BOWE BERGDAHL - TRAITOR?

Cover of Mad Magazine

Click here for related story [Jake Tapper, CNN]

The news is awash with stories about Bowe Bergdahl, the Army Private from Idaho taken prisoner on 30 June 2009 under mysterious circumstances, and whose fate has remained a bit of a mystery -- until just a few days ago.  That's when we learned he'd been released to US custody in exchange for five top Taliban terrorist leaders who were formerly guests at Guantanamo.

The negotiations with the Taliban had apparently been going on for months by the Administration without the knowledge of Congress, or Afghan President Karzai - our ally.  Now, Congress is a bit miffed since negotiating with terrorists has been illegal for quite some time, although the Administration has generally viewed legal issues as mere fluff when it comes to violation federal law and the precepts of the Constitution.

Soldiers from Bergdahl's former unit [1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment] are not overjoyed at his repatriation since the Administration is painting Bergdahl as a hero.
As Sergeant Matt Vierkant noted recently,
"Bergdahl deserted during a time of war, and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."

Reportedly, Bergdahl left his guard post, left his weapons, and exited with only his knife, a compass, his camera and diary, and water.  Extensive searches for Bergdahl resulted in skirmishes which took the lives of six members of his platoon; notably, following Bergdahl's disappearance, there seemed to be an increase in the number of attacks on US units in Paktika Province.

The six soldiers who died during search and rescue operations for Bergdahl were:

Pumabydesign

1) Staff Sergeant Clayton Bowen
2) PFC Morris Walker
3) Staff Sergeant Kurt Curtis
4) Lieutenant Darryn Andrews
5) PFC Matthew Martinek
6) Staff Sergeant Michael Murphy

All regional resources were redirected towards recovering Bergdahl, leaving combat outposts vulnerable for lack of direct support, indirectly costing the lives of more US soldiers.

Bergdahl's fellow soldiers early began questioning the reports of his capture and instead began communicating that he had actually deserted were then ordered to cease and desist, and were forced to sign NDAs [Non-Disclosure Agreement] under penalty of prosecution.  So, they remained relatively silent until now.

But now, it seems they're shredding those agreements.
Former Sergeant Evan Buetow, reportedly Bergdahl's team leader prior to his desertion, claims Military Intelligence intercepted enemy communications reporting an American soldier looking for an English speaker so he could talk to the Taliban.  Buetow went on to say that "over the next couple of months, attacks on US forces were "more directed" and IEDs became precision explosions, far more accurate and timed than seen previously.  Buetow indicated it seemed far more than coincidental.

Most who are aware of the circumstances of his disappearance, the cost in human life of the search and rescue operations, his reported collaboration with the enemy, and the release of Taliban terrorists in exchange for his release, are stunned that the President has announced his intent to promote Bergdahl -- who was promoted to Sergeant while a guest of the Taliban for five years.

So, in exchange for this fellow, who remains with US forces for health review and debriefing, five Taliban leaders were released from Guantanamo.

Former Gitmo Guests and Comrade Bergdahl [oneoldvet.com]

The previously detained Taliban

1) Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa [a friend of Afghan President Hamid Karzai] and reportedly was/is a major drug lord.
2) Mullah Mohammad Fazi, charged by the UN in connection with "... the massacre of thousands of Afghan Shiittes during Taliban rule."
3) Mullah Norullah Noori, former governor of the Taliban dominated Balkh Province. [Denied links to Taliban]
4) Abdul Haq Wasiq, deputy chief of the Taliban Intelligence Service [his cousin headed the Service].   He denied links to militant groups.
5) Mohammad Nabi Omari, a minor Taliban official in Khost Province; associated with Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin and al Qaeda.  Claimed to have worked with a US operative to track down Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Interestingly, the "urgency" of this swap
[much like the urgency of most of the Democrats' actions since the passage of ObamaCare]
was so great due to Bergdahl's declining health
"...we needed to get him out of there essentially to save his life!" 
which of course, begs the question as to why there was no urgency to save the lives of the six soldiers who died trying to rescue Bergdahl once he deserted.

Carbonated.TV

Oddly, SGT Bergdahl now reportedly has " ... difficulty speaking English " and we're reminded of the TV series Homeland in which a US Marine is repatriated after being a prisoner of the Islamic Evil-Doers for several years.

An Administration counter-terrorism official noted that it's quite possible he Bergdahl "collaborated with the enemy" - wow! now there's a revelation.

But, Jay Carney assures us the Administration did NOT negotiate with Terrorists because Bergdahl was a POW -- not a hostage.


Strange how we seem to be prepped for so many events now by Hollywood [e.g., our first Black President, our next Female President [Hillary?], our domestic War on Terror, our rough and ready police forces which are now wearing SWAT uniforms and weaponry for routine police actions?].

So, where will this story take us?
Well, after the President's appearance in the Rose Garden Bergdahl's parents, we can only assume this story will serve to distract the public once again from Benghazi, and the wayward Malaysian Flight ML370.

But, we'll do our best to keep each story in the news, in spite of Valerie Jarrett's machinations to distract us from issues which will eventually bring Mr obama into the Impeachment process.


---------------------------
[For additional analysis of this unfolding event, we refer you to Rick Francona's blog]
(http://francona.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-bowe-bergdahl-exchange-mixed.html)

Remember Our Old Vets!

Some of the Vets blocked from the WWII Memorial by our President during the Sequester

We'll share this story passed along to us; it’s interesting, sad, and enlightening.

Never forget that many of our older generation served honorably, bravely, and 

deserve our respect.

--------------------

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. 

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away. 

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him.

I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying:

'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. 

He then went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went I inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'

He said that he served with the first Marine Division at Guadalcanal Pelieliu, and  Okinawa  .

He had hit three of the worst ones, and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it, and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was written:'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence.

Remember on this Memorial Day,OLD men like him gave you, and all of us, FREEDOM for  America. 

Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them.

America is not at war. 
The  US Military is at war.

America  is at the Mall. 

Remember, Freedom is not Free!

Thousands have paid the price so that you can enjoy what you have today.

YOU MAY WISH TO SHARE THESE WORDS: 

PLEASE GOD, PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS, 

AND WATCH OVER OUR TROOPS, 

WHO ARE DEFENDING THOSE FREEDOMS. 

AMEN

Russia Ends US Satellite Program

Mr Putin ends US Space Program

Click here for related story  [UniverseToday.com]

Here's a surprise.

JimmyBob is watching you; Do you feel safer?

Russia has cut off the US access to its rocket engines which were to be used to launch Defense reconnaissance satellites.

To be clear, these launches tied to the NSA/NRO eavesdropping surveillance program not only on US citizens, but, by golly, on the Russians too.  Imagine that.



Earlier this month, we noted that Lockheed Martin and Boeing [via NPO Energomash] had been awarded a sole-source contract to sell rocket engines to the US Air Force [USAF] to launch US Military reconnaissance satellites into space - violating US trade embargo legislation against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine/Crimea.

No other US companies were allowed to bid; and Elon Musk [aka: Iron Man] sued in court
-- and won!

At that time, we warned against both sole source contracts [essentially illegal -- unless of course, we're dealing with one of the Big Five Defense Contractors] since they would eliminate open competition, cost savings, and, oh gosh -- that ancient concept called "business integrity", a term no longer in common usage in Defense contracting.

[Does anyone remember that JimmyBob Clapper used to head Raytheon, which now is routinely awarded major Intelligence and Defense Community contracts which are sole source?  You remember JimmyBob, our Director of National Intelligence -- the guy who blatantly perjured himself before Congress not long ago?]

But, we digress.

We also pointed out that, not only is Russia on our trade embargo list for invading Ukraine and Crimea
[that naughty Mr Putin keeps poking his finger into Mr obama's eye to see if he can find Mr obama's Red Line]
we also noted that it's NEVER a good idea to depend on an enemy, or even a Potential Adversary as our sole source supplier of Defense materiel systems.

Now, one would think this would be common sense, but, when our Director of National Intelligence is JimmyBob Clapper, who had very close ties to Raytheon, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin while he was in the private sector [who says government workers are underpaid], then the process changes somewhat, because if JimmyBob got any closer to those companies, he'd be accused of having a sexual relationship with them.

God help us!
Think of little JimmyBobs scampering all about Washington and through the halls of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, throwing tiny sole-million dollar source contracts over the transoms.
[Why, it would be almost as corrupt as the HHS contract system.]

But, we've digressed again, and we apologize for burdening you with such a perverted image.

Back to reality.
If we are to have an effective National Defense system, we certainly can't be awarding sole source contracts to our enemies so they can cut off our supplies just before a war begins.

Damned Czech Warranty just ran out!

The Russians figured this one out when the Eastern Bloc pulled away, and just as they were about to invade Czechoslovakia, and Hungary, and Poland, et al, they realized that their brand new tanks were falling apart, their new light artillery pieces were malfunctioning, and their Polish-built ships were leaking like sieves -- because they were built by the very Communist Satellite countries they were about to invade.



In the end, the USSR collapsed because of such stupid decisions;
i.e., don't award military sole source contracts to your potential adversaries.

Will Mr obama's USSA suffer the same fate?