(OT) Confirmed: Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders at Gitmo

[darksabre]

I can't imagine a PR win turning into a PR nightmare any faster than this one did. What a debacle.

 

Obama has had his share this term. I think I've soured on him very quickly. The whole FCC chairman thing just reeks of ineptitude.

[LastPommerFan]

Obama has had his share this term. I think I've soured on him very quickly. The whole FCC chairman thing just reeks of ineptitude.

 

The FCC thing isn't just a bad PR move, it's terrible policy and a down right awful appointment.

[shrader]

I know some were speculating about MAYBE one of the Al-Qaeda terrorist involved in the "trade" were a plant, or maybe some covert plan was involved that MAY help us down the road. My question is, If that is the case, then WHY THE HELL are the DEMS piling on criticism as well?

 

They can't just go and tell everyone what's going on if there is indeed something in action here. I think it's naive to think that one side can have an ulterior motive while the other cannot. Who knows what it is, but there is more in play here than what is being said. They didn't just wake up one day and say "what the hell, let those guys go".

[SarasotaSabre]

So I see the guy's father last week tweeted that there won't be justice til all the Guantanamo dudes are released.

 

Then the first words out of his mouth at the White House was about Allah being great and yada yada...and Obama was smiling?

 

Holy crapballs. I'm just catching up on this, but I pray for our military to stay sane. We just traded away 5 of the top guys for a deserter who lambasted the military, renounced his American citizenship, got a platoon killed, has his father clamoring for the release of all his brother Taliban prisoners, and then is hosted by the Commander in Chief at the White House where he is admired for his Islamic praise....AFTER...everything else. What are the odds Obama can recite a Hail Mary without a teleprompter.

 

What a sh!t day.

 

Great points you have added, what a craptastic day - and I think we can all agree that in no way does Bob Bergdahl's long robe offer homage to ZZ Top......far from it, I would surmise.

[darksabre]

 

 

The FCC thing isn't just a bad PR move, it's terrible policy and a down right awful appointment.

 

The one thing that I am certain about is that I will not be voting for a young candidate in the next Presidential election. The youth movement hasn't gone so well since the Clinton administration. I'll be looking for a more experienced candidate who has "seen some sh*t".

[Trettioåtta]

The one thing that I am certain about is that I will not be voting for a young candidate in the next Presidential election. The youth movement hasn't gone so well since the Clinton administration. I'll be looking for a more experienced candidate who has "seen some sh*t".

 

Isn't it likely the next two are Bush and Clinton anyway? (lol democracy - where the same three families alternate whose turn it is to be in charge)

[X. Benedict]

So is the issue that we traded for an American POW? Or that we traded for "this" POW?

Edited June 5, 2014 by X. Benedict

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

So is the issue that we traded for an American POW? Or that we traded for "this" POW?

2x5=10

[X. Benedict]

2x5=10

?

[dEnnis the Menace]

So is the issue that we traded for an American POW? Or that we traded for "this" POW?

 

"THIS" POW.

 

And what if Obama traded for him to stop the pinpoint attacks that he may be helping them carry out? just a devil's advocate idea that popped into my head reading thru some of these comments. I have no faith in the PR dept. of this administration.

[darksabre]

 

 

"THIS" POW.

 

And what if Obama traded for him to stop the pinpoint attacks that he may be helping them carry out? just a devil's advocate idea that popped into my head reading thru some of these comments. I have no faith in the PR dept. of this administration.

 

I believe the attacks people were referring to were the ones that he might have been tipping off before he was captured.

[MILFHUNTER#518]

I just hate the elevation of ideology over national interests. I don't care if you are a right wing extremist or a left wing extremist, extremists in general have no place doing 4 year stints on Pennsylvania Ave, and this is just one of many examples that demonstrate why...

[MattPie]

I just hate the elevation of ideology over national interests. I don't care if you are a right wing extremist or a left wing extremist, extremists in general have no place doing 4 year stints on Pennsylvania Ave, and this is just one of many examples that demonstrate why...

 

You know that only the far right considers Obama a left-wing extremist, right? No true left-wing extremist (or even basic left-wing) signs the Monsanto bill or allows the internet to become segregated by who can pay enough to the ISPs. Obama is far more moderate than Fox News gives him credit for. But it makes sense, if you're way over on either side anyone even remotely close to middle looks like the "enemy".

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

?

 

I'm saying both.....a trade of top terrorist leaders for a POW was a major concern and head scratcher....then the fact the guy is a traitor and the two go together to make this an exponential cluster-f.

[darksabre]

I'm saying both.....a trade of top terrorist leaders for a POW was a major concern and head scratcher....then the fact the guy is a traitor and the two go together to make this an exponential cluster-f.

 

Do I need to break out the jump to conclusions mat again?

[pastajoe]

Did anyone ask if POWs in other wars were deserters as a condition for getting their release? What if this guy has some mental problem or PTSD that caused him to walk away. Everyone's jumping to conclusions based on hearsay. Lets wait until he's been evaluated and interrogated, and see what conclusions are made.

 

And there's nothing that prevents the US from sending a drone strike to take out the 5 that were released whenever it's the right time.

[LastPommerFan]

Did anyone ask if POWs in other wars were deserters as a condition for getting their release? What if this guy has some mental problem or PTSD that caused him to walk away. Everyone's jumping to conclusions based on hearsay. Lets wait until he's been evaluated and interrogated, and see what conclusions are made.

 

And there's nothing that prevents the US from sending a drone strike to take out the 5 that were released whenever it's the right time.

 

I think this action would certainly endanger future POWs.

[X. Benedict]

 

 

I'm saying both.....a trade of top terrorist leaders for a POW was a major concern and head scratcher....then the fact the guy is a traitor and the two go together to make this an exponential cluster-f.

Thanks.

 

I thought this was an interesting piece on the strategic logic of the exchange.

http://thediplomat.com/2014/06/the-strategic-logic-of-the-us-taliban-prisoner-swap-deal/

[MILFHUNTER#518]

@ MattPie: I don't consider ANYBODY except foreign entities who are out for the destruction of the USA an "enemy". ALL Americans; Liberal, Libertarian, Conservative, etc. have a right for their voice to be heard. Just because we disagree on politics doesn't mean we cannot get along and have a beer. My father in law is a radical hard left extremist who is a friend and collegue of Jeremiah Wright, and has had lunch with Michelle Obama. I consider him a great man and a true friend.

 

Barack Obama was completely transparent during his 2008 campaign about his intentions, the people just didn't listen. He is the most far left president we have ever had. This explosion of domestic surveillance and the like are the result of Liberalism, big govt and the corruption that ensues as a result of said big govt....

Edited June 5, 2014 by MILFHUNTER#518

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

Do I need to break out the jump to conclusions mat again?

 

New reports coming in.....it pretty much is the Steve Ott scenario.

[Iron Crotch]

I did enough time in D.C. to know that there is usually more to the story than what is generically reported by the press (e.g. tracking devices on the Taliban prisoners).

[LastPommerFan]

New reports coming in.....it pretty much is the Steve Ott scenario.

 

If this is true, the Military screwed up huge.

 

They conducted a complete investigation in 2010 and concluded that he was disillusioned, but not an enemy collaborator. If there were all these witnesses and colleagues just ready to jump on cable news and call him a traitor, how the hell did the Army investigators not get that story 5 years ago?

[MILFHUNTER#518]

@Potato, I seriously hope you are right...

[MattPie]

@ MattPie: I don't consider ANYBODY except foreign entities who are out for the destruction of the USA an "enemy". ALL Americans; Liberal, Libertarian, Conservative, etc. have a right for their voice to be heard. Just because we disagree on politics doesn't mean we cannot get along and have a beer. My father in law is a radical hard left extremist who is a friend and collegue of Jeremiah Wright, and has had lunch with Michelle Obama. I consider him a great man and a true friend.

 

Barack Obama was completely transparent during his 2008 campaign about his intentions, the people just didn't listen. He is the most far left president we have ever had. This explosion of domestic surveillance and the like are the result of Liberalism, big govt and the corruption that ensues as a result of said big govt....

 

The explosion of domestic surveilance started with PRISM in 2007 (and ECHELON before that in the 80s), you can't exactly hang that on Obama. The only question is whether the program was ramped up in the last 6 years or the *reports* of it have been ramped up. The FISA court was a product of Post-9/11 paranoia too.

 

"Enemy" probably a bad term on my part, I was trying to think of something succinct to express "people who you disagree with and want to prevent the country moving towards their viewpoint".

 

If this is true, the Military screwed up huge.

 

They conducted a complete investigation in 2010 and concluded that he was disillusioned, but not an enemy collaborator. If there were all these witnesses and colleagues just ready to jump on cable news and call him a traitor, how the hell did the Army investigators not get that story 5 years ago?

 

Well, one of two things jump to mind: these people didn't want to say anything bad 5 years ago to smear his name (we know how some groups like to clam up when investigators come knocking), but for whatever reason aren't worried about it now. The second is the Army did hear this testimony and dismissed it as hearsay, opinion, or otherwise unreliable. Cable news isn't as picky as what it puts on.

[MILFHUNTER#518]

 

 

The explosion of domestic surveilance started with PRISM in 2007 (and ECHELON before that in the 80s), you can't exactly hang that on Obama. The only question is whether the program was ramped up in the last 6 years or the *reports* of it have been ramped up. The FISA court was a product of Post-9/11 paranoia too.

 

"Enemy" probably a bad term on my part, I was trying to think of something succinct to express "people who you disagree with and want to prevent the country moving towards their viewpoint".

 

 

 

Well, one of two things jump to mind: these people didn't want to say anything bad 5 years ago to smear his name (we know how some groups like to clam up when investigators come knocking), but for whatever reason aren't worried about it now. The second is the Army did hear this testimony and dismissed it as hearsay, opinion, or otherwise unreliable. Cable news isn't as picky as what it puts on.

First of all, the explosion of big government is the problem, and Bush is as much to blame as Obama is. Second, I trust those soldier's words 100% more than ANYTHING that comes out of the government. They ate with him, slept with him, went into harms way with him. The soldiers in his platoon and company know what the real deal is.

 

The bottom line is that Obama let loose 5 of the most dangerous terrorists known to man at the moment, and all of us are at greater risk now than we were before. Bergdahl is a sideshow, a legal issue and hopefully he is the one good thing that comes out of this mess (if he is convicted in a court of law the right way, with a fair trial that he is rightfully entitled to, and is shot by a firing squad, then that is the only good I can see.)