Bowe R. Bergdahl is a U.S. soldier captured in southeastern Afghanistan by the Taliban. He has been missing since June 30, 2009. He is a member of 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Today, the Taliban released a video showing Bowe R. Bergdahl as their hostage. In the video, Bergdahl states that the date is July 14.
The Taliban has Bergdahl state on camera that there is a way for America to secure his release, and ensure that all U.S. troops are safe: To withdraw from Afghanistan. The message is almost directly addressed at Obama, who campaigned with the full support of the peace movement, and who the nation viewed as the peace candidate.
I have a question for the peace movement now. Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing that caused you to take the streets against George W. Bush? Weren’t you holding up signs that said “End This War Now”? Should those signs have included a disclaimer “Unless You Mean An Endless War in Afghanistan, Which Is Just Fine.”
At last check, the war was still going on in Afghanistan, and won’t end anytime soon. In fact, Obama has expanded this war under his administration, and stated that it will not end in his first four years. U.S. troop deaths have increased dramatically this month. The war in Iraq is still going on, with violence escalating in the past few weeks. We have withdrawn from urban areas, but this has only served to make the insurgents bolder so far, with almost daily bombings.
So……all of this is okay, so long as the President is a Democrat that you like?
Hypocrites. Either protest Obama, or admit that you have no real ideology.
July 19th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Obama was *very* clear that if a war was justified, it was in Afghanistan where Osama is.
You, my friend, are a f*cking idiot.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Ah see war is always justified when a liberal conducts it. Anyone else would be a murderer.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Last I checked the peace movement on the left (which I am not a part of) was pretty pissed at Obama, so basically: you posted a poorly written opinion which wasted everyone’s time and (somehow) ended up on my google alerts?
Shame on you.
Also, why is everything a political issue? A US Soldier is captured and all you can think of doing is using it to score cheap political points?
Again…shame on you.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
jd (first poster), Really? And when did Obama say that the war in Afghanistan would be expanded? And that we’d be making incursions into Pakistan? And that the war in Iraq would go on pretty much the same as Bush would’ve conducted it?
Matt, you are just jealous that you could never end up on google alerts. It takes actual talent, education, and relevance to write a post that someone may actually want to read. Case in point: you actually read my post. I assure you, I’ve never read anything you’ve written fully. Not even the second half of your post. Really, parentheticals are just a sign of a lesser mind who can’t write clearly. But what can one expect from a liberal New England peacenik.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
What moronic drivel, Pugnacious!
July 19th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
for the record, more usa soldiers have been killed in afghanistan this year than iraq
this year is also by far the deadliest in the afghanistan war, it is not even close.
July 19th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Agreed, not a good writer at all. You’re not telling me anything I don’t know.
As evidenced by the one sentence paragraphs.
But seriously, it doesn’t take any of those things to end up on google alerts.
I’m a moderate actually, it’s people like you who jump as far to the right as possible and try their best to drown out the voices of reason that make me sick. That is why I came to your site.
I could apply the same concept your post uses to you. So you supported the war in Afghanistan when your guy was president…but now that a Democrat is president you are against it? See what I’m doing? I’m jumping to conclusions about your views, kind of like you did when you generalized everyone who voted for President Obama as a peace loving hippie.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
“So you supported the war in Afghanistan when your guy was president…but now that a Democrat is president you are against it?”
well, that could be very rational, given that obama and co. are not exactly what i would call “military friendly”. there is no sense to support a war if you think the president has not the will or ability to win it.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Explain why you think the administration isn’t military friendly?
Then, do me a favor and define what you think military friendly means. To me military friendly does not mean sending our troops into a war without the proper equipment, armor, and supplies. While also neglecting to provide them with a clear mission, if you ask me that is being abusive of our military.
You can’t just assume because people don’t want to jump into every war that they aren’t military friendly. I know you are a hardcore right winger, but will you at least give credit to Kennedy for not jumping into war during the Cuban Missile Crisis? During that time, people just like yourself hounded his administration every step of the way.
There are many times that war is completely unavoidable and necessary. But wanting to explore every possible alternative before going to war is not “weak” or “military unfriendly”…it’s just rational.
I am a moderate who allies himself with the Democratic Party because at least at this point in time, they seem to be the only ones that realize every issue is nuanced as opposed to black and white. If the Republican party goes back to their moderate ways and the Democrats overreach and fall far to the left…then I will ally myself with the Republicans. It’s called being a rational person as opposed to a party hack.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
“kind of like you did when you generalized everyone who voted for President Obama as a peace loving hippie.”
Yeah, they turned out to be a bunch of viscious a$$wipes instead. (most of em)
Obamas approach to Afghanistan has some problems with it that lay in the way he deals with the “enemy combatents” and how hes apologized to the middle east as a whole for us simply defending ourselves against an honest to God real existential threat.
Sure, he sent some troops into Afghanistan, Europe told hin “no way, were not helping anymore” But he seems to give the impression that its something he’d rather not be doing.
I mean really , after everything Ahmajinedad just did hes still worried about being able to negotiate with him over nukes ?
Go figure.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Good point lisab - the issue is that our military should never be sent into a conflict without the intention and willingness to do everything necessary to win it. Our Men at Arms are not pawns to be used for anyone’s political benefit.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
“To me military friendly does not mean sending our troops into a war without the proper equipment, armor, and supplies. While also neglecting to provide them with a clear mission, if you ask me that is being abusive of our military.”
This is a bullsh*t flier the left has been passing out for sometime.
Our mil.itary always has the most advanced equipment there is. But like cell phones and other tech stuff theres always a newer better model on the market the next day. Same with their vest, tanks weapons etc. We cant just keep upgrading everytime some guy makes a new mouse trap. It becomes very cost ineffective.
No one ever “DIDNT” have a vest or any of that crap, so drop it.
“But wanting to explore every possible alternative before going to war is not “weak” or “military unfriendly”…it’s just rational. ”
More bullsh*t.
Gee, how long do you wait after a terrorist and a state sponsor of terrorism that has threatend you and your allys with anihalation who is also funding Kud forces and revolutionary guards to kill Americans ?
Kim is pointing potential nukes at my state and saying he going to launch them on the 4th of july after decades of crap coming to us from his country, sending material to Syria, selling material to Iran (see above).
What does Obama do ?
He tells Israel to go f*ck themselves and gives 900 million to Hamas.
He tells the people of Iran “too bad” and still wants to talk nukes with a lunatic.
Oh, and if there was ever an unfriendly action towards our military from Obama it was a month or two ago where he was suggesting the idea of charging our troops to pay for their own injuries out of their own insurance.
Hows that for “military unfriendly”???
July 19th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
[...] His name, unit and the video have been released to the public. More Political [...]
July 19th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
imagine this:: what if GeoBushjr had put US troops on the backside of toro boro and we caught bin laden and his troops right then and there. Instead of farming it out to duplicitous warlords who betrayed us. Would we even still be in Afghanistan?????
July 19th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
What is wrong with all of you defending Obama. You are more concerned with you man in office than you are about what this young man is going through and the fate he could be facing. Not to mention all the other American soldiers in harms way without a commander in chief who has a clue what he’s doing.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Bin Laden isn’t the issue, Brian. That’s something the ‘anti-war only if its a Republican President’ left has never understood.
The enemy is an ideology - NOT a particular country.
In the case of Iraq- we picked the battlefield, knowing that they would come to where ever we were. Iraq is a much more manageable from a logistical and a geology standpoint. Now that we are in Afghanistan, the enemy goes there. It is NOT an easily manageable situation (ask the Russians).
If only our Commander in Chief had ever studied the Art of War or history for that matter. But then again, this is all about his own political gain and a shout out to the far left ‘anti-war’ ppl. He can say he’s going where bin Laden is.
Bin Laden is one in a series of leaders of these fundamentalist islamic groups. Kill bin Laden and there will be another and another and another. Its about a clash of cultures - NOT a particular country.
Is that such a difficult concept to grasp?
July 19th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
The threat to us in the Middle East is a radical faction who misrepresent the Quaran. To say that the entire Middle East is a threat to us and Obama is weak for wanting to appeal to the majority of Middle Easterners who don’t ally themselves with Bin Laden and Al Qaeda is again, oversimplifying the issues.
Proving yet again why, at least right now, I am a Democrat. The world is far from black and white and there is no winning a “War on Terror”. It is always going to be a constant struggle. If you wipe out one group of people who hate us, another will pop up…it’s the price you pay for being a superpower. So instead of pretending there are easy solutions, we should start looking at these problems in a realistic and nuanced way.
And in case you haven’t noticed, that’s exactly what this President is doing.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
obama isn’t perfect, but he is trying seriously to do the nations business without going down rabbit holes like geobushjr. In fact I really feel the last administration seriously damaged our country and our opportunities and made many bad judgements and tactical and strategic mistakes. He was even souring the US russian relationsiph before he left in the most mindless manner. So comparatively to have a new president trying to do some of the “business” we need to do is a nice change. There are no perfect solutions, but I don’t think obama is that far off on enough of the things its not bad. Issues like the green czar are laughable and a waste apparently so he’s not perfect. Ssriously look what is happening in both iraq and afghanistan right now, it looks very ominous and he inherited them from bushgeojr. A lot is at stake too. Bushjr got us mired in deep doo doo. His dad had a lot more common sense.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Beth now your being both ego-mean and in error. If we had gotten bin laden enough of our revenge blood lust would have been satisfied that we probably would have not invaded Iraq. And we might have prevented the taleban from securing a base in pakistan if we got the leadership. Dicey yes, but more likely that would have been the outcome. The classic strategic errors geobush made were his, he wasn’t even a true republican and republican’s know it. They just merged their regiemes in for convienence really. So when I talk about the bushyjr’s people, I am not even referring to the traditional republican party. They are outliers. And they led us down some bad rabbit holes. Thats a fact. Not an opinion. The wars are still going on unabated to the tune of the enemy.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
So, instead of upgrading our soldier’s equipment all the time…we should send them into battle with no body armor and humvees that can be easily shot up with small arms fire because they aren’t properly fortified? Because that is what we did in Iraq.
Another question: so are we ignoring history and pretending that Iraq was a state sponsor of terrorism? Haven’t we already been through this…I know your oversimplified thought process has trouble with fact…but Iraq was not a state sponsor of terrorism and they didn’t have chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons. Now, these things said, I do believe that President Bush had the best intentions in mind when he pushed the invasion. I believe he had some evil, oil driven plans for Iraq. I just think he saw them as a danger, didn’t allow enough REAL intelligence gathering to occur and rushed into war.
Beth Shaw, do you really believe that President Bush chose to invade Iraq and ruin uncounted lives because they knew the Al Qaeda would come and fight them there? I hate name calling, but are you living on the same planet as the rest of us?
July 19th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I hope at the very least, you’re one of those super hot Republican women that show up on Hannity every night. That way you’d at least have something going for you.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I’m glad we have an interesting discussion on the war here. It is really strange to me that the “Change” candidate is following exactly the same course as the GOP would have, and no one is calling him out on it. See McCain’s war plan in his campaign. It’s almost a mirror of what Obama is actually doing.
My point in this post was to showcase the hypocrisy of the anti-war movement. I assure you with 100% certainty that if McCain had taken the EXACT same actions as Obama, he’d be villified as a war criminal. But Obama gets a free pass because peaceniks find him so darn likeable.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
and correction, I meant to type: “I DO NOT believe he had some evil, oil driven plans for Iraq”
maybe without the caps, but you get the idea.
Ok, now that I’ve gotten my name calling out of the way, I suggest those of you arguing opposite me do the same, it’s not helping. We all love this country and all have different ideas of how it should be run, unlike you all, I don’t believe any one party is right and the other is wrong.
But seriously, those of you on the right are showing your true colors, just like the Republican Party…everyone who disagrees with you must be some pot smoking, latte drinking liberal. I love it because you are completely shutting the moderates out of your party and we are running into the open arms of the Democratic Party…if you keep it up the midterms won’t even be the least bit interesting.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Ignatius,
I don’t disagree with you that the far left sucks. I think they are just as ridiculous as the far right.
With the exception of Afghanistan (which this is an obvious choice, what other option does the administration really have?), Obama has shown a nuance in his foreign policy that will drive anyone who oversimplifies the world to “us and them” crazy.
I bet you were giddy as hell jumping before your posted your “hypocrisy” post…and I don’t blame you, it’s Hannity style “gotcha”.
To me the fringes of both parties are just in show business…so I hope this post helps your career.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
well without a viable working economy afghanistan cannot work. Even if we get to clean out the taliban and al queda nests in western pakistan, or even if they do it, it still doesn’t get us to where we wnat to go in a few years. maybe 50, like another south korea if they have some economic boom. I think obama is making a mistake keeping us there dancing to the tune of the taliban. Karzi thinks we need to negotiate with the taliban who by now are two generations of unemployed militia with guns and there only purpose in life is to snipe at outsiders. Its like occupying a burnt out sand lot with a lot of devious people armed with yes, Ak-47’s. But there is one thing, who is financing the taliban and al queda? Where is the money coming from and from whom? Where do they get the money to buy their guns and ammo and feed thier army? That is something no one talks about publically.