* Human Events, yesterday:
Two days after President Obama broke the law to arrange an insanely reckless swap of five incredibly dangerous Taliban terrorists for captive American Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, virtually every aspect of the deal has blown up in Obama's face, and the whole thing has soured into another five-star scandal for an Administration riddled with them.... What the hell was he thinking? What did the White House think was going to happen here?Human Events, May 27, 2012:
On June 30, 26-year-old Idahoan Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will celebrate an important anniversary: his third year in captivity as an American prisoner of war.
... To advocacy organizations and to Bergdahl's parents, it seems that his people and his government have forgotten him.
...notably absent from the discussion has been any commitment from President Obama that the country will not leave its own behind....
... Lynn O'Shea, director of research for the National Alliance of POW/MIA families, asked why the previous release of detainees from an Afghan military prison, a clandestine practice that has been ongoing periodically over the past few years while Bergdahl was in captivity, according to news reports published this month, has not resulted in Bergdahl's freedom.
"POWs seem to rank on the negotiating side very low in priority," she said....
* Commentary yesterday:
Obama's Dishonorable DealCommentary, May 7, 2012:
Even I, a consistent and at times quite a harsh critic of President Obama, have been taken aback by the latest turn of events.
To recapitulate: Mr. Obama released five high-value, high-risk terrorists from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl....
... the effect of this deal will be to incentivize the capture of more Americans, since it obviously pays dividends....
Why Are We Releasing, Not Exchanging, Taliban Prisoners?
... On June 30, 2009, almost three years ago, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl of Idaho was kidnapped by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network. He is the only prisoner of war currently held by the Taliban and recent video releases seem to indicate that he is being kept alive for ransom by the group. A month after his capture the president issued a statement, explaining that he was "heartbroken" over Sgt. Bergdahl’s situation and vowed to bring him home. In three years, this seems to be the only public statement made by the President about Bergdahl.
In December, The Daily Beast was the only outlet to report on a heroic escape attempt by the sergeant. After working for over two years to gain the trust of his captors, Bergdahl jumped out of a first-story window, running into the wilderness....
This is the caliber of soldier that the United States and its military produces, the American that the president seems to have forgotten about for almost three years....
In 2008 it was Barack Obama's policy not to engage with terrorists under any circumstances.... In 2012, it has become clear it was the long-standing policy of the administration to release American-held terrorist prisoners while asking for nothing in exchange, not even an American POW.
* The blog Freedom Outpost, Monday:
Bowe Bergdahl's Father Declares Muslim Victory -- Obama Smiles as he Hears War Cry of AllahFreedom Outpost, October 22, 2013:
While the Obama administration is proudly touting how it was able to free an American soldier who was captured by the Taliban, what no one picked is the fact that Obama SMILED as soon as he heard the most famous war cry of Islam, "bismillah al-rahman al-rahim," Arabic for "in the name of Allah the most gracious, the most merciful." Watch Obama smile as soon as Bergdahl gives the most famous Muslim expression, the "Bismillah" or the "Basmallah" ...
So what did America gain from all this? Nothing, it was the Taliban who gained. Those released were top major terrorist leaders....
Obama leaves American POW Sgt. Bowe Robert Bergdahl to Rot in Afghanistan -- Provides Only Excuses
... Many in Congress including Senator John McCain oppose a prisoner exchange to bring Bowe Bergdahl home. Apparently, McCain feels a better deal can be struck with the Taliban. A deal that does not release dangerous terrorists out into the world community. Perhaps McCain forgets the deal he struck with his captors to secure his release.
... Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is our son, America. He deserves better than a politically correct quote form the Secretary of Defense. He sure as hell deserves more attention than President Obama and his press gave to Trayvon Martin.
Bring Sergeant Bergdahl home now.
* Doug Ross at Director Blue yesterday:
The 10 Most Stunning Revelations Surrounding the Bergdahl FiascoDoug Ross at Director Blue, May 7, 2012:
... 10. White House Overrode Internal Objections To Taliban Prisoner Release
... 1. Obama: 5 freed Taliban commanders could "absolutely" rejoin terror cells
Un-freaking-believable: American POW left to languish while Obama gives away Taliban prisoners
An American POW has has been held by a Taliban-affiliated terror group for almost three years. And he is never mentioned while Barack Obama releases high-level Taliban detainees from Gitmo....
Keep Sergeant Bergdahl in your prayers.
There are more like this out there, I'm sure.
*****
UPDATE: From Gawker: "Angry Conservatives Forgot Their Old Angry Tweets Supporting P.O.W.," Matt Binder's remarkable roundup of Bergdahl hypocrisy on Twitter.
They used to have principles, like political disagreements stop at the waters' edge, but it's just hate Obama 24/7 now. A frightened minority of old, aging, irrelevant white people seeing their dreams die.
ReplyDeleteAs Ten Bears says, no fear.
We continue to approach the moment when Obama says "People shouldn't stick hand grenades in their mouths and pull the pin" and these goat pokers shout "Oh yeah? Tmfk ths moba- BOOM!"
ReplyDeleteWhen we liberals had Bush Derangement Syndrome, we had PLENTY of REAL reasons to be mad as hell!
ReplyDeleteTerrorist attack!
Unnecessary wars and occupations, based of fictional evidence.
Torture.
Rendition.
Terry Schiavo.
Katrina.
Bye-bye to Habeas Corpus.
Disastrous tax cuts on the rich (during a time of "war), credit card/bankruptcy legislation.
Etc.
Until, finally, an economic collapse resulting in a near -or real - Depression.
Not so much with Obama Derangement Syndrome.
Not at all, as a matter of fact.
ODS is all based on fictional scandals, and projection for the faults and mistakes of Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II.
Victor has nailed it--we had real reasons to be outraged by the Bush/Cheney regime.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the fake outrage over nonsense and outright lies encourages the general public to tune everything out as more of the same. It leads us to become jaded as a society, which is their goal, along with energizing their base of nuts.
Jeeze, dude, everything is supposed to fall down the memory hole, OK? Why ya gotta go back and find stuff people actually said soooo long ago.
ReplyDeleteTV news doesn't bother any more. Only that a*$hat Jon Stewart seems to still have a VCR.
Matt Binder on Twitter has a timeline full of wingnuts who supported the government and Obama doing everything and anything to get Bergdahl back but are now harassing his family, calling him a traitor, etc.
ReplyDeleteThese are disgusting and evil people.
But I'm glad such august and quality wingnut outlets as Human Events and Commentary are getting in on the hypocrisy bandwagon.
ReplyDeleteMatt Binder on Twitter has a timeline full of wingnuts who supported the government and Obama doing everything and anything to get Bergdahl back but are now harassing his family, calling him a traitor, etc.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's great work. That's the Gawker link I added at the end of the post.
Two things:
ReplyDelete1. That was then, this is now.
2. It's all payback for Nixon, and then for Reagan, and then for Bush, and then for anything else that we can dream up. So there.
Once you go bats, you never go back.
What you're leaving out here is that Bergdahl is clearly, unmistakably GUILTY...
ReplyDelete...of being released under a Democratic President.