Robert Bowdrie Bergdahl is a disgrace.
On Monday, Bowe Bergdahl plead guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. In 2009, Bergdahl willfully walked off of a U.S. army base in Afghanistan and was eventually captured by the Taliban as a prisoner of war. While there are wide-ranging reports of reasons why (as if any are needed), there is evidence that Bergdahl deserted his brothers in arms because he disagreed with American policy in Afghanistan. Before deserting his fellow troops, Bergdahl sent an Email to his parents saying that because of the war, he was “ashamed to be an American.”
In 2014, President Obama took unprecedented action in trading five senior Taliban terrorists held in Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl’s release. Obama welcomed Bergdahl’s family to the White House to “celebrate” his return, with Susan Rice even stating in an ABC interview at the time that Bergdhal served with “honor and distinction.”
Bergdahl has been on the receiving end of criticism ranging from people within his own unit to the President of the United States. “He deserted. I’ve talked to members of Bergdahl’s platoon—including the last Americans to see him before his capture. I’ve reviewed the relevant documents. That’s what happened,” says Nathan Bethea, who served as an infantry officer during the time of Bergdahls desertion. President Trump often mimicked the firing of a rifle when discussing Bergdahl, and even suggested sending him off of a plane to return him to his Taliban captors. When contemplating whether President Trump would give Bergdahl a parachute for this made-up scenario, Trump stated “Why would we waste a parachute.”
Bergdahl says comments such as that make his proceedings akin to a “Kangaroo court” and he maintains that because of this he won’t get a fair trial. What a joke.
The following six soldiers were killed in action trying to rescue Bergdahl:
- Staff Sergeant Clayton Bowen
- Private First Class Matthew Martinek
- Staff Sergeant Kurt Curtiss
- Staff Sergeant Michael Murphrey
- Private First Class Morris Walker
- Second Lieutenant Darryn Andrews
Today is the day that Bergdahl should feel ashamed of himself. Bergdahl deserves every ounce of justice coming his way.
