US Soldier Freed From Captivity in Afghanistan

[HenryBHough]

That "to the best of my ability" clause covers an awful lot when used by liberals. On their own they have no ability; once contract with the hive mind is lost then all bets are off.

Would the Stockholm Syndrome be a mitigating cirumstance?

Perhaps if one of them defected to Sweden?

 

[SFC Ollie]

I hadn't heard that the five had pledged to only do charity work from the day of their release on forward. But what does it matter if they had? Nobody would have believed them anyway. So, even if the released detainees are not necessarily inclined to want that life again (they ARE older, after all), I think everyone in the administration is sophisticated enough to understand that they're going back into the same environment as before. And even like a drug addict who wants to reform, going back into the same environment will probably lead them back into the same life.

But I have a sneaking suspicion those guys will find that the NEW leaders won't necessarily be willing to give up their power and just step aside to let the old guard take over again. As a general rule, human nature doesn't work that way. The new leaders will also be suspicious about what the former prisoners may have revealed to the Americans about their operation. After an initial happy reunion, I have a funny feeling there's gonna be some tension as personal ambitions and suspicions take hold. No doubt something to this effect was included in any briefing to the people who make the decisions. And in true Psy Ops form, it also wouldn't surprise me to learn that American operatives have spread some seeds of distrust in that regard in the hope that some of those seeds might just take root. I mean, haven't you even considered the possibility that they'll just eventually kill those guys when they get back to Afghanistan? Maybe it'll be because they don't trust them. Maybe it'll be because they want to take over and the new guys in charge don't much care for that idea. Could happen. After all, life is cheap there, and there's no real law to hold them accountable if they do kill them.

So, here's the scenario. One day, Sahib and Farook go out for a camel ride, and in something akin to a Mafia hit, Farook doesn't come back. Some predetermined story is cooked up beforehand and then dished out as an explanation. Then, everybody says a little prayer to Allah, and they all go back to the way things were before the guy came back.

Then there's always the possibility that a predator drone may find them at almost any hour of the day or night about a month from now. Bye bye, Farook!

Really believe that, after these guys have been wheeling and dealing that only these 5 would do for an exchange for at least 4 years?

And if a drone finds them, what do you bet the taliban will more than double down? And we will have at least 10,000 soldier's in there for a few more years to come. Well after their imposed Qatar only existence, that is if it is even enforced. The last one we gave to Qatar traveled out of country freely, until re arrested by Britain this time, in Britain upon his second visit.

You're worried about the Taliban doubling down? Why? They're a bunch of half-assed mountain boys. America has about as much to fear from the Taliban as the Federal Gov't had to fear from the Symbionese Liberation Army back in the 1970s. For the most part, they're a danger to the people of Afghanistan. Americans have more to worry about from random violence originating right here on the streets of this country.

What is it about conservatives with their fear of almost anything and everything? If this country wants to confront REAL potential threats, it should prepare for Chinese expansionism in Asia and Russia meddling in the affairs of Eastern Europe, thereby upsetting the status quo. Throwing more resources at the ridiculous Taliban threat only drains our resources that would be better spent trying to prepare for real existential threats.

And here i thought one of the liberal things to do was move more troops out of Europe and send them home.......

 

[SAYIT]

One aspect of Anti-Americanism is not looking out for the best interests of our soldiers on the battlefied, the ones that risk their lives so we can remain free. It is stating to the world a deserter is both honorable and has served with distinction. It is true he served with distinction, as he left his comrades behind. That clearly made him distinct.

This Mustang critter likes to call military and combat veterans, "un-American". And he worships a Kenyan who calls Bergdolts platoon members "liars" and releases war criminals.

Can't even get the right word, can you? I said ANTI-American, although I suppose I can call your post un-American in the sense that you question the legitimacy of the duly elected President of the United States of America.

Woo. Questioning the words and actions of our president is un-American? Yeah, you really have exposed your soft underbelly, Princess.

 

[SFC Ollie]

No there is not. And the truth of the matter is that public opinion can be, and in today's media environment, often IS manipulated by people with an agenda. Public opinion can also often be flat out wrong, as well. Public opinion can even express itself in ways that are not only wrong, but are also illegal, as well as immoral. After all, a lynch mob is an expression of public opinion once the emotions of certain people are whipped into a frenzy. Frankly, that's what I'm seeing right now. It's a damn pile on with little regard for the rights of a man accused of crimes he's in no position to address at this point in time.

Intentionally or unintentionally, there are a number of people who are fanning the flames of a public lynching of Bergdahl for reasons that probably wouldn't hold up well under closer scrutiny. For example, controversy is good for ratings. Always has been. Sgt Bergdahl is now a convenient whipping boy for certain people who see increased ratings as an economic boon to themselves in terms of advertising revenue etc. They're certainly not motivated by love of country. It's more like love of self.

And of course there's the anti-American crowd who wouldn't miss a chance to undermine our country if it allowed them to further their own political agenda in the process. Those people don't give a shit about the nation, despite what they might claim. They want power, and if that's what it takes to get it, they don't have a problem with using those kinds of tactics.

One aspect of Anti-Americanism is not looking out for the best interests of our soldiers on the battlefied, the ones that risk their lives so we can remain free. It is stating to the world a deserter is both honorable and has served with distinction. It is true he served with distinction, as he left his comrades behind. That clearly made him distinct.

You buy in to the argument that you would not remain free or that your freedom is/was somehow in jeopardy if American troops were not stationed in Afghanistan and earlier not in Iraq? That's always been one of the most piss-poor explanations for sending American troops into war because I don't see how our freedom was threatened by them at all. Hell, if there was anything threatening our freedom it was and still is The Patriot Act and all the NSA spying being conducted on Americans by our Federal Govt through private contracts where the work was and is actually conducted by corporations with insufficient governmental oversight.

So you admit that the Obama administration had the NSA spying on our people......

 

[depotoo]

One aspect of Anti-Americanism is not looking out for the best interests of our soldiers on the battlefied, the ones that risk their lives so we can remain free. It is stating to the world a deserter is both honorable and has served with distinction. It is true he served with distinction, as he left his comrades behind. That clearly made him distinct.

You buy in to the argument that you would not remain free or that your freedom is/was somehow in jeopardy if American troops were not stationed in Afghanistan and earlier not in Iraq? That's always been one of the most piss-poor explanations for sending American troops into war because I don't see how our freedom was threatened by them at all. Hell, if there was anything threatening our freedom it was and still is The Patriot Act and all the NSA spying being conducted on Americans by our Federal Govt through private contracts where the work was and is actually conducted by corporations with insufficient governmental oversight.

So you admit that the Obama administration had the NSA spying on our people......

And condemnation only for one...

 

[Mustang]

One aspect of Anti-Americanism is not looking out for the best interests of our soldiers on the battlefied, the ones that risk their lives so we can remain free. It is stating to the world a deserter is both honorable and has served with distinction. It is true he served with distinction, as he left his comrades behind. That clearly made him distinct.

You buy in to the argument that you would not remain free or that your freedom is/was somehow in jeopardy if American troops were not stationed in Afghanistan and earlier not in Iraq? That's always been one of the most piss-poor explanations for sending American troops into war because I don't see how our freedom was threatened by them at all. Hell, if there was anything threatening our freedom it was and still is The Patriot Act and all the NSA spying being conducted on Americans by our Federal Govt through private contracts where the work was and is actually conducted by corporations with insufficient governmental oversight.

So you admit that the Obama administration had the NSA spying on our people......

The NSA has been tasked with spying on Americans since around the time of the Patriot Act. The full extent of the operation wasn't clearly understood by most Americans until Edward Snowden copied some files and fled our shores in what he claimed was an effort to reveal to Americans what the gov't was doing. I'll take this moment to remind you that, aside from gov't officials, it's mostly conservatives who have deemed Snowden to be a traitor although some more libertarian conservatives seem to think Snowden did the nation a service. As of now, I think the jury is still out on whether or not Snowden's provided specific top secret information to other gov'ts or whether he's merely revealed general gov't practices to anyone who can read Greenwald's columns and any website where he may happen to reveal the Federal Gov't's activities in monitoring it's own citizens through data mining.

The truth is that once one administration expands the power of the gov't to monitor all citizens without probable cause, it's ridiculous to believe that subsequent administrations, regardless of party, will relinquish that power. Therefore, I think it's only going to get more pronounced, regardless of which party is in power, unless it's reigned in or stopped completely.

As an aside, I highly recommend two of Greenwald's books which I read years before he got involved with Snowden. They're short books that don't take long to get to the point. I'll list them below.

"With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful"

"How Would a Patriot Act?: Defending American Values from a President Run Amok"

 

[SFC Ollie]

Of course, it's Bush's fault......Never saw that one coming.....

 

[Mustang]

Of course, it's Bush's fault......Never saw that one coming.....

I don't care which party is in power or who's president while it's being done, I don't like the gov't spying on it's citizens without probable cause and a court ordered warrant being issued first, PERIOD. The fact that it began under Bush is completely secondary as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Sallow]

Of course, it's Bush's fault......Never saw that one coming.....

Actually..it is.

Please point me to the Republican initiative to stop this?

 

[SFC Ollie]

Easy enough, goes all the way back to 2006........And we know what happened in 2006.....or do we...


https://www.aclu.org/national-secur...s-against-president-bush’s-nsa-spying-program

 

[protectionist]

One aspect of Anti-Americanism is not looking out for the best interests of our soldiers on the battlefied, the ones that risk their lives so we can remain free. It is stating to the world a deserter is both honorable and has served with distinction. It is true he served with distinction, as he left his comrades behind. That clearly made him distinct.

This Mustang critter likes to call military and combat veterans, "un-American". And he worships a Kenyan who calls Bergdolts platoon members "liars" and releases war criminals.

Can't even get the right word, can you? I said ANTI-American, although I suppose I can call your post un-American in the sense that you question the legitimacy of the duly elected President of the United States of America. It's just one more example of the anti-American leanings of the modern-day American conservative movement. I have plenty more examples since this has been going on for years. I've just reached a point where I finally had my fill of the all the anti-American rants from the right.

As for the detainees being released, you can blame that on conservatives who fought tooth and nail to prevent the very kind of trials that might very well have convicted them of war crimes and placed them in a federal prison for life. Once in prison, it would have been considerably more difficult for ANY president to have them released.

Trials are for bank robbers. These guys were POWs. They should have gotten a firing squad, or never left the battlefied alive in the first place.

 

[RoadVirus]

And of course there's the anti-American crowd who wouldn't miss a chance to undermine our country if it allowed them to further their own political agenda in the process. Those people don't give a shit about the nation, despite what they might claim. They want power, and if that's what it takes to get it, they don't have a problem with using those kinds of tactics.

You just described Obama perfectly.

 

[RoadVirus]

As for the detainees being released, you can blame that on conservatives who fought tooth and nail to prevent the very kind of trials that might very well have convicted them of war crimes and placed them in a federal prison for life.

Putting them on trial in a civilian court would cost taxpayers millions in security costs. Then we have the risk of them spreading their Islamic garbage and converting people in prison.

Solve the problem by shooting the fuckers. Quick and cheap.

 

[Sallow]

Of course, it's Bush's fault......Never saw that one coming.....

Maybe that's because it was Bush's fault.

 

[Sallow]

Easy enough, goes all the way back to 2006........And we know what happened in 2006.....or do we...


https://www.aclu.org/national-secur...s-against-president-bush’s-nsa-spying-program

And?

Which bill was introduced into Congress by Republicans to repeal the Patriot Act?

 

[Sallow]

As for the detainees being released, you can blame that on conservatives who fought tooth and nail to prevent the very kind of trials that might very well have convicted them of war crimes and placed them in a federal prison for life.

Putting them on trial in a civilian court would cost taxpayers millions in security costs. Then we have the risk of them spreading their Islamic garbage and converting people in prison.

Solve the problem by shooting the fuckers. Quick and cheap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/nyregion/british-cleric-is-convicted-in-terror-trial.html?_r=0
Mohammad Khalid sentenced for terrorism offenses - Baltimore Sun
FBI ? U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction and Sentence of Khalid Aldawsari


And please..tell us all again about how you "love" the Constitution of the United States..

 

[The Rabbi]

Easy enough, goes all the way back to 2006........And we know what happened in 2006.....or do we...


https://www.aclu.org/national-secur...s-against-president-bush’s-nsa-spying-program

And?

Which bill was introduced into Congress by Republicans to repeal the Patriot Act?

The Patriot Act itself was scheduled to sunset. Obama and the Democrats voted to extend it.
Your OP has been shown to be wrong and full of lies. You are the least serious poster on this board.

 

[SFC Ollie]

The Patriot Act should be a whole other thread. To boil it down it has not been used as it was designed, or at least the way we were informed it was designed....... But then again it has nothing to do with Sgt Bergdahl..........

 

[Mustang]

As for the detainees being released, you can blame that on conservatives who fought tooth and nail to prevent the very kind of trials that might very well have convicted them of war crimes and placed them in a federal prison for life.

Putting them on trial in a civilian court would cost taxpayers millions in security costs. Then we have the risk of them spreading their Islamic garbage and converting people in prison.

Solve the problem by shooting the fuckers. Quick and cheap.

Sounds like you're an admirer of the tactics of the Taliban. Maybe that's why people like you are so quick to believe their propaganda videos.

 

[Meathead]

Sounds like you're an admirer of the tactics of the Taliban. Maybe that's why people like you are so quick to believe their propaganda videos.

Nothing beats the white House photo-op or Rice's quote on Bergdahl serving with honor and distinction!

The GOP could hardly come up with better propaganda soundbites than that.

Seriously, wtf were they thinking?