US soldier freed from captivity in Afghanistan

[Baz]

EDIT: Since posting this story I have learned more details about this soldier's situation and now am a bit unsure whether or not to celebrate. My initial thoughts were we should all be happy about a soldier's release from his captors....no matter what. But in this situation......like an iceberg....there's more unseen under the surface which should be looked at more carefully before steaming ahead.....

YMMV.....sorry if I pulled the trigger too quick. But I think it's a topic worthy of discussion regardless so that is a positive.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed by the Taliban in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Obama administration officials said Saturday.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was handed over to U.S. special operations forces by the Taliban Saturday evening, local time, in an area of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. Officials said the exchange was not violent and the 28-year-old Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk.

LINK

This post does not belong in PARF - please do not turn the thread into a hate filled spewing contest.

[Chocaholic]

Agree that it's good news. Would be interesting to know more about the 5 guys they got in exchange for the one that we got.



Edit...some interesting points in the article:

In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine quoted emails Bergdahl is said to have sent to his parents that suggest he was disillusioned with America's mission in Afghanistan, had lost faith in the U.S. Army's mission there and was considering desertion. Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American."

The Associated Press could not independently authenticate the emails.

Obama violated U.S. laws when he approved the exchange. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma said the law required Obama to notify Congress 30 days before any transfer of terrorists from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In response, the White House said that officials considered what they called "unique and exigent circumstances" and decided to go ahead with the transfer in spite of the legal requirement.

And our crack team of negotiators only had to ante up these guys in exchange.


—Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence

—Mullah Norullah Nori, a senior Taliban commander in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001

—Khairullah Khairkhwa, who served in various Taliban positions including interior minister and had direct ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden

—Mohammed Nabi, who served as chief of security for the Taliban in Qalat, Afghanistan, and later worked as a radio operator for the Taliban's communications office in Kabul

—Mohammad Fazl, whom Human Rights Watch says could be prosecuted for war crimes for presiding over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001 as the Taliban sought to consolidate their control over the country.

Do we all feel safe now that these fellas have been returned to the Taliban? No PARF intended...these are just statements directly from the OP's posted article.

[dan88911]

I hope we are able to track their locations going forward.

[widgeon13]

He wandered away from the post. We know virtually nothing about how he disappeared.

Perhaps he will give us a good explanation of what happened. It's strange behavior for a soldier to do something like this especially in a combat zone. He probably now speaks the local dialect better than he speaks English.

I suppose time (Time) will tell the rest of the story.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by dan88911

I hope we are able to track their locations going forward.

And how would you expect that would be done? Do you think they were chipped like dogs. Do you think Qatar is going to give us daily location reports. Do you think we are even going to ask for this. We wouldn't want to be accused of spying on them, that kind of crap only happens to US citizens.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

And how would you expect that would be done? Do you think they were chipped like dogs. Do you think Qatar is going to give us daily location reports. Do you think we are even going to ask for this. We wouldn't want to be caused of spying on them, that kind of crap only happens to US citizens.

They should have had Devo-sized flashing beacon/transponders incorporated into their skulls about 3 weeks ago.

[dan88911]

Yes Widgeon13, "chipped like dogs." And if we have not tried on people these individuals would be good test monkeys. IMOP

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Obama violated U.S. laws when he approved the exchange. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma said the law required Obama to notify Congress 30 days before any transfer of terrorists from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In response, the White House said that officials considered what they called "unique and exigent circumstances" and decided to go ahead with the transfer in spite of the legal requirement.

And our crack team of negotiators only had to ante up these guys in exchange.


—Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence

—Mullah Norullah Nori, a senior Taliban commander in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001

—Khairullah Khairkhwa, who served in various Taliban positions including interior minister and had direct ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden

—Mohammed Nabi, who served as chief of security for the Taliban in Qalat, Afghanistan, and later worked as a radio operator for the Taliban's communications office in Kabul

—Mohammad Fazl, whom Human Rights Watch says could be prosecuted for war crimes for presiding over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001 as the Taliban sought to consolidate their control over the country.

Do we all feel safe now that these fellas have been returned to the Taliban? No PARF intended...these are just statements directly from the OP's posted article.

They acted quickly and freed an American, just as Bush-Cheney would have. Had they informed the Republicans it may have been scuttled. We all know that Barry O must not be allowed any successes. No wonder he moved on this rather than telling his enemies (congress).

Don't over-blow the ability of the four clowns who were released. They may be bad guys but they don't deserve to be made into super-villains. Besides, O can always drone them.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by BE911SC

They acted quickly and freed an American, just as Bush-Cheney would have. Had they informed the Republicans it may have been scuttled. We all know that Barry O must not be allowed any successes. No wonder he moved on this rather than telling his enemies (congress).

Don't over-blow the ability of the four clowns who were released. They may be bad guys but they don't deserve to be made into super-villains. Besides, O can always drone them.

How many terrorists did Bush-Cheney exchange for hostages in their 8-year term (and it wasn't even against the law then)?

[Reiver]

Posted by Dan Witmer, a soldier that was there, on the "Army Times" blog...it appears Burgdahl should be Courts Martialed

"You want it from the horses mouth?? Here ya go..We were at OP Mest, Paktika Province, Afghanistan. It was a small outpost where B Co 1-501st INF (Airbone) ran operations out of, just an Infantry platoon and ANA counterparts there. The place was an Afghan graveyard. Bergdahl had been acting a little strange, telling people he wanted to "walk the earth" and kept a little journal talking about how he was meant for better things. No one thought anything about it. He was a little “out there”. Next morning he's gone. We search everywhere, and can't find him. 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 get hits on our voice intercepter that Taliban has him, and we were close. We come to realize that the kid deserted his post, snuck out of camp and sought out Taliban… to join them. We were in a defensive position at OP Mest, where your focus is to keep people out. He knew where the blind spots were to slip out and that's what he did. It was supposed to be a 4-day mission but turned into several months of active searching. Everyone was spun up to find this guy. News outlets all over the country were putting out false information. It was hard to see, especially when we knew the truth about what happened and we lost good men trying to find him. PFC Matthew Michael Martinek, Staff Sgt. Kurt Robert Curtiss, SSG Clayton Bowen, PFC Morris Walker, SSG Michael Murphrey, 2LT Darryn Andrews, were all KIA from our unit who died looking for Bergdahl. Many others from various units were wounded or killed while actively looking for Bergdahl. Fighting Increased. IEDs and enemy ambushes increased. The Taliban knew that we were looking for him in high numbers and our movements were predictable. Because of Bergdahl, more men were out in danger, and more attacks on friendly camps and positions were conducted while we were out looking for him. 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. Hell they even promoted him to Sergeant which makes me sick. I feel for his family who only want their son/brother back. They don’t know the truth, or refuse to acknowledge it as well. What he did affected his family and his whole town back home, who don’t know the truth. Either way what matters is that good men died because of him. He has been lying on all those Taliban videos about everything since his “capture”. If he ever returns, he should be tried under the UCMJ for being a deserter and judged for what he did. Bergdahl is not a hero, he is not a soldier or an Infantryman. 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."

[javadog]

No way would I have swapped five high-ranking dirtbags for an AWOL soldier. Bad precedent...

JR

[Chocaholic]

...and, bad president.

BE...frustrating how each consecutive eff-up by this administration is excused based on an assumption of what Bush would have done.

News flash...Bush isn't the president so what you guess he may have done couldn't be less relevant.

[cabmandone]

I think it's a good thing we got him back.
I also think it's odd that Hagel said he hopes this will open more opportunity to negotiate with the Taliban since we just lost this negotiation 5-1. If we continue in that fashion, 911 will end up being our fault and we'll owe the Taliban for ousting them from power.

[fintstone]

Actually...probably tying up loose ends so we can surrender and leave. Gets the only deserter/prisoner out (because it is politically unpalatable to leave anyone behind)...and also gets some of the worst of the baddies out of GITMO so they don't have the problem of trying them and helps go around Congress to get closer to closing GITMO.

[Mike80911]

AT first glance this looked like a great thing. But if the explanation is true and others had to die for his stupid and selfish actions they should have left him where he was. He wanted to seek out the Taliban and he found them so let him stay there with them.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by Mike80911

AT first glance this looked like a great thing. But if the explanation is true and others had to die for his stupid and selfish actions they should have left him where he was. He wanted to seek out the Taliban and he found them so let him stay there with them.

Of equal importance would be to understand the number of American lives that were sacrificed in the capture of these 5 terrorists, now released to their homeland.

Or...to understand how terrorist policies will be effected now that they know they can use captured Americans to out negotiate us.

[mreid]

So in summary:

- a low life deserts
- five soldiers are killed looking for him
- five proven Taliban killers are released in exchange
- we are expected to celebrate

Sounds like yet another brilliant move by this amateur some call president.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by mreid

So in summary:

- a low life deserts
- five soldiers are killed looking for him
- five proven Taliban killers are released in exchange
- we are expected to celebrate

Who expects you to celebrate?
I'm withholding judgement until I see a confirmation that Witmer's story is true.

[mreid]

Currently, the liberal media expect us all to celebrate. Having spent a significant portion of my life in the military, I'm having a hard time swallowing this latest round of propaganda.

[cairns]

Who expects you to celebrate?

Baz, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi for starters.

But I can tell you those in uniform aren't celebrating at all. And even the Wapo called it illegal.