The Associated Press has reported an offer by the Afghanistan Taliban who purportedly has held the only American Soldier POW in captivity since 2009; to trade him for 5 GITMO prisoners.
Sgt. Bergdahl as been in captivity since 2009. Incident reports at the time described that Sgt. Bergdahl was kidnapped while unarmed, in a latrine, while on his own base. An alert was issued at the time to be on the look out for a white van. Since his captors claimed responsibility for his abduction; the Geneva Conventions have not been adhered to, no one has seen him, examined him or interviewed him from the international community, Red Cross, or even negotiators.
A few photos and a video were released several years ago as the only, scant proof of life for us to examine.
I have a working comprehension of the sensitivities involved with hostage negotiations and the adverse policy to POW exchanges as an excuse to kidnap more Americans as currency for trade.
In this particular case, we can only surmise the level of psychological torture and erosion of mental sanity an extended length of captivity a human can endure or what he must do to survive, mentally and physically.
Publicity does not help the Sgt. Bergdahl negotiation in influencing his captors. It actually increases his propaganda value. Neither do the detractors who say; "let him rot, he is a deserter, he belongs with his people".
Accusing a POW of desertion and consorting with the enemy does not negate or trump the sacrosanct tradition that Americans leave no soldiers behind. If he did indeed commit a crime, then he will be punished for it by us, under our system of justice, not the Taliban's.
So, what can we the American public do, if we so choose to attempt to secure the release of one of our Soldiers from his captors?
Pressure your Congressional and Senate representatives.
If the Obama Administration, have exerted all the power, prestige, might, and intellectual stamina to secure the release of the one and only American POW we know of since 2009; then they have come up way short.
Imagine the psychological torture of a POW being told that he has been abandoned by his government and his fellow countrymen.
Imagine, when they show him the news at Benghazi, the scandals, and other degenerative events taking place, and show him that his name is not in one publication or cable news casts since his capture.
Imagine, how his captors are trying to convert him, turn him to their side, to get him to deny the country and people, that have turned their backs on him.
The bottom line is this. With all of our technology, boots on the ground, intelligence networks; we are led to believe all of our resources have been out witted, out maneuvered, and out played, by an innocuous group with none of what we have.
Every American combat soldier is infused with the knowledge and core belief that if captured he is to keep true faith with his fellow prisoners, try to escape if can make it, and do everything he can to stay alive, secure in the knowledge, that his Commander's are doing everything they can to get you back.
It is not beyond reason to surmise the US Government could have mounted an effective rescue or quietly offer to for his release long ago.
It is evident, that there are elements in the Obama Administration who oppose a swap or ransom payment or military rescue.
We are left to conclude, Sgt. Bergdahl has been abandoned by the Obama Administration, because the Military I grew up in would never stop trying to retrieve a soldier officially designated a Prisoner of War.
I support a well planned, tightly executed operation to engage in a prisoner swap in keeping with the rules of war, in this particular case, with this particular POW, and accept all of the weighted consequences, intended and unintended, to include dismissing his detractors, to get him back.
It's about Honor, What say you?
