Bergdahl seeks pardon from Obama to avert desertion trial

Well now, who didn't see this coming?

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the former prisoner of war who's accused of endangering comrades by walking off his post in Afghanistan, is asking President Barack Obama to pardon him before leaving office.

White House and Justice Department officials on Saturday said Bergdahl had submitted copies of the clemency request seeking leniency. If granted by Obama, it would allow Bergdahl to avert a court-martial trial scheduled for April where he faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was held captive by the Taliban and its allies for five years. The Obama administration's decision in May 2014 to exchange him for five Taliban prisoners being held at the U.S prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, touched off a firestorm of criticism, with some Republicans accusing Obama of jeopardizing the safety of a nation for a deserter. Lawmakers expressed outrage that the Obama administration did not give Congress a 30-day notice about transferring the detainees to Qatar, as required by law.

Yahoo.com

Will Obama grant this pardon? In either case, what does this do to his legacy?

Pretty certain the 5 we traded for him are back to their old tricks.

Wait a second, what does this mean:

Bergdahl's disappearance and the possibility that he might face light punishment angered many in the military, given that his fellow soldiers took considerable risks to search for him.

Is this referring to his original desertion or is he now nowhere to be found? It's a tad unclear to me.


What says ATS?

Are you kidding me? How about 20years in Leavenworth

Stick the traitor against a wall and shoot him.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

What legacy?

and no it should not be granted.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

I did some hardcore research into bowe when all this was going down and i found some intresting things. Number one. All the men who "supposedly died" as a result of bowe actually died under different detail not realted to him at all. My conclusion is that bowe was a spook, Recruited to gather intel while acting like a pow, he was planted for a reason . Even people who served in his company believe thwir was more to it then what the msm had been feeding people.

if obama wants to have any thing good said about him and his legacy, he better tell bowe that he is going to rot in jail before he goes to hell.

a reply to: Kapusta

This is interesting. I've also heard the same thing said about Hillary's server set up; it was a state sanctioned op and she was never going to be prosecuted for anything surrounding it or it's use. It was deliberate disinfo and a way for them to move money/resources outside of government control or oversight.

Bergdahl did his little walkabout the same year Hillary was named SecState.

originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
if obama wants to have any thing good said about him and his legacy, he better tell bowe that he is going to rot in jail before he goes to hell.

Yeah because people wont draw a comparison to Obama letting Clinton off the hook for espionage. There is nothing good about his legacy. That is unless you view it from a country who hates the US then Obamas legacy is safe and secure and well liked.

Out of curiosity what has Obama done that is worth remembering him for?

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Simple he deserted his post in a combat zone. He mistakenly thought they would be sympathetic to him instead they held him prisoner. I say needs to stay in Leavenworth no pardon.

originally posted by: dragonridr
a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Simple he deserted his post in a combat zone. He mistakenly thought they would be sympathetic to him instead they held him prisoner. I say needs to stay in Leavenworth no pardon.

you forgot to mention the military personnel who were killed while searching for him.

Bergdahl is a dirty, nasty, scudger. Everyone who knows anything about this case knows this is probably one where we could make an easy exception on 'due process' and just lynch him. Wouldn't bother me to see his parents hanged along side of him ... they raised him after all.

The Don called it:

At Donald Trump rallies, crowds roar when the leading Republican presidential candidate calls Bergdahl a “dirty rotten traitor” who should be shot to death. To hoots and hollers, the taunting tycoon pretends to pull the trigger himself. Or he says Bergdahl should be flown back to Afghanistan and pushed out of a helicopter, sans parachute. On social media, a vast chorus of patriots and partisans agree: The longest-held American POW since Vietnam deserves no mercy. And the U.S. Army apparently agrees. Source

Here's a little discussion on the subject. I happen to disagree with O'Reilly and I'll tell you why.0bama's not going to pardon this traitor, because that would mean 0bama was wrong to ever let the Taliban Five walk free from Gitmo. Another 'factor' we should consider is that Bergdahl may be a sergeant now, but he's still a nobody as far as the Army is concerned. It's not like he's gonna get a pass like General Petraeus did. He's not gonna walk away unpunished as Hillary obviously will.

Bergdahl is gonna pay ... and 0bama is gonna let the white-boy swing. You watch. That he kept him from 'justice' for so long is the icing on the cake (letting the Taliban Five re-enter the world of terrorism).

Nope. Can't see a pardon from this angle.

ETA: Guess Trump doesn't either.

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical
This is interesting. I've also heard the same thing said about Hillary's server set up; it was a state sanctioned op and she was never going to be prosecuted for anything surrounding it or it's use. It was deliberate disinfo and a way for them to move money/resources outside of government control or oversight.

That's my theory on her server. I don't think Bergdal was a plant though, just some kid that got mixed up. I don't agree with a pardon however. His court martial should determine his fate.