Bowe Bergdahl

I think it's probably not a good idea to show the Taliban that they can get their people - terrorists - out of prison if they kidnap people and hold them prisoner.

I hold nothing against this guy for developing the beliefs he had against America's war - he is pretty much right on all counts about that, and I actually respect soldiers who decide they cannot participate another minute in an immoral war. He didn't go about it in the right way and made a mistake he'll obviously regret for ever, but I don't begrudge him for his sentiments or motives. Too bad he didn't just think of a way to be dishonorable discharged or even sent to military prison for a bit.if absolutely necessary. Deserting on foot in the middle of a war wasn't the greatest idea to say the least. Well, lesson learned obviously. It's shitty that people died because of this. That wasn't his intent - sounds like he was driven by absolute desperation at the time, and may not have even been quite in his right mind. It 100% seems like something someone who was having some kind of mental breakdown would do. I think he's suffered enough now and I hope he's allowed to somehow fade into a private civilian life again, where I'm sure he'll suffer guilt over the death he inadvertently caused forever.

But letting Taliban prisoners free because of blackmail is a slippery slope. The Taliban are probably pretty happily surprised that it actually finally worked and are likely planning their next kidnapping so they can demand more of their people be set free now. I was surprised to see that this was done by the US.

Cosmo said:

primussucks said:

How many more will die because of the 5 released prisoners?

...
I suppose, it all depends who is standing around them when the AGM-114 Hellfire missile launched from an MQ-9 Reaper locks on to the transmitting device (implanted near their spinal chord by CIA surgeons at Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) slams into the house they are in when they head over to Pakistan to meet up with their buddies.
...
Remember, they ARE dealing with the U.S. Government that you fear so much.

Totally was thinking this earlier. This administration is ruthless and that goes for those who serve it as well.

OR

The five released Taliban members will be shunned and quite possibly executed by their former peers due to suspicions such as the above.

callen said:

Cosmo,
So we've swapped in past but is it good policy?

As you will give dude some slack for being in shitty situation and can understand if he did flip out. What normal person just leaves semi secure confines and goes towards the enemy. Unarmed WO food?

All:
So does it matter if he was classified as POV or captured by terrorist organization?

...
I'm not saying the policy is neither good nor bad. I am just pointing out the fact that it IS our policy and we have been doing this for decades.
I am also saying that I do not know many of the facts, other than what is being posted on Facebook. I am going to reserve my opinion until I have heard more factual data... regarding his desertion or capture. Basically, what will be disclosed to our courts system. Because, that will be all I have. I was not there, so I don't know the facts... and i have not spoken to any of the other soldiers.
...
Finally, we have to remember who we are dealing with on our side of this deal. We are talking about the CIA and the massive machinery of our Intelligence community and all of their black project resources. I'm pretty sure they didn't release them like the way some people release unwanted puppies into the wilderness. More like, they attach a location device in the same manner oceanographers tag Great White when they capture/release them.
You have to remember who is acting in 'our interests'... the CIA.

callen said:

Forgot comma after "As you," Funny how I also thought of tracking devise. Non metallic non XRayable device injected into arm.

...
RFID technology has advanced pretty far. You know how those smart cards, like my work ID Badge, has a paper thin chip that provides the location of my badge in and around all of our worldwide facilities? And we've had these badges with this technology since 2004. Our chip broadcasts out non-private data, such as my name and employee id number, department number and company and/or DoD security clearance information.
To track a prisoner, all you need to do is implant a silica based RFID under the skin... or the more powerful ones deeper into the soft tissue. Around the spine is a good place because you will need a highly skilled surgeon to remove it without killing or serverly paralysing the carrier. But, in most cases, the carrier is unaware he is transmitting the radio frequencies that will identify who he is and where he is, any time, any where.
...
And the thing is.... we only know of certain types of RFIDs. Back in 2009, researchers were able to glue RFID devices to live ants to study and track their movements and behaviour.
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bristol/somerset/8011998.stm )
And those are the 5 year old RFID technologies that have reached the light of day. Who knows what technologies exists in the realm of the black projects buried deep in the machinery of our defense systems that are protected from our knowledge by 'National Security' concerns?
...
Again... if you consider the machine that is part of this process, you understand that although these prisoners have been released... they are probably being tracked to lead us to greater, high value targets. The CIA is cunning and ruthless. Something I thought all Americans understood.

primussucks said:

I understand this thought process but then why limit these 5 terrorists to staying in Qatar for a year? Why not let them go wherever they want so that they lead us to their camps and hideouts ASAP? Also do we know if we have done that before with others that have been released from gitmo?

...
I don't know. Think like someone in the CIA would think.
The CIA Agents in Guantanamo know the most about these guys. Maybe they worked up psychological profiles on them and understand what their mindsets are. Maybe they needed to really sell this transaction to them... to make them truely believe they would be outside the reach of the CIA. Maybe part of this snow job is to convince them that a negotiation has been made and there were strict terms (selling points) bound to the agreement. Maybe some of the suspected Al Qaeda members are hiding in Qatar or Saudi Arabia or Bahrain. Maybe it is to allow time for CIA operatives to study them. I really don't know.
All i really know is that the CIA is something I do not want to fuck with because they can royally fuck me up. These prisoners are in the cross hairs of a very dangerous machine. That machine is not going to let them wander the world at will. You can be assured that they will be watched. There are still a lot of Al Qaeda members who are in deep hiding. Al Qaeda members that are of greater value than the ones they cut loose. Let them return home... in time... and show us where they are hiding, rather than turning over every stone in thhe desert.

has the military tried him for desertion OR UA (unauthorizd absence) or being AWOL? No? then hes a POW. Correct me if I am wrong, but we are/were at war, a duly congressionally authorized war , were we not?
Also the Tailban are defending themselves in their own country from an invading/occupying force. Not sure how that qualifies that group as being classified as terrorist. An analogy to Israel and the Palestinians could rightly be made here.

mickeyrat said:

has the military tried him for desertion OR UA (unauthorizd absence) or being AWOL? No? then hes a POW.

Also the Tailban are defending themselves in their own country from an invading/occupying force. Not sure how that qualifies that group as being classified as terrorist. An analogy to Israel and the Palestinians could rightly be made here.

The Taliban are not in their "own country". They are a Pakistani Islamic group that invaded Afghanistan in 1996 and ruled until 2001.

... *unless it is politically inconvenient* ...

Ironic that most of the people that fly this banner are displeased with the release of Bowe.

JimmyV said:

Not sure yet how I feel about this guy. When John Kerry was "swift boated" it was obvious what was happening. This doesn't have that same feel. It does seem like they gave up a lot to get back one guy who at best seems to be responsible for his own capture and who at worst seems to be a deserter. At the same time I don't want to see anyone who serves left behind. Conflicted feelings here.

I am not sure how I feel about this story either. I mean it is good that a captured soldier is coming home, but making deals like this seems like it might be a bad idea. And how did they decide that a 5 for 1 trade was fair. And what happens when the guys who capture the next soldier ask for someone of high value back in exchange. I mean the US is still holding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed right?