Bergdahl Prisoner Swap

[guido911]

Kind surprised there is not a thread on this yet, perhaps from the Obama lovers arguing how this proves he does not leave soldiers behind.  5 top Taliban soldiers for one U.S. soldier that might be a deserter? Fair swap? Here's a NYT article for some background on Bergdahl.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/us-soldier-srgt-bowe-bergdahl-of-idaho-pow-vanished-angered-his-unit.html?hp&_r=1

[RecycleMichael]

You would have bashed Obama if he did or didn't do anything to get the American soldier home.

Yawn.

[RecycleMichael]

It is really great that you and gaspar can find so many ways to be upset.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Could be that there are some of us not running around like a bunch of mouth breathing rednecks, and are waiting for some facts to come about. (if the truth ever comes out about Bergdahl's situation.)

[Townsend]

This thread will go poorly if it's continued.

[Conan71]

According to Bergdahl's former comrades they interviewed on CBS this morning, he deserted.

If the five Taliban leaders really are who they are being made out to be, they will help lead to more instability and could be behind more U.S. soldiers being KIA in Afghanistan.

Very stupid move regardless of the political affiliation of the president.  This is why people view him as clueless and arrogant.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Kind surprised there is not a thread on this yet, perhaps from the Obama lovers arguing how this proves he does not leave soldiers behind.  5 top Taliban soldiers for one U.S. soldier that might be a deserter? Fair swap? Here's a NYT article for some background on Bergdahl.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/us-soldier-srgt-bowe-bergdahl-of-idaho-pow-vanished-angered-his-unit.html?hp&_r=1

It's a much wider agenda than a prisoner swap.  This guy was just a nominal piece on the chess board - the negotiations with Taliban were started WAY before Obama, and they continue with the recognition of the reality that they will be back in power within months of our exit.  

[Cats Cats Cats]

It's a much wider agenda than a prisoner swap.  This guy was just a nominal piece on the chess board - the negotiations with Taliban were started WAY before Obama, and they continue with the recognition of the reality that they will be back in power within months of our exit.  

Not if we never leave

[heironymouspasparagus]

Not if we never leave

Regardless.  We will work with them the same as Karzii (sp?).  Out with the "old boss", in with the "new boss"....

[Conan71]

It's a much wider agenda than a prisoner swap.  This guy was just a nominal piece on the chess board - the negotiations with Taliban were started WAY before Obama, and they continue with the recognition of the reality that they will be back in power within months of our exit.  

So why do you put those five chess pieces back on the board when our withdrawal is coming in the next year and a half?

It's almost certain we will end up back in there at some point unless we have finally learned the immutable truth the Soviets learned that no war is winnable in Afghanistan.

[heironymouspasparagus]

So why do you put those five chess pieces back on the board when our withdrawal is coming in the next year and a half?

It's almost certain we will end up back in there at some point unless we have finally learned the immutable truth the Soviets learned that no war is winnable in Afghanistan.

Why not?  They are gonna be among the top leaders of the new Afghanistan regime in a couple years anyway.

[Conan71]

Why not?  They are gonna be among the top leaders of the new Afghanistan regime in a couple years anyway.

Glib much?

So just let them go and say "We will keep a close eye on them"  Much like we kept such a close eye on the gun runners in fast and furious.

I have zero doubt these guys will be responsible for more US servicemen's deaths.  Do you?

[Townsend]

I have zero doubt these guys will be responsible for more US servicemen's deaths.  Do you?

Sometimes I wonder who really should be blamed for many of the US servicemen's deaths.

We got a warning once from this cat -

[heironymouspasparagus]

Glib much?

So just let them go and say "We will keep a close eye on them"  Much like we kept such a close eye on the gun runners in fast and furious.

I have zero doubt these guys will be responsible for more US servicemen's deaths.  Do you?

Not at all glib.  Just a recognition that this is one of the steps to normalization of relations with the new regime when we move out and they move in.  These guys are likely to just chill for a while in Qatar while waiting for the transition.  Hard to say what the time frame will be, but it is likely to take more than 6 months, but less than 36 months - new regime.

Have you not noticed the huge drop off in casualties in Afghan... it almost appears to be a bit of a "cease-fire" between us and the Taliban while final negotiations are in process?  I could find 0 in Mar, 2 in Apr, 1 in May.  5 in a helicopter crash unrelated to combat operations.  Has quieted a lot.... but we still should have been out of there years ago!!


It's called reality....

[Hoss]

I remember reading that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said that no matter what he allegedly did, the swap was the right thing to do.  He also stated that he would be investigated and court martialed if he indeed did desert.

Molehill, meet mountain.