Bergdahl walks

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I guess the judges determined Bergdahl was guilty of stupidity more than subversion or treason.

This is probably the truth, and I'd guess the time in captivity was considered time served.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by AKBBY

Time served??!!

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Certainly a strange outcome

Originally Posted by Gargamel

This is probably the truth, and I'd guess the time in captivity was considered time served.

AGREED. However the military is not overly selective in filling its ranks and picks poorly in defence of the empire. The potential commander in chief-now the commander in chief- has/had no business making any statement whatsoever and that must have weighed in on the presiding judge's sentence

Republicans roundly criticized Obama, and Donald Trump went further while campaigning for president, repeatedly calling Bergdahl a "dirty, rotten traitor" who deserved to be executed by firing squad or thrown out of a plane without a parachute. instant grounds for appeal

Additionally, by the sentence, Bergdahl's problem$ are now essentially his own and not the tax-payers to a certain extent:

army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's difficult childhood and washout from Coast Guard boot camp stoked serious psychiatric disorders that helped spur him to walk off his remote post in Afghanistan in 2009, a psychiatrist testified Wednesday.

Dr. Charles Morgan, called as a defense witness at Bergdahl's sentencing hearing, said the soldier was already suffering from a schizophrenia-like disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder when he disappeared in Afghanistan.
Morgan testified that kind of action was consistent with the schizotypal personality disorder diagnosis.
"I think he believes there are times if it's the morally right thing to do, you have to break the rules," he said. "There's not a thinking through of: 'Are there other ways to achieve this goal?'"

His own defense shrink asserts these conditions existed prior to his enlistment. Moreover five years in a Taliban cage with cruel treatment and (allegedly) numerous escape attempts requires a lot of Islamic guards who might have otherwise been free to attack forces elsewhere...

Since the defense began its sentencing arguments, Bergdahl has taken the stand to apologize to the troops who were wounded in the search for him. And two military agents who debriefed Bergdahl testified Tuesday about how much valuable intelligence he provided when he was returned in a prisoner swap.

A fair apolitical judgement imho: five years in a Taliban cage has got to equal Platypus's 10 more years at Leavenworth... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...101-story.htmlThe barrel-bottom scraping military recruiter and the C'in C' should perhaps be punished for this one.

[Delgard]

With 35 years serving the military, I was disappointed. Someone that joins the military, even at 18, is an adult. He brought the whole situation upon himself and being captured was a high enough probability to have told him that his actions were not the best course of action.

The military, each branch, is very attuned to mental health concerns and providing assistance. He would have been provided treatment and moved to a "stabler" duty position in AFG, initially, and/or sent stateside for increased treatment if so needed. His de-briefing and mental health, after returning, did not display such disability.

His actions brought great threat and hardship upon his fellow Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine personnel. A simple bad conduct discharge was not appropriate.

Where's the justice for the guys that got wounded trying to find him? ,a Seal got hit in the leg bad enough to get him discharged ,then there's the guy that got shot in the head who's in a wheelchair now and can't talk anymore! ,I'm sure they feel happy with him just getting dishonourably discharged!

[Rockstar]

Its not a normal situation. Its a war zone and we send men and women to these places and expect them to commit most heinous barbaric acts upon other human beings. The majority of soldiers can toe the line and persevere. Others are not so capable and wander off the reservation only to find themselves a prisoner of the Taliban.

Should he as some have said be shot for it? Hell no. Should he have gotten a harsher sentence for desertion? I say yes, but then I don't really know all the facts. I do however accept and will respect the judge's decision.

[vienna]

I kinnd of suspected Bergdahl would get a light sentence when I started to see articles such as this in the news:

Bowe Bergdahl gave U.S. analysts priceless intelligence after release: Defense witnesses --

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ess-intellige/

When the articles started to appear, I began to wonder if there might not be a trade off situation between Bergdahl and his prosecutors; it appears there might have been. I also wonder if the plea agreement wasn't just a best case scenario for the Pentagon an the government; Trump's idiot move of bellowing out his judgement of Bergdahl seriously complicated the case and allowed very little wriggle room for the prosecutors; it is somewhat reminiscent of Nixon's declarations of Charles Manson and his Family's guilt while the trial was yet to be concluded; in both cases, a clear possibility of tainting any court decision was in play; in Manson's case the effect was muted due to strong physical testimony and witnesses; in Bergdahl's case, not so much. If Bergdahl had gone to full trial and gotten convicted and sentenced, Trump's assertions would have easily made a case for appeal, possibly resulting in Bergdahl being retried and the Pentagon embarrassed. As it stands now, Bergdahl could very well win in his appeal and the blame can be squarely laid at Trump's feet...

...but, of course, he'll just blame Obama or Hillary for what he said...





<O>

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by vienna

...but, of course, he'll just blame Obama or Hillary for what he said...


<O>

either one is okay with me by the way what were the names of the other four men that perished at Benghazi? Who was to blame for that one?