Bowe Bergdahl to be charged with desertion

We can try to keep it out of the stump, but Bergdahl's story is more about the politics than the simple black & white desertion story. The administration has invested political capital in Bergdahl. The president released terrorists to secure his release, did photo ops with the family and in many ways compromised the story by being pro-Bergdahl.

Now, the army has ignored the political narrative and charged him. It's going to get ugly.

To me, Bergdahl comes across as a confused young fool. I don't see anything dark in his decision to desert (assuming he's guilty), but he took the oath and betrayed it. Let the chips fall where they may.

 

You hit the nail on the head. Good synopsis. Couldn't of said it better myself.

 

did they not investigate the desertion deal while he was a prisoner??....I'm guessing they wanted his side of the story..but this sounds like a deserter that needs to be punished, severely....in WW2, that would be reason to hang/shoot/etc..this sounds like another recent, how should I say it, incident, involving the AG and Obammy

 

In WW2 a desertion of this kind would usually result in him being given a choice of prison or being sent back to a frontline unit. At least in the US army.

 

When he was being held by the Taliban, didn't he go through a lot of torture during his years of captivity? I can in a way sympathize with him for what he went through during his years in captivity, but I really don't know how to react to his desertion honestly. It's a very complicated matter for me to follow closely.

Edit: since this seems like a touchy subject i will try to avoid getting involved anymore in this topic and play the role of observer

 

did he??

 

Not complicated. He deserted and betrayed his fellow service members. No matter how much he was tortured it wasn't enough in my opinion.

 

They should have just left him there and called it even.

 

well, I should not have said desertion...he aided the enemy.....someone like this, in WW2, that gave information to the enemy, could very well be labeled a spy, and shot,no?...is there any instances, of American soldiers, in WW2, going over to the enemy, and being very friendly with them?? giving information, freely? I thought there is proof he was very friendly with the enemy?

 

I've read that there were a few defections of GIs over to the Germans in Europe, and few men who aided the Japanese in their propaganda efforts in the PTO. Those men in Japan were at the end of their ropes in the POW camps and agreed to work with the Japanese, broadcasting pre-written statements a la Tokyo Rose in lieu of better treatment (little to no food, constant beatings, slave labor) in the camps. I'd like to say that I'd never do something like that, but right now in the comfort of home here in the good ole US of A it's easy to make such claims. But after what the POWs went through in Japanese confinement, I don't know. I don't think that any of them took up arms against the Allies in either case.

 

I felt the way that I did because there seemed like there was a heated debate in the media over whether he should be charged with desertion. Guess I was just a little nervous a similar debate would happen here, but it looks like we all feel the same about it so that's good

 

AFAIK, there is no direct evidence that has so far surfaced, other than a reported radio intercept that

http://thelead.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/03/team-leader-bowe-bergdahl-wanted-to-talk-to-taliban/
which, IIRC, was also on Wikileaks.

What he wanted to talk about or what may have been said, so far is all speculation.

As to World War II, I am sure that there were many American prisoners who talked, either after being beaten, or in exchange for better treatment. There were more than a few POW claims of those that did so, but I don't think much ever came of those claims. There was also USAAF First Lieutenant Martin James Monti, who stole a F-4/F-5 recon aircraft and defected to the Germans in Italy.

 

totally agree here.....so, they did not ''voluntarily'', go over?

 

A calm debate about the facts of the case does not sell newspapers, magazines, or advertising minutes.

Although, I was surprised to read about how many desertions there where, upwards of 20,000 since 2006, with some 1,900 case being prosecuted since 2001. Still. many of these took place in areas other than a combat zone, and many had other extenuating circumstances.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/12/24/us/politics/ap-us-military-desertions.html?_r=0

 

bronk7 stated: totally agree here.....so, they did not ''voluntarily'', go over?

Not in the conventional sense, no. I don't think that they were terribly proud of what they were doing, but a man will do things out of character to stay alive you know. And when you are at the end of your rope mentally, spiritually and physically, sometimes tying a knot in it and hanging on is no longer a viable option. So passive collaboration is the easy way out.

 

That's new to me. Americans defecting to the Nazis and Japanese! That's new information to me. Probably because it didn't happen often. In some cases they probably did not do it voluntarily especially with the Japanese. They were probably, like A-58 said, at the ends of their ropes and afraid of dying. Though I would prefer the honorable way than the coward's way out.

Takao said: "A calm debate about the facts of the case does not sell newspapers, magazines, or advertising minutes."

True that all the way.

 

Actually a google search revealed that we have a thread right here on the forum titled "Defecting Allied Pilots". One US pilot stole a P-38 and defected over to the Germans and eventually joined the SS. Here's a thread that mentions other US defectors.

http://www.axishistory.com/axis-nations/germany-a-austria/waffen-ss/137-germany-military-other/foreign-volunteers/2119-us-volunteers-in-the-waffen-ss

What I read about the GIs collaborating with the Japanese was taken from the book "Unbroken". What those guys went through in the camps is beyond comprehension.

 

That's pretty eye opening interesting stuff.

 

I know that there was an SS unit that has British men in it as well, British Free Corps, that consisted of prisoners who were recruited by the Nazis.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259632/Hitlers-British-SS-Chilling-pictures-traitors-joined-Fuhrers-evil-unit--Union-Flag-sleeve.html