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Obama's Foreign Policy Sell-out

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  • Obama's Foreign Policy Sell-out

    Obama has negotiated with terrorists, possibly breaking US Law that prohibits such action without 30 day prior notice to Congress.

    He has traded "The Gitmo Five" for the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

    Source: WeeklyStandard

    There are good reasons why the Taliban has long wanted the five freed from Gitmo. All five are among the Taliban’s top commanders in U.S. custody and are still revered in jihadist circles.

    Two of the five have been wanted by the UN for war crimes. And because of their prowess, Joint Task Force-Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO) deemed all five of them “high” risks to the U.S. and its allies.

    The Obama administration wants to convince the Taliban to abandon its longstanding alliance with al Qaeda. But these men contributed to the formation of that relationship in the first place. All five had close ties to al Qaeda well before the 9/11 attacks. Therefore, it is difficult to see how their freedom would help the Obama administration achieve one of its principal goals for the hoped-for talks.

    © Copyright Original Source



    What makes this even more interesting is Bergdahl's own story:

    Source: Telegraph

    He deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 full of idealistic conviction that he and his comrades could push back the Taliban and improve life in the long-subjugated country.

    But hopefulness soon gave way to despair after his unit began to take casualties and he saw how US troops treated the Afghans they were supposed to be saving.

    "These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid," he wrote in an email to his parents on June 27, 2009.

    Three days later, according to Rolling Stone, the 23-year-old soldier simply walked off his base in Patika province, carrying a knife, his diary and a small camera.

    He was captured almost immediately and - despite a frantic search by US troops, drones and helicopters - smuggled into Pakistan by Taliban fighters.

    A Pakistani militant commander told AFP that Sgt Bergdahl engaged with his captors, teaching them how to play badminton and inviting them to celebrate Easter and Christmas with them.

    He also reportedly grew fond of kawa, an Afghan green tea, helped with the cooking and became fluent in the Afghan languages of Pashto and Dari.

    © Copyright Original Source



    The Taliban now knows that the US will not only negotiate with terrorists, but that they can gain the release of their Gitmo prisoners by capturing and bargaining with US captives.

    But HAVE NO FEAR, for none other than SUSAN RICE assures us that all is well:

    Source: New York Post


    National Security Adviser Susan Rice told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that Qatar provided “a series of very specific assurances” that the detainees would be closely monitored.

    Rice said President Obama participated in the negotiations.

    “President Obama spoke to the emir of Qatar on Tuesday, when this looked like it was a real possibility,” Rice said.

    © Copyright Original Source

    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    And now the deserter from a war zone will get a hero's welcome. Yay.
    Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

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    • #3
      Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
      And now the deserter from a war zone will get a hero's welcome. Yay.
      I'm a little hesitant to call him a deserter, but it's sure looking like that.
      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

      Comment


      • #4
        According to this, the concept of negotiation with terrorists is not actually all that novel, though the release of terrorists is. Politifact gives several examples, including Thomas Jefferson and the Barbary Pirates, Iran-Contra, and George W. Bush negotiating with Iran/North Korea.

        http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...-make-deals-t/
        "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
          According to this, the concept of negotiation with terrorists is not actually all that novel, though the release of terrorists is.
          But that's the whole point.. and the State Department has always danced around "negotiating" as for example, nothing wrong with giving a terrorist a drink of water in exchange for info, or those kinds of tradeoffs.... or even the exchange of spies we've had with other governments... (like kind)

          But, yeah, FREEING TERRORISTS of this sort is chilling. ONE (alleged) deserter for FIVE TOP ENEMY combatants?
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
            But that's the whole point.. and the State Department has always danced around "negotiating" as for example, nothing wrong with giving a terrorist a drink of water in exchange for info, or those kinds of tradeoffs.... or even the exchange of spies we've had with other governments... (like kind)

            But, yeah, FREEING TERRORISTS of this sort is chilling. ONE (alleged) deserter for FIVE TOP ENEMY combatants?
            I heard that they released them to Qatar. Are they just going to let them go there or are they going to prison there?
            "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
              I heard that they released them to Qatar. Are they just going to let them go there or are they going to prison there?
              They are going to be under the watchful eye of the Qatar government -- Obama supposedly negotiated that himself. I suspect they will be there a few weeks, then, GOSH GOLLY, they ESCAPED!!!!!
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                His fellow soldiers that were stationed with him think he was a deserter...

                http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/ber...erter-or-hero/
                Source: CNN


                "I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."
                ...

                Former Pfc. Jose Baggett, 27, of Chicago, was also in Blackfoot Company, and said he was close to two men "killed because of his (Bergdahl's) actions."

                "He walked off," Baggett told CNN. "He left his guard post. Nobody knows if he defected or he's a traitor or he was kidnapped. What I do know is he was there to protect us and instead he decided to defer from America and go and do his own thing. I don't know why he decided to do that, but we spend so much of our resources and some of those resources were soldiers' lives."

                © Copyright Original Source


                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                  His fellow soldiers that were stationed with him think he was a deserter...

                  http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/ber...erter-or-hero/
                  Source: CNN


                  "I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."
                  ...

                  Former Pfc. Jose Baggett, 27, of Chicago, was also in Blackfoot Company, and said he was close to two men "killed because of his (Bergdahl's) actions."

                  "He walked off," Baggett told CNN. "He left his guard post. Nobody knows if he defected or he's a traitor or he was kidnapped. What I do know is he was there to protect us and instead he decided to defer from America and go and do his own thing. I don't know why he decided to do that, but we spend so much of our resources and some of those resources were soldiers' lives."

                  © Copyright Original Source

                  Yeah, I've been finding similar stuff since that post.

                  All I can say is ...

                  WOW
                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                    His fellow soldiers that were stationed with him think he was a deserter...

                    http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/ber...erter-or-hero/
                    Source: CNN


                    "I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."
                    ...

                    Former Pfc. Jose Baggett, 27, of Chicago, was also in Blackfoot Company, and said he was close to two men "killed because of his (Bergdahl's) actions."

                    "He walked off," Baggett told CNN. "He left his guard post. Nobody knows if he defected or he's a traitor or he was kidnapped. What I do know is he was there to protect us and instead he decided to defer from America and go and do his own thing. I don't know why he decided to do that, but we spend so much of our resources and some of those resources were soldiers' lives."

                    © Copyright Original Source

                    When you factor in his last e-mail to his parents sent the day before his disappearance and capture the conclusion that he was a deserter is reasonable:

                    Source: Wikipedia: Bowe Bergdahl


                    "In the US army you are cut down for being honest... but if you are a conceited brown nosing [slang for excrement] bag you will be allowed to do what ever you want, and you will be handed your higher rank... The system is wrong. I am ashamed to be an american. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools...I am sorry for everything here. These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid, that they have no idea how to live. We don't even care when we hear each other talk about running their children down in the dirt streets with our armored trucks... We make fun of them in front of their faces, and laugh at them for not understanding we are insulting them...I am sorry for everything. The horror that is america is disgusting...There are a few more boxes coming to you guys. Feel free to open them, and use them."

                    Source

                    [*Term edited by rogue06*]

                    © Copyright Original Source


                    I'm always still in trouble again

                    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      OTOH, there appears to be some evidence that while he was disgruntled he wasn't AWOL or deserting

                      Source: Is Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a hero or a deserter?


                      A transcript of radio intercepts, publicly released through Wikileaks, indicates that Bergdahl, then 23, was captured while sitting in a makeshift latrine.

                      "We were attacking the post he was sitting," according to a radio intercept of a conversation among insurgents. "He had no gun with him. ... They have all (the) Americans, ANA (Afghan National Army), helicopters, the planes are looking for him. Can you guys make a video of him and announce it all over Afghanistan that we have one of the Americans?"


                      Source

                      © Copyright Original Source


                      I'm always still in trouble again

                      "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                      "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                      "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                        OTOH, there appears to be some evidence that while he was disgruntled he wasn't AWOL or deserting

                        Source: Is Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a hero or a deserter?


                        A transcript of radio intercepts, publicly released through Wikileaks, indicates that Bergdahl, then 23, was captured while sitting in a makeshift latrine.

                        "We were attacking the post he was sitting," according to a radio intercept of a conversation among insurgents. "He had no gun with him. ... They have all (the) Americans, ANA (Afghan National Army), helicopters, the planes are looking for him. Can you guys make a video of him and announce it all over Afghanistan that we have one of the Americans?"


                        Source

                        © Copyright Original Source

                        I don't see how that's "OTOH".... it doesn't go so much toward intent as it does circumstances.
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                          I don't see how that's "OTOH".... it doesn't go so much toward intent as it does circumstances.
                          Around the corner relieving himself isn't the same thing as down the street, leaving without permission.

                          I'm of the opinion that it's best to reserve judgment until we actually know what exactly happened. People get mad and say lots of things - doesn't mean they also walk off their post. Does mean they might - but not that they did.

                          Odd to me is that he didn't have a weapon with him - why leave it behind if you are deserting - or going for a break?
                          "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                          "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                            Around the corner relieving himself isn't the same thing as down the street, leaving without permission.
                            If that's what he was doing, yes, but his buddies sure didn't seem to think that was what he was doing.

                            I'm of the opinion that it's best to reserve judgment until we actually know what exactly happened. People get mad and say lots of things - doesn't mean they also walk off their post. Does mean they might - but not that they did.
                            Which is why I expressed my reservation.

                            Odd to me is that he didn't have a weapon with him - why leave it behind if you are deserting - or going for a break?
                            Yeah, but it doesn't sound like he was playing with all the cards in the box. For cryin out loud, he was from IDAHO!
                            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                              Yeah, but it doesn't sound like he was playing with all the cards in the box. For cryin out loud, he was from IDAHO!
                              I find your anti-Idaho bigotry offensive. I demand a retraction.

                              Also, I grew up in Idaho.
                              I DENOUNCE DONALD J. TRUMP AND ALL HIS IMMORAL ACTS.

                              Comment

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