Sunday, June 1, 2014

Bergdahl & Obama the Perfect match? Bergdahl, a perfect spokesman for Obama?

A number of of US soldiers who served with Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl - the US soldier who was released in a prisoner swap on Saturday - are calling Bergdahl a "deserter" whose "selfish act" resulted in the deaths of better men who previously tried to rescue him.

If Bergdahl did indeed desert his comrades, and, if reports are true that the Army Sgt., in a letter, once expressed a sense of shame for being an American, it would help explain why the Taliban kept him alive all this time.

Of course, the opportunity to obtain the release of five senior, "high-ranking" and "high-risk" terrorists from Gitmo might be enough of a reason for the Taliban to keep Bergdahl alive, however, the latter was held captive for nearly five years, and, for the Taliban, five years is an awful long period of time, and energy, to expand on keeping an American infidel alive.

It may seem ironic, but in truth, it is befitting for Obama that the one American captive, out of many, that he has managed to extract from enemy soil - albeit with a prisoner swap consisting of "high-ranking" and "high-risk" terrorists - might very well be a "deserter" who has bad feelings about this country. Befitting indeed...:
Many of those who served with [Bowe Bergdahl] -- veterans and soldiers... - call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men...

Former Sergeant Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009, said "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."...

Said Bergdahl's former squad leader, Greg Leatherman: "I'm pleased to see him returned safely. From experience I hope that he receives adequate reintegration counseling. I believe that an investigation should take place as soon as healthcare professionals deem him fit to endure one."...

According to first-hand accounts from soldiers in his platoon, Bergdahl, while on guard duty, shed his weapons and walked off the observation post with nothing more than a compass, a knife, water, a digital camera, and a diary.

At least six soldiers were killed in subsequent searches for Bergdahl, and many soldiers in his platoon said attacks seemed to increase against the United States in Paktika Province in the days and weeks following his disappearance.

Many of Bergdahl's fellow troops... told CNN that they signed nondisclosure agreements agreeing to never share any information about Bergdahl's disappearance and the efforts to recapture him. Some were willing to dismiss that document in hopes that the truth would come out about a soldier who they now fear is being hailed as a hero, while the men who lost their lives looking for him are ignored...

Emails reported by the late Michael Hastings in Rolling Stone in 2012 reveal what Bergdahl's fellow infantrymen learned within days of his disappearance: he told people that he no longer supported the U.S. effort in Afghanistan.

"The future is too good to waste on lies," Bowe wrote to his parents. "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. I have seen their ideas and I am ashamed to even be American. The horror of the self-righteous arrogance that they thrive in. It is all revolting."

Bergdahl wrote to them, "I am sorry for everything. The horror that is America is disgusting.".

CNN has not independently verified the authenticity of the emails...

[An American] platoon went to the village where [some] children said the American [Bergdahl] had gone.

"Villagers said an American did come through the area and was wanting water and someone who spoke English," [said, Cody, a former member of Bergdahl's squad]. "Wanted to meet with Taliban."

Former Pfc. Jose Baggett, 27, of Chicago, was also in Blackfoot Company, and said he was close to two men "killed because of his (Bergdahl's) actions."

"He walked off," Baggett told CNN. "He left his guard post. Nobody knows if he defected or he's a traitor or he was kidnapped. What I do know is he was there to protect us and instead he decided to defer from America and go and do his own thing. I don't know why he decided to do that, but we spend so much of our resources and some of those resources were soldiers' lives."...

While searching for [Bergdahl], ambushes and IEDs picked up tremendously. Enemy knew we would be coming. IEDs started being placed more effectively in the coming weeks. Ambushes were more calculated, cover and concealment was used," Cody tweeted.

On August 18, 2009, Staff Sgt. Clayton Bowen and Pfc. Morris Walker were killed by an IED in the search for Bergdahl. Staff Sgt. Kurt Curtiss was killed on August 26; 2nd Lt. Darryn Andrews and Pfc. Matthew Michael Martinek were killed after being attacked in Yahya Khail District on September 4; Staff Sgt. Michael Murphrey was killed September 5 by an IED at the Forward Operating Base, Sharana.

Moreover, other operations were put on hold while the search for Bergdahl was made a top priority, according to officers who served in Afghanistan in that time...

One soldier with the 509th Regiment, a sister unit of the 501st, told CNN that after Bergdahl disappeared, the U.S. Army essentially was told to lock down the entire province of Paktika. He described sitting in the middle of a field with his platoon, vulnerable, with capabilities and personnel mismanaged throughout the region. Different platoons ran out of water, food, and ammunition.

Two mortarmen -- Pvt. Aaron Fairbairn and Pfc. Justin Casillas -- were killed in a July 4, 2009, attack.

"It was unbelievable," the soldier said. "All because of the selfish act of one person."
Befitting, indeed.....

One US soldier writes the following account:
"We search everywhere, and can't find [Bergdahl]. He left his weapon, his kit, and other sensitive items. He only took some water, a compass and a knife. We find some afghan kids shortly after who saw an american walking north asking about where the taliban are... We come to realize that the kid deserted his post, snuck out of camp and sought out Taliban… to join them...

His actions impacted the region more than anyone wants to admit. There is also no way to know what he told the Taliban: Our movements, locations, tactics, weak points on vehicles and other things for the enemy to exploit are just a few possibilities...

The Government knows full well that he deserted. It looks bad and is a good propaganda piece for the Taliban. They refuse to acknowledge it....

Bergdahl is not a hero... He failed his brothers. Now, sons and daughters are growing up without their fathers who died for him and he will have to face that truth someday."
Bergdahl & Obama, the Perfect match? Bergdahl, the perfect spokesman for Obama? Should Bergdahl be appointed the new White House Press Secretary?

Befitting, indeed....

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