Bergdahl - The Hypocrisy and Hate Must End

If a soldier renounces his American citizenship do we still have to rescue him?

Am I glad that another US military member was able to come home from a theater of war? Sure. Should his leadership have picked up on some of the red flags his behavior set off? Maybe, but I'm not ready to condemn his leaders for his own individual actions.

But let's not lose sight of what the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) says about desertion:

From Article 85 of the UCMJ - (c) 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.

The laws that protect our freedoms that we enjoy so much as citizens don't apply in the same way to members of the US military. From my vantage point Bergdahl should be charged with the following at a minimum:

Willful disobedience of a lawful order - he asked his team leader if he could go outside of the Forward Operating Base's (FOB) secure perimeter with his night vision goggles and was told no.

Desertion - see Article 85 of the UCMJ for all of the details http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/l/blucmj85.htm

Absent without leave - see Article 86 of the UCMJ for the details http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/l/blucmj86.htm

I'm sure there were/are a slew of standing orders that also were violated that apply to all US military members serving in a theater of war in Afghanistan and probably even more that apply to serving at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) he was stationed at. Leaving a FOB without your weapon is unconscionable, individuals serving at a FOB are almost always instructed to be armed at all times even inside the FOB. You take your weapon with you everywhere, 1) because it's a standing order and 2) because FOBs are danger close to the bad guys.

Military units operate as teams, the bad guy you kill or mame could be targeting everyone and anyone on your team, your team mates are counting on you to protect them and they are required to do the same. It doesn't matter if you're in a full blown fire fight with the bad guys climbing the fences or back at home base doing your normal job, unit cohesion is a vital part of military life.

Lastly there's a reason it's called an Enlistment Contract, it's exactly that, a contract that is legally binding that each enlisted member signs voluntarily. You surrender many of your Constitutional rights as an enlisted member while serving your country.
Freedom of speech? Nope, you can respectfully request to offer your opinion to your superiors and they can acknowledge your request (or not) then order you to do what you were told to do. Freedom of expression? Try wearing your favorite utility uniform to a dress uniform inspection because your utility uniform is more comfortable and your favorite color and see where that gets you. The UCMJ was established to ensure that our military forces will do what they are directed to do, when they are told to do it.

Enlisted members take an oath:

"I, (NAME), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Bergdahl is a member of an all volunteer force, he disobeyed a lawful order and he should be held accountable for his actions by a Court Martial. His punishment will be decided after a full review of the events that lead up to his leaving the FOB, when that's proven let the punishment conform with what the UCMJ calls for.

Wicked wrote:
I shudder to think what will happen to our soldiers if the Tea Partiers assume power, like the OP said. Political whores spewing bile when they don't have to make the hard decisions.

What do you think would happen to soldiers if the Tea Party was in power?

Cue the GoTP Outrage Machine!!!

Benghazi! Bengazi! er, Bergdahl! Bergdahl!

They were okay with it...until Obama did it... What a surprise...

The Daily Beast says Hillary was against the trade. And NPR says former Sec'y of Defence Leon Panetta was against a trade with slightly different conditions, so this does not appear to be the no brainer Susan Rice was claiming on the Sunday shows. Wouldn't it be funny if the ex-sgt gets sent to Gitmo for aiding the Taliban willingly and helping them kill NATO troops?

Republicans quick to jump on train to crazytown

BY PAUL WALDMAN, The Washington Post

This morning, former Republican Congressman and current Tea Party celebrity Allen West said: “the U.S. House of Representatives should file articles of impeachment against Barack Hussein Obama.”

The occasion in this case was the deal to obtain the release of Bowe Bergdahl, who had been held by the Taliban for five years, which you can add to the half-dozen or so other controversies that have led to conservatives advocating impeachment. Sure, West is a particularly nutty individual, but his call was just a bit more extreme than what lots of Republicans are saying today.

This illustrates one of their central political problems: even when they have a reasonable complaint about a decision President Obama has made, Republicans are so quick to jump on the train to Crazytown that they undermine their own legitimate arguments

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plu ... crazytown/

Cathy_Lee\n

Republicans quick to jump on train to crazytown

BY PAUL WALDMAN, The Washington Post

This morning, former Republican Congressman and current Tea Party celebrity Allen West said: “the U.S. House of Representatives should file articles of impeachment against Barack Hussein Obama.”

Seems like a slight bit of deflection, are we discussing what Bergdahl did or Barry's decision to bypass congress and do what ever the hell he wants to do simply because he can? Barry broke the law again in the name of Executive Privilege, what he hoped to accomplish by rescuing Bergdahl is beyond my comprehension. Barry's not running for re-election and this particular action isn't getting him or his staff any good press from anyone who has access to the information describing what actually happened in Bergdahl's case. Seems like a lot of spin and subterfuge for an attempt at a "feel good" moment that didn't have a fart's chance in a whirlwind once it hit the light of day.

I'd love nothing better than to see Barry impeached but this isn't the single event that's going to make it happen, it's just one more straw on the camel's back.

Cathy_Lee\n

Republicans quick to jump on train to crazytown

BY PAUL WALDMAN, The Washington Post

This morning, former Republican Congressman and current Tea Party celebrity Allen West said: “the U.S. House of Representatives should file articles of impeachment against Barack Hussein Obama.”

Seems like a slight bit of deflection, are we discussing what Bergdahl did or Barry's decision to bypass congress and do what ever the hell he wants to do simply because he can? Barry broke the law again in the name of Executive Privilege, what he hoped to accomplish by rescuing Bergdahl is beyond my comprehension. Barry's not running for re-election and this particular action isn't getting him or his staff any good press from anyone who has access to the information describing what actually happened in Bergdahl's case. Seems like a lot of spin and subterfuge for an attempt at a "feel good" moment that didn't have a fart's chance in a whirlwind once it hit the light of day.

I'd love nothing better than to see Barry impeached but this isn't the single event that's going to make it happen, it's just one more straw on the camel's back.

Yes, we should let the Swiftboating of Bergdahl by FauxNoise and the GoTP run its course. A day without a call for impeachment is a day without sunshine...