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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Update On Bowe Bergdahl (With Addendum)

Right now, I have only enough time to post a quick link and a video on this topic.

Obama Advisor Ben Rhodes Hiding Bowe Bergdahl Desertion Charges – Bergdahl Attorney Notified Of Army Charges (video).


Today, at Reuters: Bowe Bergdahl to face desertion charges.

ADDENDUM

After I posted this, the following appeared in the Army Times: Bergdahl reports are untrue, no decision made.
The Army says there is no truth to media reports claiming a decision has been made to charge Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with desertion.

The Army continues to review the case against Bergdahl, said Paul Boyce, a spokesman for Forces Command, on Tuesday morning.

"Sgt. Bergdahl has not been charged with any crime," said Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

"No decision has been made with respect to the case of Sgt. Bergdahl," Kirby said. "None. There is no timeline to make that decision, and Gen. [Mark] Milley is being put under no pressure to make a decision."...

88 comments:

  1. My bet is that Rhodes was trying to get the story changed. How many military members have been "fired"? I lost count. As I said it is the Chicago way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bunkerville,
      My bet is that Rhodes was trying to get the story changed.

      Very likely.

      If it turns out that Bergdahl is convicted of desertion, Obama is going to have egg all over his face.

      Delete
  2. from Wikipedia

    The 2012 edition of the United States Manual for Courts-Martial states that:

    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


    Would the death penalty be appropriate in this case? I think that it might.

    The maximum U.S. penalty for desertion in wartime remains death, although this punishment was last applied to Eddie Slovik in 1945. No U.S. serviceman has received more than 24 months imprisonment for desertion or missing movement in the post-September 11, 2001 era.

    ---

    According to the Pentagon, more than 5,500 military personnel deserted in 2003–2004, following the Iraq invasion and occupation.[36] The number had reached about 8,000 by the first quarter of 2006.[37] Another report stated that since 2000, about 40,000 troops from all branches of the military have deserted, also according to the Pentagon. More than half of these served in the US Army.[38] Almost all of these soldiers deserted within the United States. There has only been one reported case of a desertion in Iraq. The Army, Navy, and Air Force reported 7,978 desertions in 2001, compared with 3,456 in 2005. The Marine Corps showed 1,603 Marines in desertion status in 2001. That had declined to 148 by 2005.[

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Would the death penalty be appropriate in this case? I think that it might."

      Wow. You're not very nice, huh?

      JMJ

      Delete
    2. In the military, "nice" gets people d-e-a-d.

      Delete
    3. Thersites,
      In the military, "nice" gets people d-e-a-d.

      Exactly!

      Delete
    4. Desertion from your post during a time of war. I wonder what a "nice" punishment would be? Jersey, care to illuminate?

      Delete
    5. 5 years as a POW not enough?

      We haven't executed anyone for this WWII, and even then I think it was only one guy.

      JMJ

      Delete
    6. Five years as a guest of Haqqani was of his own volition. What would a "nice" punishment be? Sent to his room to think about what he's done?

      Delete
    7. In WWII, they executed one guy to make a point. Perhaps the time has come to make that point "again".

      How many guys died in the search for Bergdahl? Six?

      Six lives sounds like a pretty steep price to pay for one man's foolishness.

      Delete
    8. ps - And that "six" doesn't include any of the intel he gave up to the enemy on methods/capabilities.

      Delete
    9. Would you prefer a "TREASON" charge, Jersey?

      Delete
    10. Fortunately, Bergdahl was not in a position to know much of anything of intelligence value. Nonetheless, treason is not predicated on the damage done, but on disclosure of collateral intelligence at any level above FOUO.

      Delete
    11. Thersites, if you want treason for that, then you must think Scooter Libby should have faced the firing squad years ago.

      JMJ

      Delete
    12. @ Jersey McJones: " if you want treason for that, then you must think Scooter Libby should have faced the firing squad years ago."

      Wrong, Ding Dong!

      If you Remember, it was Colin Powell liberal Richard Armatige who outed the CIA woman.



      Delete
  3. Reuters has confirmed that Bowe Bergdahl will face charges of desertion. Nothing at Reuters about why the delay from October till now. Would we even be hearing about this now if not for what was on The O'Reilly Factor last night?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now let me get this straight. We put 5 murderous, barbaric thugs back on the street so we can spend thousands of dollars on a worthless deserter who was incarcerated so [we] can incarcerate him again for more thousands of dollars? And to think that I pay taxes to support such bull$#!t !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What's the big PULL for Obama and this guy? Someone on TV recently said "Well, he has to be easy on him because he appeared with his parents on camera, etc." I don't get that. Big deal...!

    WHAT is this? Does Bergdahl know something we shouldn't? is he related to someone? (smile). Is it because he's taken on the muslim faith, apparently...as has his father, perhaps?

    What is the need for more White House SECRECY??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thousands of soldiers have gone AWOL since we started these horrible wars. None have gotten in all that much trouble.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jersey,

      AWOL and desertion are two different charges. Must you act like the stereotypical candyass who never served?

      Delete
    2. and not many of them are said to have looked for the Taliban when they left their unit, either. And not many got American soldiers killed looking for them...thinking they'd met with trouble

      Delete
    3. and not many of them are said to have looked for the Taliban when they left their unit, either. And not many got American soldiers killed looking for them...thinking they'd met with trouble

      Delete
    4. Fred, if you think that impresses me you have another thing coming. As far as they know, he went AWOL. Desertion would have to be prooven, unless he admitted it. Know you're own UCMJ.

      z, that story about soldiers dying looking for him is not true, you know? Have you ever read about it?

      JMJ

      Delete
    5. JMJ,
      that story about soldiers dying looking for him is not true

      Prove that statement, please.

      Delete
    6. Sorry Jersey, but it's you who needs to study a bit more on Article 85 and Article 86. Desertion has to be proven to the same extent that AWOL has to be proven. Read the official record of Bergdahl's actions prior to him leaving his post, and tell me how you would rule in favor of Art 86 and not Art 85.

      Delete
    7. Look it up, AoW. It's take you a minute. Unless you prefer ignorance.

      As I recall, it's AWOL until they discover he wasn't planning on returning, then it's Desertion.

      JMJ

      Delete
    8. Since you've obviously "looked things up"....you are fully aware of his actions prior to desertion. He had no illustrated intention of returning. Discovery has been made...right around the time he deserted.

      Delete
    9. Jersey, how would a Yellow Bellied Leftie like you know that?
      The only thing that you probably served was beans to a Mexican gardener.

      Delete
    10. JMJ,
      You brought it up. You provide the link.

      Delete
    11. Jersey made chicken tracks all the way to Canada during the Vietnam war. He benefited from Carter's plenary pardon of all draft dodgers, and remains a die-hard, leftwing thumb-sucking Democrat to this day.

      Delete
    12. Fred: There is a much easier way to describe Jersey:

      LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!!!

      Delete
    13. AoW, no, please, keep spreading lies. It makes you cons look great.

      Hillary '16 baby!

      I'm not lying about anything. The UCMJ is what it is, this case is what it is, the stories about the deaths related to the search are just not true, and if you think serving in the military makes you a "man" then I'm sorry that you're stuck in permanent adolescence and probably in the closet.

      JMJ

      Delete
    14. JMJ,
      Just because you say that something is a lie doesn't mean that it is a lie.

      Still no link from you -- even though I politely requested one?

      Delete
    15. So Jersey...I guess we're NOT going to get your foundation for preferring a charge of AWOL over that of desertion....since you have a full grasp of the facts, one would assume that you've reached a reasoned conclusion. Why aren't you inclined to share it with us?

      Delete
  7. I guess that to Obama a deserter is a hero.
    I have never in my life been more disgusted by a sitting president.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Man, your comment really resonates...yes, to Obama a deserter just might be a hero. How awful, huh?

      Delete
    2. Man, your comment really resonates...yes, to Obama a deserter just might be a hero. How awful, huh?

      Delete
  8. R&P,

    "I guess that to Obama a deserter is a hero."

    Probably but he, for sure, thinks murderous thugs should be set free to maim and kill at will. What a POS !!! Who knew that there were so many stupid, irresponsible voters so as to elect him TWICE?

    ReplyDelete

  9. In his tragic comedy, The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare has composed possibly the most eloquent indictment of legalistic, literalistic thinking and pharisaical interpretation of the law yet written since The Sermon on the Mount.

    The story involves the foolish promise of a young merchant, Antonio, to forfeit literally a pound of his flesh for failure to repay an outstanding loan to Shylock, a money lender. The matter has gone to court. The defendant has failed to repay the plaintiff, and the plaintiff has brought suit to demand the pound of flash rightfully owed to him according to the dictates of the law. Portia, the defendant Antonio’s girl friend, has disguised herself as a lawyer, and hopes to free her lover from his debt obligation with a demonstration of her heartfelt conviction that the deepest understanding of its purpose and most moral and compassionate interpretation of the law provides the only true justice. Her classic response to the vengeful plaintiff, Shylock, is always worth reviewing:


    The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
    It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven
    Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
    It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
    'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
    The throned monarch better than his crown;
    His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
    The attribute to awe and majesty,
    Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
    But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
    It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
    It is an attribute to God himself;
    And earthly power doth then show likest God's
    When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, [you],
    Though justice be thy plea, consider this—
    That in the course of justice, none of us
    Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
    And that same prayer, doth teach us all to render
    The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
    To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
    Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
    Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FT,
      I think that mercy in the context of Bowe Bergdahl is not a good fit. The play is about interpersonal relations poisoned by prejudice (religious, primarily, but not exclusively religious prejudice) -- not about the battlefield, which is a different world than the one that we comfortably live here in the homeland.

      Here's my reasoning:

      1. Soldiers "showing mercy" died during the search for Bergdahl.

      2. Today's U.S. military is a volunteer force. Bergdahl wasn't drafted. Frankly, I'd have more sympathy for him if he had been a draftee.

      3. Trading five Taliban commanders for one PFC was wrong and sent a message of weakness, always a poor message in a military setting -- particularly during time of war.

      If Bowe Bergdahl is found guilty of desertion, particularly planned desertion in a battle zone (See the link I posted earlier in this comment), he will be stripped of a lot of money that has come his way or will come his way -- money funded by American taxpayers.

      Now, I do think that the Army should have screened him out of serving early on. It seems that his past is indicative of what is often referred to as "issues."

      And for what it's worth, Bowe Bergdahl's father may have some issues of his own.

      In any case, the holy show that Obama put on with Bergdahl's parents at the White House was a disgusting travesty, totally inappropriate on the part of the Commander in Chief.

      Delete
  10. Z. This low information administration portrayed Bergdahl's release as a victory, we presume as a case of misdirection as he released those five islamic terrorists.
    It's gone horribly wrong for them.
    How much more can he sweep under that persian rug?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, that's probably it, Ed....that victory hug with the parents, the lie that there was no connection between Bergdahl and the terrorists they released....
      yes, horribly wrong....and yes, how much more? Plenty, it appears?

      Delete
    2. You know, that's probably it, Ed....that victory hug with the parents, the lie that there was no connection between Bergdahl and the terrorists they released....
      yes, horribly wrong....and yes, how much more? Plenty, it appears?

      Delete
  11. PLEASE TAKE NOTE

    After I posted this, the following appeared in the Army Times: Bergdahl reports are untrue, no decision made<.

    The Army says there is no truth to media reports claiming a decision has been made to charge Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with desertion.

    The Army continues to review the case against Bergdahl, said Paul Boyce, a spokesman for Forces Command, on Tuesday morning.

    "Sgt. Bergdahl has not been charged with any crime," said Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

    "No decision has been made with respect to the case of Sgt. Bergdahl," Kirby said. "None. There is no timeline to make that decision, and Gen. [Mark] Milley is being put under no pressure to make a decision."...


    WHAT IS TRUTH?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Whatever it is, it rarely comes from one source.

      Especially a source whose purpose is to simply get people agitated.

      Delete
    3. All channels were reporting that the decision had been made.
      sorry

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    5. Z,
      Whatever.

      Maybe Orwell's Ministry of Truth isn't operating today. On the other hand, maybe it is!

      Delete
  12. Well, shut my mouth and call me a Venus Flytrap!

    Cantan Kerous

    ReplyDelete
  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks, Z!

    I have limited time right now to go about a search for links.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Well, Jack, people have to remember that all they hear on the news THEY like to hear isn't always true. It's the same on both sides, don't you think?
    I can't read Free Republic or WNDaily because it's usually rubbish.
    BUT, you're right....I had to finally close my blog to liberals (went onto WordPress) because I was real sick of giving them a platform to spout the nonsense and, most importantly, get liberals elected who are destroying America.

    ReplyDelete
  18. AOW! My copy of CHARLIE HEBDO came today from my friend in Paris. I am SO GLAD to have a copy and may even frame the front cover page. It's quite a thin periodical and has more cartoons than I'd thought. And MAN, they didn't shirk slamming Islamists in this one, the first printed after the tragedy, believe me! I think it's so important and to have this piece of history feels very cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Z,
      I have a digital copy.

      Glad that you managed to acquire a hard copy. Collectors' edition, I'm sure.

      Delete
  19. Sorry AOW, but Jersey was correct. The story about men dieing while out looking for him was just a republican cock n bull story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course it's not. But good try.
      I'm listening at this moment to a discussion on the men who died..

      You see, they went looking for a while after he walked away and then, for the other sorties they had to take, they were told to also keep their eyes open for him. People DID die and reading links might help you see that.

      You probably think caring about the men who died in Benghazi, or the way Holder botched Fast and Furious, or that the IRS was illegally hammering on Conservatives and so many other things, is "cock and bull,' too, right?

      You've got to read more and watch more than MSNBC if you want the truth.

      Delete
    2. Of course it's not. But good try.
      I'm listening at this moment to a discussion on the men who died..

      You see, they went looking for a while after he walked away and then, for the other sorties they had to take, they were told to also keep their eyes open for him. People DID die and reading links might help you see that.

      You probably think caring about the men who died in Benghazi, or the way Holder botched Fast and Furious, or that the IRS was illegally hammering on Conservatives and so many other things, is "cock and bull,' too, right?

      You've got to read more and watch more than MSNBC if you want the truth.

      Delete
    3. Z,
      Is there really any point in trying to reason with those who will not step out of their box long enough to take a look?

      Ah, well. It's an uphill battle, isn't it?

      Delete
    4. Z,
      BTW, I love this sentence that you wrote:

      You've got to read more and watch more than MSNBC if you want the truth.

      Delete
    5. AOW...you know, the left slams FOX, which is about the only channel, cable or not, that has both sides of nearly every subject represented. They have many leftwingers on FOX and they're respected.
      It's very different on MSNBC or even CNN, though they finally got Jake Tapper, who's pretty centrist and smart.

      Delete
    6. AOW...you know, the left slams FOX, which is about the only channel, cable or not, that has both sides of nearly every subject represented. They have many leftwingers on FOX and they're respected.
      It's very different on MSNBC or even CNN, though they finally got Jake Tapper, who's pretty centrist and smart.

      Delete
    7. Z,
      For all their proclaimed open mindedness, I know very few liberals who watch Fox News. **sigh**

      Delete
    8. Oh, gosh, no...they won't. But they seem to know everything on it and that it's nothing but conservative bias! Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
      Thankfully, most Conservatives I know do check into CNN and MSNBC from time to time to see what they're saying and be prepared to know what this country's fighting.

      Delete
    9. Oh, gosh, no...they won't. But they seem to know everything on it and that it's nothing but conservative bias! Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
      Thankfully, most Conservatives I know do check into CNN and MSNBC from time to time to see what they're saying and be prepared to know what this country's fighting.

      Delete
  20. Sorry
    Dying. Darn spell check!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I read a few pieces on the subject back when all this was in the news. It seems like it didn't happen. I guess it depends on what you want to believe, but I have no horse in this and I don't believe it. Besides, it wouldn't change my position.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  22. You librul hopium smokers keep telling your lies, I will go with what the members of the traitor Bergdahl's unit have to say, along with the family of the dead soldiers.

    The only thing that would make Bergdahl a bigger hero in the twisted hearts of leftists like Jersey is if he would betray US secrets and become a transgendered vegan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Duck,
      Please clarify to whom you directed your comment of January 28 @ 10:30 PM.

      Delete
    2. I'm sure it was to me, and the reference was to Bradly Manning, but Canardo knows that already.

      Delete
  23. "OSO" is TROLL. Don't say you haven't been warned.

    - Tocsin Perspecacitus

    ReplyDelete
  24. AOW! My copy of CHARLIE HEBDO came today from my friend in Paris. I am SO GLAD to have a copy and may even frame the front cover page. It's quite a thin periodical and has more cartoons than I'd thought. And MAN, they didn't shirk slamming Islamists in this one, the first printed after the tragedy, believe me! I think it's so important and to have this piece of history feels very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Z,
    My intent, of course, is not to give them a platform. Honestly, I see some of what happens here as comic relief. I have a quirky sense of humor, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Z: I'm with you on Free Republic, which turned into the Church of Palin, and Whirled Nuts Daily.

    AOW: I too see liberal loonies as providing comic relief. I love see Jersey really dig in when he is oh so wrong, then spin his wheels as his argument sinks deeper and deeper into the mud.

    I even gave it a name in my blog post, Prolegomena to any Further Taxonomy of Leftwing Progressivism

    The Jersey Special:
    Slide off the Jersey Turnpike of truth and spin your intellectual wheels trying to justify the unjustifiable, explain the inexplicable, defend the indefensible... all accompanied by smelly, billowing clouds of dust and smoke as the marxist malefactor burns rubber, screeches, and mires the car deeper into the intellectual ruts he creates.

    I also named one for Ducky:

    Il Canardo:
    Ignore you or steer the conversation into the ditch by introducing irrelevancies.

    This one applies to all of them:

    Self-Flatulation:
    Explode in righteous anger and malodorous indignation.

    ReplyDelete
  27. @ Jersey: "Besides, it wouldn't change my position."

    Of course not, you have proven yourself to be unswayed by logic and impervious to facts.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Meanwhile...

    CNN reports:

    The U.S. military and intelligence community now suspect that one of the five Taliban detainees released from Guantanamo Bay in return for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl in May of last year has attempted to return to militant activity from his current location in Qatar, CNN has learned exclusively. The development has led to an ongoing debate inside the administration about whether there is a new threat from this man, and potentially the other four....

    ReplyDelete
  29. AOW, for some reason, the REPLIES thing is odd and I don't know where this comment will go but I didn't imply that you should do anything different by my feeling I was giving them a platform.
    We ARE giving them a platform .... it's like some of these liberals have been so drawn to our blogs that they think it's theirs and they spout the rubbish, so I still think we conservatives DO give that to them, but I respect you for being able to continue to laugh it off.
    I just can't anymore. And I'm good with that.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Z,
    I didn't imply that you should do anything different by my feeling I was giving them a platform.

    I didn't take what you said that way at all.

    I admit that I have a strange sense of humor -- keeps me sane, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Islam must be fought on all fronts, physically, mentally, and by employing humour: Here is my contribution, a link to a FREE Koran satire/parody "The Lost Verses of the Koran" - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9j-lWF82PJARURJaGJuWjJwNXM/view

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love how the White House and the Pentagon are parsing their words ("no charges filed") on Bergdahl. But we all know they are lying by omission. They're not fooling anyone.

    ReplyDelete

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