Was U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a Traitor?

[Wilikon]

Taliban Commander Vows To Kidnap More American Soldiers After Bergdahl Prisoner Swap…

A Taliban commander close to the negotiations over the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl told TIME Thursday that the deal made to secure Bergdahl’s release has made it more appealing for fighters to capture American soldiers and other high-value targets.

“It’s better to kidnap one person like Bergdahl than kidnapping hundreds of useless people,” the commander said, speaking by telephone on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. “It has encouraged our people. Now everybody will work hard to capture such an important bird.”

The commander has been known to TIME for several years and has consistently supplied reliable information about Bergdahl’s captivity.

http://time.com/2826442/taliban-kidnappings-bergdahl/

[Wilikon]

U.S. Intel: Bergdahl May Have Been An “Active Collaborator” With The Taliban, “As Serious As You Can Imagine”…


Fox News reporter James Rosen claimed intelligence sources have told him not only that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl willingly collaborated with the Taliban, but that his involvement with the terrorist group may be “as serious as you can imagine.”

Rosen spoke with Bill O’Reilly Wednesday night about his ongoing conversations with intelligence and Pentagon officials regarding both old and new investigations into Bergdahl’s likely desertion and possibly treasonous activities.

“My reporting has shown that the intelligence community also undertook a separate [from the Army] investigation of Sgt. Bergdahl,” Rosen explained, “both his final period of active duty that culminated in that mysterious evening, and also his conduct over the past five years, which is said to have been a period of captivity.” [...]

“Well, with greatest proximity, because they were tasked with doing so,” Rosen responded cagily. “But my reporting on this is that there are many inside the intelligence community who harbor outstanding concerns not just that Sgt. Bergdahl may have been a deserter, but that he became an active collaborator with the enemy.”

http://dailycaller.com/2014/06/04/foxs-rosen-sources-claim-bergdahls-taliban-collaboration-as-serious-as-you-can-imagine/

[bryant.coleman]

The Bergdahl-Taliban swap was still better than the Israeli prisoner exchanges. In 2011, Israel freed more than 1,000 Hamas terrorists, in exchange for just one soldier (Gilad Shalit). These terrorists have been responsible for a total of 569 Israeli civilian deaths.

[MaxwellsDemon]

The Bergdahl-Taliban swap was still better than the Israeli prisoner exchanges. In 2011, Israel freed more than 1,000 Hamas terrorists, in exchange for just one soldier (Gilad Shalit). These terrorists have been responsible for a total of 569 Israeli civilian deaths.

Well yes, except for a couple of tiny caveats:

1. The Israeli definition of "terrorist" is even broader than the American one. It basically means "anyone we don't like". Like most Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli jails, the vast majority of prisoners released in the Shalit deal were political prisoners, who were not directly involved with "terrorism" (in the narrow definition of the word). Also, most of them were not affiliated with Hamas (not that it actually matters).

2. That 569 number is entirely fabricated. It's more than half of all Israeli terror casualties since the first intifada...

3. And here's what most people don't know: quietly, gradually, without anyone noticing, Israel has been rounding these people up and throwing them back in prison. I don't have the exact updated numbers, but at least a third of those released to the West Bank are now back in prison (possibly much more by now). As for those released to Gaza and elsewhere, they are a minority and not much concern to Israel anyway. What's the point of a prisoner exchange if one side can start rounding people back up immediately after releasing them? Like the word "terrorist", the word "deal" also has a murky definition in Israel.

[taipo]

Which is what is going to happen to these 5 Taliban. They probably have tracker chips in every crevice on their person, and once they get close enough to any US enemies that matter, drones will unleash their payloads onto them and anyone in the surrounding area.

Seriously people, prisoner swaps or trading prisoners for money ( paying ransoms ) have been standard procedure since forever, remember Gary Powers, Iran and Oliver North. People need to stop perpetuating FoxNews derived horseshit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Gary_Powers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Contra_affair

[acs267]

You can join the military freely, but if you choose to leave prematurely, you're either called a 'deserter' or anti-American here in America.

[bryant.coleman]

What about this?

Leaked classified documents suggest US soldier Bergdahl converted to Islam in captivity

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_06/Leaked-classified-documents-suggest-US-soldier-Bergdahl-converted-to-Islam-in-captivity-7522/

[taipo]

So what if he did, just means they psychologically broke him. That story sounds like another one of those made up bullshit stories thats floating around. Seems those that were behind the Iran Contra arms deal, Oliver North and this Duane ( Dewey ) Clarridge, have a personal campaign they are on to destroy this US soldiers reputation before he has a chance to defend himself.

Keep in mind that both Oliver North, who has been quite vocal on FoxNews shitting all over this soldier, and Clarridge, initiated an arms for hostages swap with 'terrorists' back in the mid 80s. They took the profits from the arms they sold to their enemies, and gave them to a terrorist group in Nicaragua...being that they were 'their terrorists', they are called rebels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_North
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Clarridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_Affair

Now these two hypocrites are wagging the dog on this campaign against a US soldier who was held captive in Afghanistan feeding the docile media with as many stories as they can dream up.

[JohnnyLightning]

What about this?

Leaked classified documents suggest US soldier Bergdahl converted to Islam in captivity

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_06/Leaked-classified-documents-suggest-US-soldier-Bergdahl-converted-to-Islam-in-captivity-7522/

he may have been forced to.  I'm more concerned with what he did before he was captured.  his former teammates don't seem to have anything good to say about him.

[JohnnyLightning]

The administration said he served with honor and distinction, later "clarifying" to mean that he joined a volunteer army, so his actions were both honorable and distinctive.  Using that logic, so did Benedict Arnold.

[bryant.coleman]

he may have been forced to. 

That is very much possible. Almost all of the Soviet POWs captured during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were immediately converted to Islam, after being transported to Pakistan.

[Ron~Popeil]

What about this?

Leaked classified documents suggest US soldier Bergdahl converted to Islam in captivity

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_06/Leaked-classified-documents-suggest-US-soldier-Bergdahl-converted-to-Islam-in-captivity-7522/

he may have been forced to.  I'm more concerned with what he did before he was captured.  his former teammates don't seem to have anything good to say about him.

Yeah, after the kidnapping you pretty much have to assume he was under duress. The before stuff looks worse all the time.

[Wilikon]

http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-official-sgt-bowe-bergdahl-has-declined-to-speak-to-his-family-1402242356?tesla=y&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304315504579612170444661860.html

[galbros]

He was NOT a traitor.  But he apparently left his post without permission and so was a borderline deserter.  It's not like he was captured in a firefight or anything.

The whole not talking to his family thing is weird though.

I hope this works out okay for the US.

[Wilikon]

He was NOT a traitor.  But he apparently left his post without permission and so was a borderline deserter.  It's not like he was captured in a firefight or anything.

The whole not talking to his family thing is weird though.

I hope this works out okay for the US.

I hope this works out okay for the US.

ABC News: Gitmo 5 Living It Up In Qatar On “A Year-Long, All Expenses Paid Vacation” In Luxury Villas…

The Gitmo 5 are living in Qatar on what is in effect a year long all expenses paid vacation. The Gitmo 5 have remained hidden from view and the men are living in upscale villas. They are free to talk with their family members and each other. The Taliban even maintains a compound in Qatar.

http://youtu.be/6Qc_6EyRRug

[Wilikon]

Former Platoon Mate: “Every Single Mission” Was About Finding Bergdahl After He Deserted…

http://youtu.be/6_TJUNBXtoA

[bryant.coleman]

He was NOT a traitor.  But he apparently left his post without permission and so was a borderline deserter.  It's not like he was captured in a firefight or anything.

A soldier who leaves his post without permission is called a deserter, and not a borderline deserter. But we don't know the exact circumstances yet, and we are not sure whether he left his post on his own.

[Ron~Popeil]

He was NOT a traitor.  But he apparently left his post without permission and so was a borderline deserter.  It's not like he was captured in a firefight or anything.

A soldier who leaves his post without permission is called a deserter, and not a borderline deserter. But we don't know the exact circumstances yet, and we are not sure whether he left his post on his own.

Exactly. I will withhold judgement until all the facts are in but it does not look good at this point.

[bryant.coleman]

More drama on the way.

Bergdahl REFUSES to speak to parents after describing how Taliban kept him locked in a shark cage for WEEKS – as his homecoming parade is cancelled over death threats

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2652026/Bow-Bergdahl-says-tortured-kept-locked-shark-cage-weeks-trying-escape-Taliban-twice-parents-receive-death-threats-people-furious-prisoner-swap.html

[Rigon]

I wish him a safe return to the United States. I have spent a lot of time thinking about him over the course of several years. I worry about him and hope he gets rescued soon.