A U.S. soldier kidnapped by the Taliban is at the center of an escalating controversy about how he came to be captured - an event that could be a propaganda bonanza for the insurgents.I'm not the only one who caught the smell of aged mackerel, huh?
The Pentagon declined to comment on allegations that Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl left his post unarmed on June 30 before his capture in eastern Afghanistan.
Reports said he strolled off base in the company of three locals. He left his weapon behind. He said on the vid that he'd fallen behind while on patrol -- which simply doesn't happen -- and was snagged.
"All I can tell you is, the conditions surrounding his capture are under investigation," spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Wright told The Washington Times. "Its not wise at this point to reach conclusions prior to the investigation being completed."
I was just reading a story the other day on that dipwad who deserted his unit to North Korea in 1965 or thereabouts. Maybe this isn't another chapter of that story, but that means one of the sets of facts presented is 99 44/100 percent hooey.Military blogger Matthew Burden, who runs the BlackFive Web site, told The Times that the soldier "walked off [his base] with a water bottle and [a military ration pack] on some kind of he-man expedition." He said he received this information from a contact involved in the massive manhunt the military has launched and confirmed it with two other sources.
I used to hang around the O Club, too. Some of the stories I heard were true. Most of the ones with that extra twist of inside information weren't.
Fox News military analyst retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters sparked a firestorm of controversy last weekend when he called Pfc. Bergdahl a "deserter," adding that if that were the case, "the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills" by killing him.Even if the "he-man expedition" story's true, that still makes him a deserter. He wasn't ordered on a he-man expedition.
Outraged lawmakers of both parties wrote to Fox News demanding an apology for the comments.
They were shocked, y'see. Shocked!
The 23 House members, all U.S. military veterans, wrote that they watched the comments "with incredulity and disgust," adding that Mr. Peters view was "was repulsive and deserves to be repudiated by your news organization." The Republican signatories include Reps. Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter, both from California.
I kinda expected that reaction. I heard Peters' remarks and I thought they were on target. They're not complaining about the accuracy, but because somebody's feelings were hurt.
Mr. Peters told The Times Thursday that he regretted his remarks. "I unquestionably over-spoke in the heat of the moment," he said. "I hope Pfc. Bergdahl comes home safely for the sake of his family, and so he can face military judicial proceedings."
He'd better come up with a lot better story than he told on the vid. And get rid of the beard.
Mr. Peters added that he had been angered by what he called the news medias "lionization" of Pfc. Bergdahl. "Nothing will make me back down from my conviction that Pfc. Bergdahl does not deserve to be made a hero."
He's either a deserter or a dipshit, take your pick. Neither is a hero.
A Fox News spokeswoman, who asked that her name not be used, said the network had not received the letter.
"Until we actually receive an official communication, it ain't been communicated..."
Analysts say the controversy underlines the degree to which the soldiers fate is becoming a media spectacle, which could have profound implications for the way U.S.-led military operations are perceived in Afghanistan and around the world.
Actually, there hasn't been all that much foofaraw about it. Domestic politix overshadows all. But what is there appears deserved. I can't think of any other U.S. troops who've deserted in Afghanistan.
"Terrorism has always been theater," said former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss.
Except that we don't appear to be talking about terrorism, do we?
Pfc. Bergdahl appeared, earlier this week, in a video released by his Taliban captors, saying he was their guest and being well-treated. He said Americans were being misinformed by their leaders about the situation in Afghanistan and urged them to demand the withdrawal of the U.S. military.
That ain't gonna help his case except maybe with Ramsey Clark...
Mr. Voss, who now works for Insite, a New York-based security consulting firm, said the audience for the video was "people in the region and beyond trying to decide whose side theyre on" in the fighting between Taliban insurgents and the U.S.-led international coalition. "Already you are seeing people saying this guy is being better treated than [U.S.-held] detainees at Guantanamo Bay or Abu Ghraib ... If the U.S. government remains silent, those observations will stand."
Regardless of how he's actually being treated, I'll betcha they keep saying that right up until they chop the boy's head off. Then they'll drop the subject.
Mr. Voss said the video was "very well orchestrated ... they are feeding him, there is nothing threatening visible. They have put a lot of thought into this. Tthe Taliban propaganda effort was "increasingly sophisticated, they are learning."
"The Taliban do information operations better than anyone, certainly better than us," said Mr. Burden. Meanwhile, the U.S. "military is focused on one thing and that is getting him back."