Bowe Bergdahl pled guilty to leaving his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and to misbehavior which could land him in Leavenworth for the rest of his life. He has never explained why he did what he did but does now agree that his actions led to the direct wounding of two comrades in arms who went on missions to find him. Two soldiers were directly and seriously wounded searching for Bergdahl.
Others were wounded and died in the search but searches were always combined with other missions.
Barack Obama held a Rose Garden ceremony to honor him and his parents after he was freed and to boast that he traded five Talban prisoners for Bergdahl. The U.S. also sent money indirectly to the captors.
Upon his return, Bergdahl was promoted to Sergeant and given back pay of about $300,000. He was put on desk duty.
Susan Rice said her served with “honor” and “distinction”.
Bergdahl still won’t speak with his parents who Obama wanted to unite with him.
The Obama administration said they were worried Bergdahl’s life was in danger as an excuse for trading five Taliban for him.
At one point Bergdahl claimed he left to go to another unit to complain about problems in his unit. The evidence proved otherwise. Shortly after he left, he was captured by the Taliban Haqqani network. Others in his unit said he left with the intention of joining the Taliban.
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“I understand that leaving was against the law,” said Bergdahl, whose decision to walk off his remote post in Afghanistan in 2009 prompted intense search and recovery missions, during which some of his comrades were seriously wounded.
“At the time, I had no intention of causing search and recovery operations,” Bergdahl said, but he added that now he does understand that his decision prompted efforts to find him.
Why he deserted
Although Bergdahl has never explained why he deserted, there is evidence as to possible reasons.
News sources, such as the Daily Mail, reported that Bergdahl hated the Army and was “ashamed” of the United States. At least that is what he wrote to his father. To his platoon members, he said he wanted to be more aggressive in fighting the Taliban.
One quote from an email home read, ‘I am sorry for everything,’ he wrote. “The horror that is America is disgusting.” Immediately after that email, he mailed his uniform and books home. Some believe that when he left the base that day, he was suicidal. Some believe he was deserting.
Obama found a man he wouldn’t leave behind
President Obama traded five vicious Taliban leaders for this one deserter. Obama finally found a man he wouldn’t leave behind. The Americans who were beheaded weren’t worth this effort apparently nor was Sgt. Tamorheesi who was languishing in a Mexican prison. The pastor in Iranian captivity and the doctor in Pakistan who helped us capture Usama bin Laden were not on a list of priorities.
There is a possible reason for the former president’s behavior in the fact that Bergdahl’s father was hard-left like the former president.
How guilty was Bergdahl?
Two men, a Navy SEAL and an Army Ranger, were seriously wounded as a direct result of Bergdahl’s actions. That is what sealed Bergdahl’s fate.
While in captivity, Bergdahl converted to Islam and eventually carried a rifle, becoming a part-time Mujahid.
Fox News reporter James Rosen obtained secret documents from a 2010 investigation on Bowe Bergdahl that are based on an eyewitness account attesting to Bowe Bergdahl having, at one point, declared jihad, openly fraternizing with his captors, and calling himself a mujahid (Islamic warrior).
He was sometimes a captive and at other times, towards the end of his captivity, he was one of the Taliban, even being allowed to carry a gun, play soccer, take part in AK-47 practice. He was frequently proclaiming “Salaam” or “Peace.”
Two soldiers were directly wounded searching for Bergdahl. The other wounded and dead were indirect.
Some of his platoon members believe he was not simply a deserter, but also a traitor.
“I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on,” former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl’s platoon, told CNN. “Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him.”
Some of his platoon members said Bergdahl was hiding from them as they searched for him. They spent months searching — men were wounded and some died. From between six and eight men died while searching.
In addition, the Taliban was able to find out their positions.
His platoon members discuss the situation in the next video.
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