Bergdahl to be charged with desertion

[JSt0rm]

He wasn't a prisoner but rather a collaborator from what it sounds like. At best he was more of a guest than someone whom they planned to chop the head off as an infidel.

lol. What weird news site did you find that?

 

[JSt0rm]

Stupid political stunt.

Yup. Obama cant do anything right so everything he does is wrong - even bringing home a pow is bad in the eyes of the right. This guy will be thrown to the courts. Hopefully in that environment level heads will prevail.

 

[Jhhnn]

The irony being that I just left Fort Sam Houston (where the Article 32 and potential court martial would take place) 3 months ago. Court martial panels are assembled by randomly selecting officers from a master list of all officers of a certain grade assigned to an installation.

And just like their civilian counterparts, military prosecutors don't want to go to trial with a case the defense can easily rip to shreds. There is no way to show that it came down any other way than the way Bergdahl says it did.

 

[Jhhnn]

I'm not exaggerating at all. Once Bergdahls fate is decided we'll start to see some books from people in the intelligence community. I don't think you understand what happens when an American servicemember goes missing in a warzone. Everything else stops. The CIA, NSA, & DIA all swing their resources to concentrate on recovery. Literally every computer in the country had rotating background pictures of him, reminding everyone to be on the lookout for our missing soldier. Granted, after he was gone for such a long time, some things went back to business as usual, but I know for a fact that recovering Bergdahl was higher on the priority list than capturing\killing OBL.

Kinda like pictures of missing kids on milk cartons, huh?

 

[Nebor]

And just like their civilian counterparts, military prosecutors don't want to go to trial with a case the defense can easily rip to shreds. There is no way to show that it came down any other way than the way Bergdahl says it did.

The way that Bergdahl says it went down is a crime and should be punished.

 

[Cozarkian]

The burden of proof always lies with the accuser. Well, other than in the realm of right-wing-o-sphere opinion. It's the mentality of a lynch mob.

Did you ignore or not understand the first clause of my post?

 

[Jhhnn]

Did you ignore or not understand the first clause of my post?

I understood it. I also understand that you attempted to cast doubt on Bergdahl's story in the same paragraph. Of course there's no way to absolutely positively verify what he said, but what credible evidence is there to the contrary?

Not a damned thing.

The fact that it's not sworn testimony is immaterial at this point.

 

[Jhhnn]

The way that Bergdahl says it went down is a crime and should be punished.

The Taliban already took care of that, I'm sure.

 

[Knowing]

http://www.atsc.army.mil/crc/General Orders grn.pdf

 

[Zorkorist]

Thank goodness Obama rescued him.

-John

 

[Cozarkian]

The fact that it's not sworn testimony is immaterial at this point.

Courts still evaluate the credibility of evidence presented by the defense even though they don't have the burden of proof, and whether the self-serving statement of the defendant was made under oath is a factor in weighing said credibility.

 

[Jhhnn]

Courts still evaluate the credibility of evidence presented by the defense even though they don't have the burden of proof, and whether the self-serving statement of the defendant was made under oath is a factor in weighing said credibility.

Gawd. That's exquisitely circular. If the court wants his sworn testimony they'll likely get it.

That's provided there's enough evidence to convene the court rather than the Commander simply adjudicating it himself. Bergdahl admits to walking off the base. Beyond that, there's really nothing to prosecute him for.

 

[cabri]

Gawd. That's exquisitely circular. If the court wants his sworn testimony they'll likely get it.

That's provided there's enough evidence to convene the court rather than the Commander simply adjudicating it himself. Bergdahl admits to walking off the base. Beyond that, there's really nothing to prosecute him for.

Walking off base is desertion and/or AWOL - Both are able to be and should be prosecuted - especially in the combat zone

The 5th exists to allow him to not provide sworn testimony.

 

[Cozarkian]

Gawd. That's exquisitely circular.

Holy crap, alert the presses, our entire judicial system uses evidentiary rules limiting hearsay and instructing the trier of fact to weigh the credibility of evidence presented by both sides. Apparently, this entire process is not only circular, but exquisitely circular.

Seriously, just admit your criticism of my post was wrong, or at least stop trying to double down. I didn't claim there was sufficient evidence to prove he tried to join the Taliban.

 

[Jhhnn]

Walking off base is desertion and/or AWOL - Both are able to be and should be prosecuted - especially in the combat zone

The 5th exists to allow him to not provide sworn testimony.

And I'm sure that appropriate steps would have been taken had he not been captured & held for 5 years by the Taliban.

Do you figure that the Army would have done him worse than that?

 

[Jhhnn]

Holy crap, alert the presses, our entire judicial system uses evidentiary rules limiting hearsay and instructing the trier of fact to weigh the credibility of evidence presented by both sides. Apparently, this entire process is not only circular, but exquisitely circular.

Seriously, just admit your criticism of my post was wrong, or at least stop trying to double down. I didn't claim there was sufficient evidence to prove he tried to join the Taliban.

Please. I merely objected to your invocation of it not being sworn testimony, as if that discredits Bergdahl in some way. It hasn't progressed to the point where sworn testimony matters & it seems ridiculous that Bergdahl would say anything else if sworn.

Prosecutor: Do you swear that what you've told investigators is the truth?

Bergdahl: I do.

The end.

 

[cabri]

And I'm sure that appropriate steps would have been taken had he not been captured & held for 5 years by the Taliban.

Do you figure that the Army would have done him worse than that?

By promoting him?

By putting him on stage as a poster boy for political gain?

He knowingly place himself in that situation.

And you (and a couple of others here) feel he should be rewarded for doing such.

 

[Jhhnn]

By promoting him?

By putting him on stage as a poster boy for political gain?

He knowingly place himself in that situation.

And you (and a couple of others here) feel he should be rewarded for doing such.

So you're saying that he set out to be captured, or what?

If he didn't then the whole notion that he did so for political gain is bullshit. What the Obama Admin did is to confirm to the public & the troops that they'll go the distance to bring them home safely if they can.

Or are you saying that Obama should have gone with the bullshit "we don't negotiate with Terrrarists!" routine?

I believe that the Army applies the usual advances in pay and grade to all prisoners of war regardless of the circumstances of their capture so your opening sentence is just more bullshit.

Where have I offered that Bergdahl should be rewarded?

Quote me on that instead of making scurrilous accusations.

 

[JSt0rm]

unfortunately for bergdahl he wasnt rescued with a republican president in office.

 

[cabri]

So you're saying that he set out to be captured, or what?

If he didn't then the whole notion that he did so for political gain is bullshit. What the Obama Admin did is to confirm to the public & the troops that they'll go the distance to bring them home safely if they can.

Or are you saying that Obama should have gone with the bullshit "we don't negotiate with Terrrarists!" routine?

I believe that the Army applies the usual advances in pay and grade to all prisoners of war regardless of the circumstances of their capture so your opening sentence is just more bullshit.

Where have I offered that Bergdahl should be rewarded?

Quote me on that instead of making scurrilous accusations.

Only he knows if he intended on capture.
His story about intending on walking to another camp, through hostile territory without supplies or weapons/gear smells


There is his history. actions and communication intercepts that are on what he will be judged.

You have continually challenged that he deserves no punishment.

For those that have military background, it is an affront.

If convicted of desertation/AWOL, he should be stripped of rank and back pay with a DD. He does not deserve the rank based on his actions.

He is being rewarded by having that rank and pay. You feel that is acceptable.


He willingly wemt along with Obama and making political hay.

The military may promote based on time in grade for POW. However for a voluntary POW/deserter, i doubt the situation has come up.

It goes against the military grain.

There was no need for a 2 star to do the investigation; that ensured that a political outcome would develop.

Two / three stars are political animals, their advancement depends politics as well as competence.

For Obama to trade, i agree, bring them home. But DO NOT HOLD him up as a HERO.
POW maybe, POWs from other conflicts were not treated as Obama did to him. Obama wanted political points.

 

[Jhhnn]

unfortunately for bergdahl he wasnt rescued with a republican president in office.

Ain't it the truth. The right wing propaganda machine can whip the Faithful into a frenzy over damned near anything.

More than anything, it gives them the opportunity to vent. Given all the contradictions & lies embraced in their headsets they need to do that or go Postal.

 

[MongGrel]

And I'm sure that appropriate steps would have been taken had he not been captured & held for 5 years by the Taliban.

Do you figure that the Army would have done him worse than that?

It used to be a executable offense in the field if caught on the spot at one time.

I may be wrong, but didn't he walk off a guard post in a combat zone?

That isn't just walking off base to begin with.

 

[Jhhnn]

Only he knows if he intended on capture.
His story about intending on walking to another camp, through hostile territory without supplies or weapons/gear smells


There is his history. actions and communication intercepts that are on what he will be judged.

You have continually challenged that he deserves no punishment.

For those that have military background, it is an affront.

If convicted of desertation/AWOL, he should be stripped of rank and back pay with a DD. He does not deserve the rank based on his actions.

He is being rewarded by having that rank and pay. You feel that is acceptable.


He willingly wemt along with Obama and making political hay.

The military may promote based on time in grade for POW. However for a voluntary POW/deserter, i doubt the situation has come up.

It goes against the military grain.

There was no need for a 2 star to do the investigation; that ensured that a political outcome would develop.

Two / three stars are political animals, their advancement depends politics as well as competence.

For Obama to trade, i agree, bring them home. But DO NOT HOLD him up as a HERO.
POW maybe, POWs from other conflicts were not treated as Obama did to him. Obama wanted political points.

You do love false attribution. I've claimed that incarceration at this point would be inappropriate. If the Army strips him of rank & pay then gives him a DD I won't argue.

Willingly went along with Obama? That's so lame. He appeared at the time & place he was ordered to appear by the CinC & did what he was told. If you're really a veteran you understand that completely.

The allusion to communication intercepts is so cute. WTF are you talking about?

The rest is merely the casting of aspersions.

 

[Jhhnn]

It used to be a executable offense in the field if caught on the spot at one time.

I may be wrong, but didn't he walk off a guard post in a combat zone?

That isn't just walking off base to begin with.

He was not on guard duty at the time, iirc, but rather had been relieved & was on free time.

The ancient past doesn't matter. Only the rules in force at the time of the incident matter.

 

[unokitty]

Badly treated by insurgents in the Middle East.

Badly treated by Obama Administration in the US.

Past time to cut Bergdahl loose...

This old dog soldier would prefer that he not be rewarded for abandoning his unit and that he be given an other than honorable discharge...

Still, if the Obama Administration, and their fan boys, want to consider Bergdahl a heroic figure that's their decision.

Then again, they've already made clear what 'Honor and Distinction' means to them...

Uno