Federal Judge Throws Out Bowe Bergdahl Court-Martial Conviction For Army Desertion In Afghanistan

 

FOX News: Bowe Bergdahl court-martial conviction for Army desertion thrown out by federal judge  

Bergdahl pleaded guilty in 2017 to desertion, was dishonorably discharged from Army but spared prison time 

A former U.S. Army soldier who pleaded guilty to desertion after leaving his post while deployed in Afghanistan and was subsequently captured and tortured by the Taliban had his court-martial conviction vacated Tuesday. 

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington D.C. said that military judge Jeffrey Nance, who presided over the court-martial of Bowe Bergdahl, failed to disclose that he had applied to the executive branch for a job as an immigration judge, creating a potential conflict of interest.  

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WNU Editor: I first learned about this story when a reader sent me an email early today on Bowe Bergdahl's court-martial conviction being thrown out. I was stunned. I am still digesting this news. 

Federal Judge Throws Out Bowe Bergdahl Court-Martial Conviction For Army Desertion In Afghanistan  

Federal judge vacates Bowe Bergdahl’s conviction and dishonorable discharge -- CNN  

Bowe Bergdahl's court-martial conviction voided by U.S. judge -- Reuters 

Judge voids Bowe Bergdahl court-martial conviction -- The Hill  

Judge voids ex-Taliban captive Bowe Bergdahl's conviction -- UPI  

Bowe Bergdahl's Sentence Is Thrown Out by Judge as Case Takes New Turn -- Miltiary.com

Mark Allen, Soldier Injured In 2009 Search For Army Deserter Bowe Bergdahl, Dies

National Guard Master Sergeant Mark Allen died in Georgia on Saturday at the age of 46. He is pictured above with his wife Shannon and their daughter

Daily Mail: American soldier dies 10 years after he was paralyzed when he was shot in the head in Afghanistan while searching for Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl

* National Guard Master Sergeant Mark Allen died in Georgia on Saturday at the age of 46
* He was shot in the head by a sniper in Afghanistan in 2009 while he was looking for Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl
* Allen suffered severe brain trauma as a result of the attack, he spent the past decade unable to talk and was paralyzed over much of his body
* His wife Shannon Allen revealed news of his death on Facebook as she posted details of his funeral
* His exact cause of death is not yet known

A former American soldier has died 10 years after he was left paralyzed when he was shot in the head while searching for Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan.

National Guard Master Sergeant Mark Allen died in Georgia on Saturday at the age of 46.

He was shot in the head by a sniper in an insurgent ambush while carrying out a search mission for Bergdahl after he deserted his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

Allen suffered severe brain trauma as a result of the attack and spent the past decade unable to talk and was paralyzed over much of his body.

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WNU Editor: This family must have suffered terribly these past ten years.

U.S. Army Deserter Bowe Bergdahl May Be Entitled To $300,000 In Back Pay

An Army review of Bowe Bergdahl's (pictured) compensation package is set to be handed down soon

Army Times: Army to determine if Bergdahl is owed back pay for his time in captivity

When Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl came home in 2014, he was potentially entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay that accumulated over five years while he was in Taliban captivity in Afghanistan.

Bergdahl was captured after walking off base on June 30, 2009, while deployed to Paktika province with 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. He pleaded guilty in October to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. On Nov. 3, a military judge ruled Bergdahl would not serve any jail time but be dishonorably discharged from the Army and reduced in rank to private.

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WNU Editor: In the past the possibility that someone like Bowe Bergdahl would actually be entitled to receive money for a desertion that did not go as planned would have been laughed out of the room. Today .... they are actually taking the time to calculate how much he should get.

More News On Reports That U.S. Army Deserter Bowe Bergdahl May Be Entitled To $300,000 In Back Pay

Taliban Captive Bowe Bergdahl, Who Donald Trump Called a 'Traitor,' Could Be In Line For $300000 Payout -- Newsweek
Army to decide if Bergdahl is entitled to $300G back pay -- FOX News
Army to Determine Whether Bergdahl Is Owed Back Pay for Time in Captivity -- Washington Free Beacon
Disgraced soldier Bowe Bergdahl could receive $300,000 in back pay for the five years he spent in captivity -- Daily Mail

US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Receives A Dishonorable Discharge While Avoiding Jail Time

CNN: Bowe Bergdahl receives dishonorable discharge, avoids jail time

US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has received a dishonorable discharge but will avoid prison time for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy after abandoning his outpost in 2009, a military judge ruled Friday.

The judge also ruled that Bergdahl's rank be reduced from sergeant to E1. Additionally, Bergdahl will be required to pay a $1,000 fine from his salary for the next 10 months.

A military judge has come to a decision in Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's sentencing hearing.

Journalists have been asked to return to the courtroom at Fort Bragg in North Carolina where the trial and hearings have been held.

The Army soldier, who was held captive by the Taliban for five years after he deserted his Afghanistan outpost in 2009, pleaded guilty last month to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

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WNU Editor: The judge could have thrown the book at him .... but choose not to. No jail time .... but he will lose all of his benefits. I do not expect many are going to be happy with this ruling .... while others will now treat this case as closed.

More News On US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Will Be Receiving A Dishonorable Discharge And Avoid Jail Time

The Latest: Bergdahl gets no prison time for leaving post -- AP
Bowe Bergdahl, the former hostage who pleaded guilty to desertion, avoids prison -- Washington Post
U.S. Army's Bergdahl spared prison time for deserting -- Reuters
Judge rules no jail time for Bergdahl -- The Hill
Bergdahl dishonorably discharged, no jail time after emotional trial -- Fox News
Bowe Bergdahl avoids prison time, will receive dishonorable discharge, judge rules -- USA Today
Deserter Bergdahl dishonorably discharged but gets no prison time -- Stars and Stripes
Bergdahl Dishonorably Discharged, No Jail Time -- Military.com

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Apologizes To Wounded Service Members

FOX News: Bowe Bergdahl gives emotional statement at sentencing hearing, apologizes to wounded service members

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl unexpectedly took the stand at his sentencing hearing Monday -- and choked up several times as he apologized to service members who were wounded in the years-long hunt to save him.

"I would like everyone who searched for me to know it was never my intention for anyone to be hurt, and I never expected that to happen," he said during the hearing at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. "My words alone can't take away their pain."

He was the first witness for the defense, who hadn't previously made it known that Bergdahl would address the court. It was his most extensive remarks in court yet.

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WNU Editor: One thing that I have learned abut the military while doing this blog is that there are always consequences for one's actions .... both good and bad. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's actions on the night day that he deserted set into motion a number of actions that some families must now live with for the rest of their lives. There are consequences for this .... and while Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is probably sincere in his apology .... it is too little and way too late.

Two Reporters Discuss The Bowe Bergdahl Case

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Jonathan Drake/Reuters

PBS: Military on verge of sentencing Bergdahl for desertion

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive by the Taliban for half a decade after abandoning his Afghanistan post, is in the middle of a sentencing hearing for his guilty plea to desertion, which prosecutors say injured and killed U.S. soldiers who searched for him. NPR reporter Greg Myre, who has been covering the case in military court at Fort Bragg, joins Hari Sreenivasan from Washington.

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WNU Editor: Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has already admitted his guilt. The question that remains unanswered is his punishment. And while the desertion charge carries a few years in prison, it is the other charges that may put him behind bars for a very long time. The Judge's ruling should come down this week.

Bowe Bergdahl Case Continues With Soldeirs Testifying The Dangers They Had To Go Through In Searching For Him

FOX News: Bowe Bergdahl trial: Navy SEAL breaks down while describing death of military dog

A former U.S. Navy SEAL cried Wednesday while testifying about his military dog who was shot in the head by enemy fighters in Afghanistan while he was on a mission to find Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

Bergdahl, who had walked away from his unit, was held captive by the Taliban for five years.

The wounded SEAL, retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer James Hatch, entered the courtroom for Bergdahl’s sentencing hearing with a limp and a service dog named Mina. Bergdahl pleaded guilty last week to desertion and endangering his comrades. He could face life in prison.

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WNU Editor: The testimony from Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer James Hatch is riveting .... it is easy to understand why so many in the military hate Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. On a side note .... I am rading more and more reports like this .... Army judge considering dismissing case against Bowe Bergdahl after 'Trump made it impossible to have fair trial' (The Independent). You can take this to the bank .... if the judge dismisses the case against Bowe Bergdahl .... the uproar within the military community will be beyond massive.

An Officer From Bergdhal's Unit Posts A Commentary On The Eve Of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's Sentencing

Chase Spears, Baltimore Sun: A soldier's perspective on Bergdahl

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who pleaded guilty to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, will soon face sentencing, bringing him and the Army one step closer to legally resolving the chain of events that started when Sergeant Bergdahl walked away from his unit in Afghanistan in 2009. He was captured and held as a hostage for five years; six soldiers died looking for him, according to some accounts.

Sergeant Bergdahl’s case has faced politicization from both sides of the aisle. Those speaking the loudest publicly about it have overlooked the consequences that his actions had on the unit he abandoned.

Sergeant Bergdahl was assigned to the storied 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, which traces its history to the liberation of France during World War II. Soldiers in this unit are proud to be part of the “1-Geronimo” battalion.

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WNU Editor: There is still a lot of bitterness and ill will out there directed at Bowe Bergdahl .... that is why we should listen to the plea from the above soldier that once this case has been resolved all information pertaining to Bowe Bergdahl be publicly released .... and the sooner the better.

Update: This comment by the judge has made some worried that Bowe Bergdahl may receive a very light sentence .... Military judge in Bergdahl case worries about Trump impact (ABC News/AP).

Bowe Bergdahl Complains That The U.S. Army Has Treated Him Worse Than The Taliban

Daily Mail: Bowe Bergdahl whines that the US treated him WORSE than the Taliban as he faces a life sentence for desertion

* Bowe Bergdahl complains about his treatment by US in new interview
* He deserted his post in Afghanistan in 2009 for reasons that are unclear
* Was held captive by the Taliban for five years until his release in 2014
* Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion charges in military court Monday morning
* He did not strike a deal with prosecutors on sentencing and faces up to life

Bowe Bergdahl has whined that the US treated him worse than his Taliban captors in a newly released interview, as he faces up to life in prison for desertion.

'At least the Taliban were honest enough to say, "I’m the guy who’s gonna cut your throat",' the 31-year-old Army sergeant told the The Sunday Times of London in an interview released on Sunday.

'Here, it could be the guy I pass in the corridor who’s going to sign the paper that sends me away for life,' the Army deserter griped in the interview, which was recorded last year and is his first video interview since returning to the US.

'We may as well go back to kangaroo courts and lynch mobs.'

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WNU Editor: It is hard to tell from videos and press reports on what is the current state of mind of Bowe Bergdahl. But the impression that I am getting is that he does not truly understand the consequences of what he did. He deliberately put a lot of lives risk .... and soldiers were probably lost and/or injured looking for him. But there is little if any genuine reaction from him  .... it is like a distant memory for him. A normal person would show enormous remorse for what happened .... and that person would be repeating it everyday and to everyone. But not in the case of Bowe Bergdahl .... very little remorse .... but a lot of complaints (in his opinion) on being treated unfairly and without justice. Here is an easy prediction .... when the judge makes the determination on what his sentence should be, he will be taking this lack of remorse into consideration.

More News On Bowe Bergdahl

Dramatic Sentencing Hearing Expected in Bergdahl Case -- Bloomberg
Deserter Bergdahl says Taliban more 'honest' than US Army -- Fox News
Bowe Bergdahl Says Returning to US Was as Tough as Captivity -- NBC
Bowe Bergdahl: US treated me worse than the Taliban -- NYPost

The Deal To Swap Bowe Bergdahl For Five Taliban Leaders Looks Worse With Each Passing Day

Paul Sperry, New York Post: Deal for Bowe Bergdahl looks worse and worse

The American soldier President Obama portrayed as a heroic POW of the Taliban and traded five jailed Taliban leaders for his release now looks more like the man President Trump called a “no-good traitor” who should “have been executed.”

On Monday, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl admitted deserting his Afghan post as well as misbehaving before the enemy and endangering fellow troops, confirming the betrayal several veterans who served alongside him have alleged for years. Though capital punishment is not in the offing, he does face life in prison at his sentencing later this month.

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WNU Editor: To let these Taliban leaders go .... especially one who oversaw the genocide of thousands of Shiite civilians .... coupled with how the Obama administration and President Obama himself tried to spin this in another way .... is a stain for the Obama administration. On a side note .... a mea culpa here .... checked my archives and found that my prediction that this story would die down was wrong (Publius, James, William Moultrie, etc. were right) .... Deal To Swap Bowe Bergdahl For Five Taliban Leaders Have Put President Obama On The Defensive (June 4, 2014). I also found this tidbit of information that everyone has forgotten .... White House Overrode Pentagon And The Intelligence Community's Objections To Release The Taliban Five (June 14, 2014). And need we not forget this .... How did 6 die after Bowe Bergdahl's disappearance? (CNN). But there is one question that I would love to have answered .... what happened to the Taliban 5? Are they still in Qatar? Are they back in the war? I think one has passed away from natural causes, but if these characters are back in the war committing atrocities that they are known for .... this deal is beyond a stinker.

U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl Pleads Guilt To Desertion And Misbehavior

Reuters: U.S. Army Sergeant Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, accused of endangering fellow soldiers who searched for him after he walked off his combat outpost in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban, pleaded guilty on Monday to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

In court in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Bergdahl admitted leaving his post in Paktika province in June 2009. He said he got lost after 20 minutes, was captured two or three hours later, and that he never wanted to put anyone at risk.

“I was captured by the enemy against my will,” the 31-year-old Idaho native told the hearing. “At the time I had no intention of causing search and recovery operations. ... It’s very inexcusable.”

The offense of misbehavior before the enemy carries a possible life sentence. Neither side has said whether Bergdahl has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.

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WNU Editor: The desertion charge carries a maximum 5 years sentence. The misbehavior charge is the serious one .... the maximum is life. No agreement was made for this plea deal, which means that U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Berghdahl is facing jail time, and (I can only presume) no salary reimbursement.

More News On U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl Pleading Guilt To Desertion And Misbehavior

The Latest: Judge accepts Bergdahl's guilty pleas -- ABC News/AP
Army Sgt. Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion, misbehavior -- AP
Bowe Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion for leaving Afghanistan post -- The Guardian
Bowe Bergdahl pleads guilty in desertion, misbehavior case -- ABC News
Bergdahl Pleads Guilty to Desertion, Misbehavior -- Military.com/FOX News
Bowe Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion and misbehavior after leaving base in Afghanistan -- New York Daily News

U.S. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Expected To Plead Guilty For Desertion

FOX News: Bowe Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to deserting his post

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, The Associated Press reported.

Two sources said the Idaho native would submit the plea later this month and sentencing would start Oct. 23. The AP did not name the sources.

Bergdahl's lawyer declined to comment when contacted by Fox News. He faces up to five years in prison on the desertion charge and a life sentence for misbehavior.

Bergdahl, 31, who was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment, deserted his Afghanistan post in 2009, when he was 23 years old, and was held captive by the Taliban for about five years. The Taliban posted a video online showing Bergdahl saying he was "scared" he would not be able to go home.

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More News On Reports That U.S. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Is Expected To Plead Guilty For Desertion

Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to desertion, misbehavior -- AP
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to desertion -- Washington Post
U.S. Army Sergeant Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to desertion: AP -- Reuters
Report: Bergdahl to plead guilty to desertion, misbehavior before the enemy -- USA Today
Bowe Bergdahl Is Expected To Plead Guilty To Desertion And Avoid A Trial -- Task & Purpose
A timeline of Sgt. Bergdahl's captivity -- AP

Sgt. Bergdahl Is Requesting A Pardon From President Obama

FOX News: Bergdahl requests pardon from President Obama, US officials

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl--held captive for five years after being captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan--has requested a pardon from President Obama, Fox News has learned from two senior US officials.

According to a well-placed source, Bergdahl thanked the president for rescuing him in May 2014 in a controversial exchange for five Taliban prisoners from Gitmo, in addition to asking for a pardon in the letter.

The Secretary of the Army was copied on the letter to the president, but the pardon was not formally requested through the military chain of command.

A Justice Department official confirms that it received a pardon petition from Bergdahl. Pentagon and White House officials would not immediately respond for comment.

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WNU Editor: He (Sgt. Bergdahl) is really pushing the limits on this one.

More News On Sgt. Bergdahl Requesting A Pardon From President Obama

Bowe Bergdahl, Facing Desertion Trial, Asks Obama for Pardon -- New York Times
Bowe Bergdahl's makes last ditch push for a pardon from Obama before Trump takes office who called him a 'dirty, rotten traitor' -- Daily Mail
Bergdahl seeks pardon from Obama to avert desertion trial -- AP
Reports: Bowe Bergdahl seeks presidential pardon before Obama leaves office -- Idaho Statesman

The Taliban Are Still Touting Their Bergdahl Swap As A Huge Victory

Long War Journal: Taliban touts Bergdahl swap as key ‘achievement’

The Taliban says the exchange of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five top Taliban commanders in 2014 was a major “achievement” in its war against the West and its allies. The claim was made in a lengthy video released on the Taliban’s official website, Voice of Jihad, earlier this month.

Footage from the exchange is shown early on in the production. The scenes include Bergdahl as he is about to be transferred to American forces and the five Taliban leaders being warmly greeted after their arrival in Qatar. Screen shots can be seen below.

As The Long War Journal has reported, all five of the Taliban commanders exchanged for Bergdahl had ties to al Qaeda prior to their detention in Cuba.

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WNU Editor: It gave the Taliban legitimacy .... and as for the release of 5 top Taliban commanders .... a huge bonus. Here is an easy prediction .... the U.S. will try their best to forget about this, but for those in the region, they are going to talk about this "exchange" for a very long time.

U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Has Been Diagnosed As Having A Schizotypal Personality Disorder When He Walked Away From His Base

Jonathan Drake/Reuters

Dan Lamonthe, Washington Post: Bowe Bergdahl’s mental disorder identified in new ‘Serial’ podcast episode

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl exhibited symptoms of a mental condition known as schizotypal personality disorder at the time that he chose to walk away from his platoon’s base in Afghanistan in 2009 and was subsequently captured, according to a new episode of the podcast “Serial” released Friday.

It marks the first time that a specific diagnosis for Bergdahl has been reported for the period in which he left his platoon’s base alone and without a gun just before midnight June 29, 2009. Bergdahl now faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. After walking away, he was held in brutal captivity for the next five years in Pakistan by militants affiliated with the Taliban in a case that has become one of the most notorious of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

The new report highlights how much Bergdahl’s mental condition could play a role in his court-martial, which is scheduled for August at Fort Bragg, N.C. He was diagnosed last year by an independent Army forensics psychiatrist, Christopher Lang, who met with him after Bergdahl’s defense team requested what is commonly called a “sanity board” in May, the podcast reported.

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WNU Editor: This case is going to get even more messier if they pursue this .... Justice Department May Probe Alleged Bergdahl Ransom Payment (Daily Beast).

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Attends Pre-trial Hearing

Daily Mail: Sgt Bowe Bergdahl appears in court in military attire as lawyers consider how to handle 300,000 pages of classified documents before trial begins this summer

* Bergdahl faces 25 years for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy
* He is yet to enter plea, was in court for second pretrial hearing on Tuesday
* Lawyers have to wade through 300,000 pages of papers for the case
* Meanwhile, Bergdahl's own telling of his story continues on Serial

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl has appeared in court for his pre-trial hearing.

An Army judge is considering how to handle more than 300,000 pages of documents — many of them classified — that will be part of the case against the soldier who walked off an outpost in Afghanistan.

Dressed in military attire, Bergdahl arrived at the courthouse in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday morning.

He faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy in the trial that is expected to start this summer.

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WNU Editor: 300,000 pages of classified documents .... and Bowe Bergdahl's dfense wants access to it. This is going to be a long trial.

More News On Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Attending His Pre-trial Hearing

Classified Documents Prompt Wrangling in Bowe Bergdahl Case -- AP
U.S. Sergeant Bergdahl seeks access to classified information in desertion case -- Reuters
Bowe Bergdahl Update: Court Martial Date Scheduled As Defense Argues Over Classified Documents -- IBTimes
Does Bowe Bergdahl deserve a POW Medal and Purple Heart? His lawyers think so. -- Washington Post

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl To Face Court-Martial On Charges Of Desertion And Endangering Troops

New York Times: Bowe Bergdahl to Face Court-Martial on Desertion Charges

A top Army commander on Monday ordered that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl face a court-martial on charges of desertion and endangering troops stemming from his decision to leave his outpost in 2009, prompting a huge manhunt in the wilds of eastern Afghanistan and landing him in nearly five years of harsh Taliban captivity.

The decision by Gen. Robert B. Abrams, head of Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., means that Sergeant Bergdahl, 29, faces a possible life sentence, a far more serious penalty than had been recommended by the Army’s own investigating officer, who had testified that a jail sentence would be “inappropriate.”

More News On Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl To Face Court-Martial On Charges Of Desertion And Endangering Troops

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will face court-martial for desertion, misbehavior charges -- Army Times
Attorney: Bergdahl will face general court-martial -- Stars and Stripes
Bergdahl to face desertion charge in general court-martial -- AP
Charges against U.S. Army's Bergdahl to go to general court-martial -- Reuters
Charges against Bergdahl referred to trial by court-martial -- FOX News
Bowe Bergdahl to Face General Court Martial -- ABC News
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Facing Court Martial -- NBC
Army Pursues Court Martial Against Bowe Bergdahl -- WSJ
Army says Bergdahl to face court martial for desertion -- USA Today
Bowe Bergdahl to Face Court-Martial for Deserting Post -- Time
Bergdahl case referred to general court-martial -- Politico
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to face most serious kind of court-martial in Army desertion case -- Washington Post
US soldier Bowe Bergdahl will face a court martial for desertion -- Quartz
Bowe Bergdahl's Fate Will Be Decided by a General Court-Martial -- The Atlantic

Did The U.S. Also Pay Bowe Bergdahl's Captives A Financial Ransom?

Photo: Bowe Robert Bergdahl

Shane Harris, Daily Beast: Inside the Botched Rescue of Bowe Bergdahl

The U.S. government paid a ransom in the hopes of freeing the captive American soldier, a Congressman alleges. But when the FBI went to get Bowe Bergdahl, he wasn’t there.

In late February of 2014, a representative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation traveled to the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan ready to bring home Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who had been held for nearly five years by an ally of the Taliban.

The operation wasn’t announced publicly. But within U.S. national security agencies, word spread that the most well-known American hostage, who had disappeared from his remote post in Afghanistan in 2009, was about to be released. It was a particularly anxious moment because the Taliban had recently broken off talks over a potential prisoner swap for Bergdahl.

But the FBI wasn’t anticipating a prisoner exchange. Instead, according to a member of Congress and another individual who is knowledgeable about the operation, the U.S. government had sent money to Bergdahl’s captors in the hopes of freeing him.

WNU Editor: From what I understand after reading this article .... lies, misinformation, cover-ups, and one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing (or or at least admitting it). Here is an easy prediction .... this story is not going to die.

Bowe Bergdahl Makes His Case On The Podcast 'Serial'

The Atlantic: Bowe Bergdahl Makes His Case on Serial

The army sergeant, who returned to the U.S. in a heavily criticized prisoner swap last year, is the focus of the popular podcast’s second season.

On the inaugural season of the true-crime podcast Serial, the host and This American Life producer Sarah Koenig turned the case of Adnan Syed, a young man who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 2000, from an obscure Maryland criminal footnote into a pop-culture phenomenon.

After all the recaps, thinkpieces, and backlashes against the podcast’s popularity, two questions remained: Was Syed really innocent? And how could Serial possibly match the intrigue and popularity of its first season?

The first question is currently being meted out in the appeals process with no small debit owed to the podcast. On Thursday, we came closer to an answer to the second question with the release of Serial’s second season.

WNU Editor: Good grief .... In new 'Serial' podcast, Bowe Bergdahl says he likened himself to Jason Bourne (Washington Post).

More News On Bowe Bergdahl Making His Case On The Podcast 'Serial'

Bowe Bergdahl Reveals Why He Left Afghan Base in 'Serial' Podcast -- ABC News
'Serial' Season 2 Debuts With Bowe Bergdahl Telling 'Desertion' Story -- NBC
Bowe Bergdahl opens up about abandoning Army post in ‘Serial’ podcast -- Yahoo News
Bowe Bergdahl breaks his silence in 'Serial' podcast -- Politico
Serial podcast returns as Bowe Bergdahl talks US military 'desertion' for first time -- The Guardian
'Serial' Season 2 Focuses on Bowe Bergdahl's Story -- NYT
'Serial' Season 2 premieres, focuses on Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl -- USA Today
Serial Airs Bowe Bergdahl’s Side of ‘Desertion’ Story -- Time
SERIAL RECAP, EPISODE 1: THE STORY OF SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL -- Wired
Second season of ‘Serial’ is released, tells Bowe Bergdahl’s story -- PBS Newshour

Congressional Report: Gaining The Release Of Bowe Bergdahl With 5 Top Taliban Leaders Was Done Purely For Political Reasons

YouTube

Shane Harris & Nancy A. Youssef, Daily Beast: Congress: Bowe Bergdahl Swap Was FUBAR

The Pentagon insists that trading an American captive for five Taliban fighters was the ‘best deal we could get.’ An unreleased congressional report says that’s nonsense.

A new congressional report is critical of the Obama administration’s decision to trade five Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. And the report ascribes a political motivation to the prisoner swap, according to two sources familiar with the document’s contents.

Administration officials have long said that the exchange of Taliban prisoners for Bergdahl, who disappeared from his base in eastern Afghanistan in 2009 and was held for five years by a Taliban affiliate, was conducted under a long-standing tradition of trading prisoners at the end of military hostilities.

WNU Editor: Duhhhh ....