When Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was traded for five senior Taliban leaders last spring, many were surprised as there were reports that Bergdahl had deserted his unit and possibly even switched sides and helped the Taliban. According to Fox contributor Lt. Col. (Ret) Tony Schaffer on Monday’s “O’Reilly Factor,” the army finished its report back in October and wants to charge Bergdahl with desertion. However the Obama administration is fighting back because it believes such a turn of events will be perceived as another Obama failure.
As you may remember, at the time the Bergdahl was released, President Obama made an emotional Rose Garden announcement flanked by Bergdahl’s parents. No reference at all was made to the stories of desertion and possible treason. So when news of Bergdahl’s inglorious service began to leak out, administration scapegoat Susan Rice was once again called on to lie:
He is going to be safely reunited with his family. He served the United States with honor and distinction. And we’ll have the opportunity eventually to learn what has transpired in the past years, but what’s most important now is his health and well being, that he have the opportunity to recover in peace and security and be reunited with his family. Which is why this is such a joyous day. [Emphasis added]
On Monday’s “O’Reilly Factor,” Shaffer, who now works for the London Center for Policy Research, said two separate military sources have confirmed that Bergdahl’s attorney has been given a “charge sheet,” listing the articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that have been violated. “The army has come to its conclusion and Bowe Bergdahl will be charged with desertion,” the Colonel announced. He added that the White House is trying to keep the news quiet:
This is shaping up to be titanic struggle behind the scenes. The Army here wants to do the right thing. Factually, there is no way they cannot do the right thing regarding Bergdahl, and the White House because of the political narrative, President Obama cozying up to the parents and because the President Obama releases five Taliban — by the way those five Taliban were never briefed to senior leadership to the Pentagon before it happened. The narrative is White House does not want to have of course they don’t want it look, the White House can’t tell the Army not to charge him with desertion.
The White House can’t stop the Army but it can delay the proceedings. As an added irony, the administration official delaying the release of the Bergdahl charges is Ben Rhodes, the man who famously called Benjamin Netanyahu “chickensh*t.”
Not charging Bergdahl would be an act of disrespect to those who serve with honor and distinction, including members of the unit he abandoned. But in this administration the respect of our military heroes come way after the President’s political needs.
A video of the O’Reilly segment follows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFBAa6lw0po
Cross-posted at The Lid
