Only American P.O.W. From Afghan War Is Freed

[DonViejo]

Source: New York Times

The lone American prisoner of war from the Afghan conflict, captured by insurgents nearly five years ago, has been released in exchange for five Taliban prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility, Obama administration officials said Saturday.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is now with American military forces in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/only-american-pow-from-afghan-war-is-freed.html?emc=edit_na_20140531

---

U.S. officials: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released in Afghanistan

U.S. officials say Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was taken hostage in June 2009, was released early Saturday in exchange for five Afghan Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay.

Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com

[Ash_F]

1. Very good. /nnt

[2naSalit]

2. Good!

used to have to drive by his family home in Idaho for a time, pissed me off (about the war in general) every time I saw the banners and signs.

Hope he doesn't have too many health problems from his time in captivity.

[ejbr]

3. Thank goodness!

Thanks for sharing...

[hrmjustin]

4. Good!

[Tikki]

5. Best news…His family must be so relieved.

Welcome home Bowe..


Tikki

[Rhinodawg]

6. Great news !

[jtuck004]

7. Said O called his family. Would have been a hell of a phone call.

It will be good work when he is home.

[msanthrope]

8. The Freepers are not happy. nt

[George II]

10. I'll bet..."negotiating with terrorists" - SCREW THEM!

[TwilightGardener]

14. No, they've moved on to some dumbshit Marine reservist who "accidentally"

entered Mexico with firearms, and is going to trial. Really, any happy news that has to do with the Obama administration = "Who cares" or "Getting Bin Laden didn't matter" or "That Bergdahl dude was no good anyway", etc.

[karynnj]

16. They have been up in arms about that for weeks

The fact is Kerry did bring it up when he went to Mexico - and they were uninterested.

I have been very very tempted to visit their sites pointing out that Kerry months ago warned that if Texas executed a Mexican national that Mexico had asked they not kill, we would lose leverage asking for mercy for Americans. There was also the problem that Texas did not let him contact the Mexican embassy or get help in his trial from them which is against international laws.

The problem is that he did kill an American cop. Kerry, in fact, was bashed for backing the Mexican request. It should be noted that Mexico has not had a death penalty since the 1920s. (The Catholic church is against it)

I haven't done it mainly because - no matter how I wrote it, they would claim I was seeing the 2 people as equivalent - which they aren't. I am not sure how to explain to them, that to Mexico, if their diplomatic requests are ignored bu the powerful neighbor to the North, they are likely to not be that eager to grant us this favor.

[TwilightGardener]

20. I remember that execution case. Yeah, Mexico isn't going to be in a hurry

to excuse this guy.

[Historic NY]

9. Thanks Mr. President.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-statement-on-sgt-bowe-bergdahl/2014/05/31/1cf3ebc2-e8e1-11e3-a86b-362fd5443d19_story.html?hpid=z1

[riversedge]

24. yes yes!

[alp227]

11. welcome home bowe! Nt

[hardtravelin]

12. I have mixed emotions.

While I'm happy for his family that their trial is over, Bergdahl has some questions to answer.

I'm an active duty Infantryman, and a Soldier in my unit was in Bergdahl's Battalion during that deployment. After his disappearance, (before walking off the base he left his sensitive items in his room) the Soldiers in his unit conducted a massive search and rescue in an attempt to recover him. During those operations, his unit took casualties. There was no love lost for him among the Soldiers in his unit.

If the reports are to believed, like this Rolling Stone article from 2012: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/americas-last-prisoner-of-war-20120607?page=2

Bergdahl could well have deserted. If that is the case, he may (and should be, IMO) be prosecuted.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

15. Yeah...

It's the principle of the thing though. If you wear the uniform, you will not be left behind.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[hardtravelin]

17. I agree, he's one of ours.

Glad he's home, and I'm sure he endured a lifetime of punishment for his actions. If he deserves a punishment, even symbolic (like a general discharge or a forfeiture of his accrued back pay) he should get one, however. It would be a bad example, otherwise.

[jtuck004]

18. " It would be a bad example, otherwise." < People might mistake him for a banker. n/t

[hardtravelin]

19. I meant in the military.

When we get paid like bankers, we can start acting like them.

[giftedgirl77]

26. I understand where you are coming from, we had either

just redeployed at the time or were getting ready to come home. But the military has already said being in captivity for 5 yrs was enough of a punishment.

[TwilightGardener]

13. Great news. I'll bet his parents are just beside themselves with joy.

[pinto]

21. Saw the reports early this AM (Pacific). Good news.

I know little, if anything, about a backstory. Yet very glad to see a peaceful and safe resolution to this.

[packman]

22. GOP already bitching

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/31/gop-bergdahl-exchange_n_5424930.html

[Major Hogwash]

23. His hometown of Hailey was just bursting with excitement cuz of the news tonight!

He's coming home!!

There were many times when people were worried that his captors would simply cut his head off, just to make an example out of him.

But, we must consider the consequences of making an entire segment of the Afghan population hate us by invading their country.
President Obama has now accomplished something, by gaining Bergdahl's freedom, that no one could have been sure of happening, but Obama got it done!!!

Let me tell ya, that's not how I thought this would end.
I didn't have much hope for Bowe, but this just goes to show ya, there is always hope as long as they are willing to talk!!
Man, this is like a dream come true for his family.

[karynnj]

28. I never would have thought this possible

It also seems - unless I am reading things into it - that the US assisted Afghanistan/Taliban talks in Qatar might actually happen when the new President it in. (3rd paragraph)

That seems necessary to really have anything remotely resembling peace, but if it happens, the right will go crazy.

State Department statement:

The responsibility to make sure all of our men and women in uniform return from battle, especially those taken prisoner and held during war, is deeply personal to me as someone who has worn the uniform of my country – and as someone who was deeply involved in those efforts with respect to the unfinished business of the war in which I fought. Our nation has a sober and solemn duty to ensure that every single American who signs up to serve our country comes home. The cost of years of captivity to Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl and his family is immeasurable. Today, we are heartened that Sergeant Bergdahl will soon be reunited with his family and friends, from whom he has been apart for far too long.

I extend my personal gratitude to the Government of Qatar – and especially to the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani – who played such an instrumental role in returning Sergeant Bergdahl home. We work every day with Qatar on a range of critical foreign policy priorities. This effort – one that was personally so close to our hearts here – exemplifies how vital our partnership with Qatar is and will remain.

I spoke today with Afghan President Karzai to brief him on this development and to discuss President Obama’s announcement this week about our efforts there. As we look to the future in Afghanistan, the United States will continue to support steps that improve the climate for conversations between Afghans about how to end the bloodshed in their country through an Afghan-led reconciliation process. As we’ve said, we look forward to working with the next President of Afghanistan and to standing side-by-side with the Afghan Government and the Afghan people as they build a secure, stable, sovereign, and unified country.


http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/05/227013.htm

[4dsc]

25. Military community reaction mixed to Bergdahl release

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140531/NEWS/305310046/Military-community-reaction-mixed-Bergdahl-release

There are few questions about how or why Bergdahl disappeared. Don't jump on his bandwagon quite just yet.

[awoke_in_2003]

30. Jumping to conclusions

is the favorite form of exercise here

[4dsc]

31. Really?

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140602/us-captured-soldier-01b9b6b086.html

What's your excuse now?

[awoke_in_2003]

33. It was a joke referencing this...

http://www.rottenecards.com/card/135595/exercise-is-not-jumping-to-conclusions-running-off-at-the-mouth--stretching-the-truth--bending-o

[DCBob]

27. Remarkable only one POW.

About the only thing "good" one can say about that hellacious war.

[SummerSnow]

29. It's here...Bergdahlgate

The new GOP orgasm

[wheniwasincongress]

32. Bergdahlzi