Bowe Bergdahl, once missing U.S. soldier, charged with desertion

originally posted by: Stylez1
Smdh* I don't know what the administration was thinking swapping him out for not 1, but 5 terrorists! There were so many indications that this dude was bad news.

Its Obama.. He apparently rules with a magic 8ball coupled with L.S.D. and the chaos theory with a tad of fractal geometry thrown in.

The trade never should have occurred and if Obama broke the law he needs to be held accountable.

I think trading 5 known terrorists for one suspected deserter is a bad deal to begin with, failure to notify congress of the deal as required by law should be considered a high crime and misdemeanor and should have set up impeachment proceedings.

If soldiers searching for him were killed in the search either immediately after his disappearance or while following up on an intelligence lead about his location, that should be sufficient to warrant prosecutors to seek the death penalty. Military justice does not drag out the same way civilian trials do.

I really wonder how much political pressure is being put on the military prosecutors. There will be a court martial to determine guilt. Does anyone know how sentencing happens after conviction in UCMJ,Especially in capital cases like this? Will the prosecutor make a recommendation, will it be decided by the jury or by the judge?

If convicted and sentenced to death or life in prison will Obama pardon or commute the sentence on his way out?

He perfectly represents our traitor in chiefs tenure.

originally posted by: jefwane
I think trading 5 known terrorists for one suspected deserter is a bad deal to begin with, failure to notify congress of the deal as required by law should be considered a high crime and misdemeanor and should have set up impeachment proceedings.

If soldiers searching for him were killed in the search either immediately after his disappearance or while following up on an intelligence lead about his location, that should be sufficient to warrant prosecutors to seek the death penalty. Military justice does not drag out the same way civilian trials do.

I really wonder how much political pressure is being put on the military prosecutors. There will be a court martial to determine guilt. Does anyone know how sentencing happens after conviction in UCMJ,Especially in capital cases like this? Will the prosecutor make a recommendation, will it be decided by the jury or by the judge?

If convicted and sentenced to death or life in prison will Obama pardon or commute the sentence on his way out?

They are convening an Article 32. That's the military equivalent of a civilian grand jury. That will determine if they feel they have enough to go on to do a court martial. There are different degrees of court martials. From what the Army General said on CNN, it's looking like it will be a General Court Martial. That is reserved for capital cases, grevious charges. Desertion is a serious charge. He could get life in prison or even the death penalty for that one alone.

I'm a 20 year Navy veteran and had to have some knowledge of legal things in the rating I was in.

As for whether Bergdahl is guilty or not, I will reserve judgement until after all is said and done. If he is found guilty, I feel he should spend the rest of his life in Leavenworth doing hard labor. I'm against the death penalty by principle.

He's been charged... doesn't mean he's guilty. The burden of proof rests in the prosecution's hands.

originally posted by: beezzer
For what it's worth? Bergdahl did or didn't desert.

UCMJ will figure that out.

But Bergdahl didn't release 5 taliban folks.

Obama did.

Now are we to "assume" that Obama didn't have a clue when he did the swap?

If so, I have some land in Atlantis I'd love to sell you. . . . .

I would like to buy some of that land in Atlantis right now Beez....

Anyhow....

He deserves, at the very least, to have his day in court (in this case a court martial) and be allowed to defend himself as anyone else does. That's about all he deserves.

I don't see this as someone "just having enough" and walking away, I see this as a guy who potentially gave military secrets to our enemies and walked away from it to be allowed home, while most people caught by these organizations (if you can call them that) are beaten, tortured, and even killed, how was he still alive to make the trade?

Something is missing from the narrative...

originally posted by: WP4YT
He's been charged... doesn't mean he's guilty. The burden of proof rests in the prosecution's hands.

He left a f**king letter saying he was leaving at his base when he left. He denounced the US in the letter and stated he was going to the enemy.

But yeah....he's probably not guilty....burden of proof and all.....

Thje guy somehow didnt manage being there. Its no fun.

You dont know why he went where. He is one of yours, he just didnt manage all the killintg. Is he a traitor? I dont know

He decided to take the risk of dying, there is NO proof of him helping the Taliban!
The man deserves a fair trial at least. He might be a coward or a hero. Do you know?

Keep your murdering wishes away. You talk a lot about MCJ, he was giving the risk of losing his life, even if it ends with him being a traitor, wait ! We are not to decide. Thank god.

What do we know abot what happened? You hate the Obamazombie, why would he trade him like this? Maybe there are things we don*t know.


edit : he deserves a fair trial

originally posted by: Bingzhu
Thje guy somehow didnt manage being there. Its no fun.

You dont know why he went where. He is one of yours, he just didnt manage all the killintg. Is he a traitor? I dont know

He decided to take the risk of dying, there is NO proof of hjim helping the Taliban!

Keep your murdering wishes away. You talok a lot abo9ut MCJ, he was giving the risk o9f his li8fe, even if 9it ends with him being a tra8itor, wait for it!

The man deservses it

edit : he deserves a fair trial

The press all stated at the time:

"Sometime after midnight on June 30, 2009, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl left behind a note in his tent saying he had become disillusioned with the Army, did not support the American mission in Afghanistan and was leaving to start a new life."

So....he was going to start a pool company in a war zone?

He left a note he was deserting people...left a freaking note!!!!!!

But yeah....he's all good and we should give him the benefit of doubt.

Sick of the sympathizers here.....

a reply to: Vasa Croe

sry i did an edit

originally posted by: Ironhawke
a reply to: ketsuko

Fun fact : I can admit I was the man on the Grassy Knoll, that I faked the moon landing and that I am the Walrus all day long, but until a court of law proves beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury of my peers, all it really means is I am making claims. That's why a trial or court martial is so very very important. He could be making this claim to garner sympathy, cover for another, or receive "punishment" for self-perceived wrongs. That's why I'm bending to benefit of the doubt. Let's let it play out...I'm almost positive there';s going to be a surprise or two.

So you get arrested for killing someone and you plead guilty, is there still a trial of your peers or is it a hearing/sentencing?

Two points:

1. Desertion in a time of war can be the death penalty
2. Soldiers were killed looking for him and shortly after....

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Do you really think he wanted to join the Taliban when he obviously broke down?

I doubt it

This man was POW for 5 fing years, u have to welcome him back no matter what happend.

Srsly.

edit 2 : you all are talking so much about being a soldier, stand by one of yours who just broke down on the pressure. Do you rly believe he wanted to deflect? lol

a reply to: Kryties

i haven't read all the pages yet but i wanted to reply with my thoughts on what you said here.

He was in the Army. If he wanted to have thoughts of his own then he should have taken the dishonorable discharge or came up with a BS medical discharge and left the right way.

he got men killed with his free thinking. I'm all for free thought and ideas but when you PERSONAL ideology gets other men killed, I'm not okay with that.

and unless this is some crazy secret operation to try and get a informant in there organization then i think he should he shot like the trader/murder he is.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

He still needs to stand a trial. That's the way it works. No ifs, ands, or buts. Much as we may hate it, that's the way it is, and should be.

Little things like that is what, supposedly, separates us from savages like the taliban and ISIS. Isn't it?

Fair trial. Fair conviction. Then rot forever in Leavenworth, or where ever they send convicted deserters.

isn't the penalty for desertion death? Hasn't it always been death in every nation ever to exist?

originally posted by: Bingzhu
This man was POW for 5 fing years, u have to welcome him back no matter what happend.

No he wasn't a POW. He searched them out and willingly went into their arms. A POW doesn't do that. He was there by choice.

a reply to: STTesc

Only in time of war

This is not a declared war

Semantics I know, but it is what it is

a reply to: semperfortis

Don't think that matters so much, as it will be up to the judge advocate to determine whether the desertion happened "to avoid hazardous duty."

Either way, the odds of capital punishment being handed down are tiny. I don't think anybody has been sentenced to death for desertion since '46 or something.

originally posted by: WP4YT
He's been charged... doesn't mean he's guilty. The burden of proof rests in the prosecution's hands.

He willfully deserted, left a note saying so. He didn't desert to go live with the general population, and seek a new life. He actively sought out the Taliban. They have radio interceptions of an American looking to find the Taliban at the exact time of his desertion. He was found to be in Taliban "custody".

Traitor. Case Closed. IMO.

But yes, a trial has to happen. A mere formality at this point. He will be found guilty, there is more than enough evidence.

But it's all irrelevant. Because the real traitors are the ones who approved this disastrous prisoner swap. If they felt they had to get him back , then they should have hunted him down, went in with guns blazing and TOOK him.

People died looking for him. Personally I think that when a person deserts the military, and leaves a note saying they willfully did it. The military should not waste one single bit of equipment or personnel to go after him. Write him off the books for now. You'll get him later, they always contact family, and end up trying to come back to the good ol U.S.of A.

a reply to: Shamrock6

I don't think anybody has been sentenced to death for desertion since '46 or something.

close it was 1945, the mans name was Eddie Slovik he is the only one that has been executed since the civil war. this was a bum deal and he was killed as a example to other deserters.

Eddie Slovik