"... U.S. troops said they were aware of the circumstances of Bergdahl’s disappearance — that he left the base of his own volition — and with that awareness, many grew angry.
“The unit completely changed its operational posture because of something that was selfish, not because a solider was captured in combat,” said one U.S. soldier formerly based in eastern Afghanistan who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the search. “There were military assets required . . . but the problem came of his own accord.”" Washpost
The search in Paktika was eventually called off, after U.S. officials acknowledged that Bergdahl had been taken to Pakistan. " Washpost
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Do I think the PoW exchange was proper and justified? I do, but there are unanswered questions about the responsibility of this soldier for his own capture and the extent of his culpability under the Uniform Code of Militsry Justice for the crime of desertion to the enemy.
This photograph evidently shows Bergdahl shortly after he became a prisoner of war. He doesn't look particularly abused or even unhappy.
Bergdahl seems to have become disillusioned with the forever wars of the Bush and Obama Administrations. He was an infantryman. He had prior experience of war in Iraq, but on the particular night in question in Afghanistan he apparently left his unit's position and walked away into the darkness.
Desertion occurs in every war as well in peacetime. This happens in every army. It happens in the US Army and the US Marine Corps. It happens in the British Army, the French Army, etc.
Sgt. Bergdahl is a sergeant because it is US Army policy to promote American soldiers who are held as PoWs as though they were servng with the rest of their age/grade contempories.
It was necessary to obtain the release of this US soldier. It is now necessary to decide if he should be punished for desertion in the presence of the enemy. pl
Steve G,
Bergdahl's unit, the 1/501st, was my old unit. As I said, I knew some of the people in his platoon (Staff Sergeants this time around) who had been there before when I was there in 03-04. They uniformly described Berdahl as a goof up, as someone who thought he was much smarter than he really was, including the major complaint of them 'puckering up' whenever command wandered around because they didn't know what he'd say. I knew about him walking off the FOB before it became part of the story, and was surprised when they listed him as a POW.
A loud mouth with a chip on his shoulder who makes his sergeant's lives harder is not going to be popular, so I imagine a great deal of the isolation Bergdahl experience he brought on his own head. Of course, "loner versus the world" is a much easier story to push than "Screw up threw a temper tantrum and now his pout has international consequences".
But they also said it was a tough fight, and much more different this time around specifically because of all the attention on Afghanistan then compared to before, when we were pretty much free to operate as we needed to.
I owned Hastings "The Professionals" and found it to be enjoyable reading. However I think he got sucked into the paradigm of "Free thinker versus big Army" when the truth is a lot murkier. It was likely easier on Hastings' conscience to make a martyr out of a POW than to print the truth, for all of the pretensions of hard nosed journalism.
Posted by: Tyler | 05 June 2014 at 12:45 AM
Tyler:
Thanks for your perspective.
Posted by: steve g | 05 June 2014 at 02:07 PM
Crikey, who'd a thunk? Except they pulled it off with that exploding CIA dangle in Afghanistan a few years back. Eight dead I think it was.
Posted by: Charles I | 05 June 2014 at 03:33 PM
Fred,
Wont argue with anyone's read
on this article. Read an acc-
ount that implied some in his
unit gave him a different profile
when the incident was first inves-
tigated. More positive than
negative as opposed to the current
group. Brothers in arms at the
time and now sour grapes or dare
I say a "mini Swift Boating."
Until the complete investigation
is finished and we hear from him
or I imagine his "Dream Team" the
next 24-7 news cycle will put him
on page 6.
Posted by: steve g | 06 June 2014 at 10:09 AM
Col.,
It looks like they are going to charge him:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-usa-bergdahl-idUSKBN0L01XS20150127
Posted by: Fred | 29 January 2015 at 08:36 PM