Editor’s Note – Having been delayed interminably for obvious reasons, we would like to thank certain media outlets for pressing the matter, especially Bill O’Reilly at Fox News – Berdahl faces court martial.
The worst charge is akin to aiding and abetting the enemy, far worse than just desertion in a war zone.
This shows us that the military stood its ground under likely heavy pressure from the political world of Obama and we commend the decision.
Egg on the face awards go out not only to Obama, but also, once again, Susan Rice and her crazy remarks we all knew to be untrue from day one.
Now Bergdahl’s attorney is speaking:
Bergdahl’s attorney also released a statement on Wednesday, outlining his defense of the soldier and containing a two-page letter from Bergdahl describing the torture he endured, which included months spent chained to a bed and further years spent chained on all fours or locked in a cage.
Shortly after the charges were announced, Bergdahl’s attorneys released a lengthy statement that includes a letter sent to Milley earlier this month outlining their defense of the soldier.
“In light of the nearly five years of harsh captivity Sgt. Bergdahl endured, the purpose of his leaving his unit, and his behavior while a prisoner, it would be unduly harsh to impose on him the lifetime stigma of a court-martial conviction or an other than honorable discharge and to deny him veterans benefits,” attorney Eugene R. Fidell writes in the letter. (read more at CNN)
Like Speaker of The House Boehner indicated, Bergdahl is innocent until proven guilty, but we believe this is an open and shut case because Gen. Milley appears to have overseen a most exhaustive investigation, one strong enough to offset any Obama pressure:
House Speaker John Boehner said Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is “innocent until proven guilty” after the U.S. military charged him with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, but emphasized in an exclusive interview with CNN’s Dana Bash that he was more concerned about the circumstances of his release.
This also completely vindicates those who spoke out truthfully who were in the field and told their story of Bergdahl’s desertion, only to be vilified politically. Apologies are due and we encourage law suits from each, as well as the families who lost loved ones because of his desertion.
Now the White House is defending itself and it was not pretty, nor believable:
The incoming White House communications director defended the decision to trade Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders last year, even as newly announced desertion charges for Bergdahl renewed Republican criticism of the prisoner swap.
“Was it worth it? Absolutely,” Jen Psaki told Megyn Kelly on Fox News’ “The Kelly File.” “We have a commitment to our men and women serving in the military, defending our national security every day, that we’re going to do everything to bring them home if we can, and that’s what we did in this case.” (See the interview on video here and read more.)
The way the Obama administration lauded the deal in the beginning, and still maintains its position, we ask again, why did the Bergdahls get such great treatment and all the stalling when Sgt. Tahmoressi was languishing so long in a Mexican prison with virtually no effort extended to gain his release by the administration in 2014?
Again, with Obama its politics first, policy second, damn all other more salient priorities that help the nation. Now the Taliban Five are almost ready to be set free – great call there Mr. Obama. As Joe Biden so famously said of the Bin Laden raid; “gutsy call!”
Bowe Bergdahl Offically Charged With Desertion, Faces Life in Prison
By Katie Pavlich at Townhall
UPDATE: The United States Army announced this afternoon from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will be charged under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice with one count of desertion with intention to shirk important and hazardous duty and one count of misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a command, unit or place.
The now infamous Rose Garden announcement with Bergdhal’s parents
If convicted, the first charge of desertion carries a potential maximum penalty of dishonorable discharge, rank deduction, forfeiture of paid allowances and maximum confinement of five years.
The second charge of misbehavior before the enemy carries a potential maximum penalty of reduction in rank, forfeiture of paid allowances, confinement for life.
Under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, a preliminary Article 32 hearing has been scheduled and will be held at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. When the hearing will take place will be announced at a later date. A court marshal for Bergdahl will be pursued.
Original Article as it was breaking:
According to the Associated Press Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was traded last summer by the Obama administration for five Taliban commanders, will be charged with desertion. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban in June 2009. The Pentagon will hold a press conference at 3:30 eastern time to give details.
Last year President Obama held a ceremony in the Rose Garden with Bergdahl’s parents and touted the swap of Bergdahl as an important moment in U.S. history, arguing no American should be left behind on the battlefield.
National Security Advisor Susan Rice said during an interview with ABC News that Bergdahl served with honor and distinction.
But shortly after the swap was released, many members of Bergdahl’s Afghanistan platoon came forward to accuse him of desertion. Allies of the administration questioned the integrity of the men for doing so.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Brandon Friedman suggested publicly that the platoon might be full of “psychopaths.” State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf portrayed the allegations of platoon members as not credible and the men as liars. She refused to apologize for doing so.
Not a single member of Bergdahl’s platoon came forward to defend him against desertion allegations
“I think the Army needs to do what’s right here and abide by the Army values and he [Bergdahl] needs to face consequence for his action,” Army Specialist Cody Full said on Hannity in July 2014.
“Not only is it a slap in the face to all the men and women who have served honorably, who upheld their oath and it’s also a bad precedent to set toward future service members.”
Rice interview at the time of the release:
%CODE%
