#DM7 Article: The Price For Saving Bergdahl

Posted on June 8, 2014 by A.P. Dillon

This is a reposting of my weekly column at DaTechGuy: The Price For Saving Bergdahl

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By A.P. Dillon

Army Sargeant Bow Berghdahl, held by the Taliban since 2009, was recently released. A rather timely release given the President’s drop in the polls and his administration being hit by one scandal after another. The VA scandal has this administration on the hot seat and it’s just getting worse.

A senior Obama administration official told Al Jazeera that talks to secure the release of Bergdahl resumed only recently, but were part of long-standing efforts to facilitate reconciliation with the Taliban.

“Since May 2011 the recovery of Sgt. Bergdahl has been a central element of reconciliation efforts,” the official said, adding: “Several weeks ago, an opportunity arose to resume talks on Sgt. Bergdahl, and we seized it.  This was an opportunity that only recently became possible.” – America Al Jazeera 5/31/14

‘Recently became possible.’ Sure.  This administration loves deflection, the cynic in me believes this trade is more of the same. I tend to agree with Ann Althouse’s assessment of this attempt to distract turned PR nightmare.

I’m sure some are happy to have him back and he and his family suffered a horrible ordeal. Perhaps an ordeal of Bergdahl’s own making. Sympathies might run higher had Bergdahl done his job and not deserted his unit. His fellow soldiers call Bergdahl a deserter and rightly so.

(CNN) — The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him — veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose “selfish act” ended up costing the lives of better men.

“I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on,” said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl’s platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. “Bowe Bergdahldeserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him.”

Vierkant said Bergdahl needs to not only acknowledge his actions publicly but face a military trial for desertion under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

These fellow soldiers have good reason to question Bergdahl’s release and the subsequent recent Obama administration’s actions to secure that release.  They also likely question Bergdahl’s father’s behavior like this tweet:

Duress of a son missing or terrorist convert? Likely a bit of both, but I am sure it matters not when you’re standing next to the man who told the world our men in Benghazi died because of a YouTube video.

The Obama doctrine of negotiating with terrorists without conditions has come to pass. Then there’s this: Bergdahl’s team leader: Intercepted radio chatter said he sought talks with the Taliban

Deserter? Traitor? Both?

 

Nothing like this release comes without a price.

The price the Obama administration paid was five GITMO detainees. Many of them with direct ties to Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. All of them have high risk labels. None of these are garden variety detainees. Something about this trade doesn’t pass the smell test.

  1. Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa
  2. Mullah Mohammad Fazl
  3. Abdul Haq Wasiq
  4. Mullah Norullah Noori
  5. Mohammad Nabi Omari

The price of Bergdahl’s eventual release was much, much higher than just releasing five terrorists. It cost American lives. Bergdahl got to come back, but because of his actions, many soldiers tasked with finding him didn’t. If you haven’t read the piece at the Daily Beast yet, you should. It chronicles how Bergdahl took off and how multiple Americans lost their lives trying to bring him back. Some of those men are memorialized below.

Finally, take a moment to read Michelle Malkin’s article on this. It’s well worth your time.

 

If you enjoyed this article, you should really check out other pieces written by Da Tech Guy’s Magnificent Seven writers and maybe hit that tip jar!

AP DillonA.P. Dillon (Lady Liberty 1885), is a Conservative minded wife and mother living in the Triangle area of North Carolina. A.P. Dillon founded the blog LadyLiberty1885.com in 2009. After the 2012 election, she added an Instapundit style blog called The ConMom Blog. Mrs. Dillon’s writing, in addition to Da Tech Guy’s Magnificent 7, can also be found at StopCommonCoreNC.org, WatchdogWireNC and WizBang. Non-political writing projects include science fiction novellas that are, as of yet, unpublished. Her current writing project is a children’s book series.

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About A.P. Dillon

A.P. Dillon is a reporter currently writing at The North State Journal. She resides in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Find her on Twitter: @APDillon_ Tips: APDillon@Protonmail.com
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