After nearly five years held as a prisoner of war by the Afghanistan Taliban, and less than a year after his return to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is being charged with “desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.”
Pentagon officials are being tight-lipped about the details of the charges, which could conceivably carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, but have restarted the massive political dispute over the POW exchange from last year.
The charges center around allegations that Sgt. Bergdahl had left his platoon at a remote outpost and was captured by the Taliban. His lawyer, Eugene Fidell, reported extenuating circumstances.
Exactly what that is remains unclear, though Fidell did say that his motives were pure. The report on which the charge is based concluded Bergdahl had a “specific intent to bring what he thought were disturbing circumstances to the attention of the nearest general officer.” Details of exactly what those circumstances were aren’t being disclosed.
The Army isn’t elaborating either, saying they don’t intend to comment on how they decided to bring charges because of an “ongoing investigation.”
The desertion charge itself carries at most a five year confinement, and it is the “misbeheavior before the enemy” charge which is the more severe. It is also puzzling, since the Army had already said there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by Bergdahl during his long captivity.
The maximum penalty is probably unlikely, and there has been some speculation of a plea deal in which he might avoid jail time entirely. This may be a politically decided issue, however.
That’s because the POW swap was hugely unpopular among hawks, who didn’t like the idea of releasing US-held prisoners of war, and started attacking Bergdahl virtually from the minute he was released. These hawks will likely loom large over the military court proceedings going from here.
Americans love their cages. They will "free" a man just to lock him up in a cage.
"… hawks will likely loom large over the military court proceedings…"
Oh, I think you can bank on that. The attacks have already started – last night on the evening news when they reported the charges, they made sure to bring up on tape the specious claim that Bergdahl was responsible for this other guys death because he was supposedly (they claim) out looking for Bergdahl when he was killed. I distinctly remember hearing the Army indicate when Bergdahl was released that there were no deaths of soldiers directly attributed to "looking for Bergdahl."
From what I've heard, whether his intentions were "pure" or not, he walked away…deserted. But you know, there is so much wrong with these conflicts that to bring singular charges seems rather petty. How many of those responsible for Abu Ghraib were charged and prosecuted? But I guess if you are a chickenhawk warmonger you need to prove your Patriotic bona fides. Support the troops, you know, just before they ship out to another war of convenience and profit.
I'm unsure of the "facts" behind this case I'm very careful not to speculate but I will say this..this guy is only 28 now so meaning he was in early 20s when he was captured and was only a year in when he was captured..even the people who attacking him say he was disenfranchised by what he witnessed ..who wouldn't be, tell me what kind of person flourishes in war? Murder? For reasons that we now know are bs..where's the accountability to the predators who enlist these young men and women knowing they are selling bogus stories to these kids? Only training them how to kill but never allow them to see the consequences of this until its to late? He may have deserted but can anyone who hasn't been on front line blame him..I myself am planning to make a trip out there myself.. But what's different I know the risks I have time to mentally prepare myself the troops get what few week notice? That doesn't sound like "support" to me
It's politics. Uncle Sam's got to find someone to punish over his Afghanistan fiasco (1979-2016 and more to come). Why not this guy, who stepped off base to take a crap?
"… desertion and misbehavior…" Imagine that, the military that goes all around the world destroying nations, killing millions in the process is accusing someone who refused to go along with this 'patriotic' carnage of 'misbehavior'.
What the media will never report is that Bergdahl was never a POW and was never tortured. He was helping the Taliban fight the only terrorist in the region – the U.S. military, and he was right to do so.