavior that is beyond the ability of the POW to resist.

3) In any case, regardless of the above, until proven otherwise, he deserves to be treated as a hero.

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

One of my relatives was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. I find it very difficult to place Bergdahl in the same category of honor...

Pam, you know the story of the life of your relative.

At this point of time, you know nothing about the life of Bergdahl while a POW. So, of course, you cannot place himself in a category of honor.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

true, I know nothing about Bergdahl's life as a POW. I highly doubt, however, that it was anything remotely similar to Bataan.

In any event, I would need to disqualify myself as any sort of juror (not that I would be called for such, as I'm not in the military), because, at this point, I can't feel any sort of sympathy for him at all. Perhaps that might change if the facts justify it...

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I don't understand why Bergdahl needs to be treated as a "hero".... what did he do that was "heroic"??

[bonnie]

It seems strange that those that served with him don't share the "hero view".Rather they were forced to sign a Non-disclousure agreement which they have now violated.

Generally you would expect those he served with would be overjoyed and not so negative. In addition the five less than honorable men that are now loose to ply their trade again

[Bravus]

The 'five less than honorable men' are confined to Qatar for a year as part of the terms of the deal. Something not being reported much.

Used to be that simply putting your life on the line for your country in the front lines was itself considered heroic. Bergdahl did that. He may have been having some second thoughts about that. He may even have been a pretty poor soldier. But he was captured and imprisoned by the enemy his country was fighting. He was, as Gregory said, a POW/EPW.

This comment will probably get this moved to Politics, but it's the elephant in the room: the controversy as almost nothing to do with Bowe Bergdahl. It's just one more in an never-ending and unsuccessful series of attempts to discredit the President.

[bonnie]

The 'five less than honorable men' are confined to Qatar for a year as part of the terms of the deal. Something not being reported much.

Used to be that simply putting your life on the line for your country in the front lines was itself considered heroic. Bergdahl did that. He may have been having some second thoughts about that. He may even have been a pretty poor soldier. But he was captured and imprisoned by the enemy his country was fighting. He was, as Gregory said, a POW/EPW.

This comment will probably get this moved to Politics, but it's the elephant in the room: the controversy as almost nothing to do with Bowe Bergdahl. It's just one more in an never-ending and unsuccessful series of attempts to discredit the President.

Isn't Qatar a place that has many raising money for jihadists in Syria?

I believe they have also lost track of others released there.

There is a concern by both sides that negotiating with terrorists will set a precedent and lead to kidnapping of more american soldiers and civilians including the president concurs with that distinct possibility

[phkrause]

The 'five less than honorable men' are confined to Qatar for a year as part of the terms of the deal. Something not being reported much.

Used to be that simply putting your life on the line for your country in the front lines was itself considered heroic. Bergdahl did that. He may have been having some second thoughts about that. He may even have been a pretty poor soldier. But he was captured and imprisoned by the enemy his country was fighting. He was, as Gregory said, a POW/EPW.

This comment will probably get this moved to Politics, but it's the elephant in the room: the controversy as almost nothing to do with Bowe Bergdahl. It's just one more in an never-ending and unsuccessful series of attempts to discredit the President.

Exactly, I couldn't agree more. Not that I agree with the way he handled this situation.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

the name of Obama never even crossed my mind as I wrote my response... why drag him into it when he wasn't even mentioned in this thread?

[Bravus]

Imagine if Bowe Bergdahl was your (speaking generally to everyone, not specifically to Pam) son.

Do you think you'd still be as hardcore about 'never negotiating with terrorists'?

Or would you be screaming the house down that the government didn't care about soldiers and citizens and wasn't doing enough to get him back?

Tell the truth.

[bonnie]

Imagine if Bowe Bergdahl was your (speaking generally to everyone, not specifically to Pam) son.

Do you think you'd still be as hardcore about 'never negotiating with terrorists'?

Or would you be screaming the house down that the government didn't care about soldiers and citizens and wasn't doing enough to get him back?

Tell the truth.

That is exactly why family members are not the ones to negotiate with terrorists. Or sit on a jury when the defendant is a family member.

The rule has been that the US not negotiate. What happens the next time?

Aren't there other citizens that are held prisoners in other countries?What about them,who should we trade for?

[Bravus]

Read a bit about how John McCain got back from Vietnam...

Or Iran-Contra.

If that's been the policy, it's been honored in the breach by pretty much every president.

[Bravus]

Which is why I say the kerfuffle (in general, even if not specifically for Pam) is about *this* President.

[phkrause]

I understand, I think it would be very tough to not want someone to get my child home in one piece.

[bonnie]

Read a bit about how John McCain got back from Vietnam...

Or Iran-Contra.

If that's been the policy, it's been honored in the breach by pretty much every president.

Wasn't McCain released with a number of other prisoners as part of a negotiated cease fire? If not which prisoners held by the US were released in a trade such as this?

[bonnie]

As wrong as I think Iran Contra was,I don't recall it was exchanging dangerous prisoners for one man.

It was illegal trading

[Gregory Matthews]

Bravus said:

Quote:

Used to be that simply putting your life on the line for your country in the front lines was itself considered heroic. Bergdahl did that. He may have been having some second thoughts about that. He may even have been a pretty poor soldier. But he was captured and imprisoned by the enemy his country was fighting. He was, as Gregory said, a POW/EPW.

He is correct.

In addition, one of the freedoms that our men and women in the military have fought for is the idea that no person will be judged guilty until a fair process had determined their guilt.

Such had not happened in the case of Sgt. Bergdahl.

Also, it has been the policy of the military that until proven otherwise, any person who survived as a POW was to be considered a hero. Sgt. Bergdahl has survived five years as a POW. Until proven otherwise, he should be treated as a hero.

A third aspect of this is the change in attitude that has occurred toward POWs. The media myth is that a POW should only give away Name, Rank and serial number. That myth, even though popular, in false. It is now recognized that, with very rare exceptions, such will not be possible. The military no longer expects that such well be done. Such is simply not the expected standard.

Military members are taught to resist. They are taught methods to use in resisting. But, they are taught that there will typically come a point where they will break and give away information. For those who survived, and did such, they will remain a hero.

Yes, there will be a in depth review of the circumstances of his capture and conduct while a POW. But, until proven otherwise, Bergdahl should be considered a hero. The fact that some do not see it that way does not negate the reality that the American way so not to judge a person until a fair process has been conducted which determined the facts and came to a conclusion as to what should be done.

[phkrause]

Exactly Gregory, from what I've been reading he's already been convicted in most people's minds.

[bonnie]

Exactly Gregory, from what I've been reading he's already been convicted in most people's minds.

His own personal behavior is responsible for what many think.

Leaving a letter behind when he left and sending his personal possessions home does convince a lot of people he was not "captured"

His father didn't endear his son to the american people by ....

POW’s dad praises Allah at suspicious Rose Garden press conference with Obama

bergdahls0601

Photo: CNN

Appearing with President Obama in a brief Rose Garden event, Robert Bergdahl, the father of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, recited “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahm,” according to the Daily Caller. In English, that means, “In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Compassionate.”

When he finished reciting, the president hugged him.

Most americans are overjoyed when one of our captured military

is brought home. More so those he served with and that is not the case.

Robert Bergdahl will have a hard row to how when he comes home

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

His own personal behavior is responsible for what many think.

Very little is known about his own personal behavior. From what is known, it is NOT one-sided.

[Bravus]

[Johann]

Why are his parents now receiving death threats?