https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:54:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1675555 Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:14:27 +0000 googly-eyes 1675555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lizzywiz: that's what I keep thinking too. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1675476 Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:52:54 +0000 deactivated_account 1675476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjyw: I've heard the exact same thing from a friend who fought in Afghanistan. </p> <p>I'm so disgusted by this whole story, including but of course not limited to, the negotiations with terrorists and am absolutely reserving all my additional comments for my offline conversations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1675457 Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:46:55 +0000 mrsjyw 1675457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just heard from an old friend who served with him at the time he went missing. He says he deserted. That he sent possessions back home, was in talks with the afghan police, ambivalent on thoughts of the war, etc. My friend says he just wants him to have his day in court for desertion. And not hailed as a hero.</p> <p>Talk about a small ass world. And I'm not sure how I feel on the matter, all to say it doesn't much matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673516 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:19:06 +0000 Arden 1673516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I agree with pretty much everything you said. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673479 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:56:16 +0000 MsLipGloss 1673479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: In my mind, there are just too many possibilities (superseding/intervening acts) to make the conclusion regarding responsibility certain enough that it would be worth ruining a man's life over (more so than it already has been). There is no way to know that their search activities didn't actually save lives that would otherwise have been lost . . . nobody knows what would have happened. In other situations, I could see a more direct application of the *but for* analysis. But in this volatile environment, especially with the lack of more concrete evidence, the cost to Bergdahl--and every other accused person--is just too great. (ETA: he will always be known as a traitor/deserter, regardless of the truth of those allegations. But I totally get where you're coming from.)</p> <p>And truly, my biggest outrage is with the command and politicians, for too many reasons to list here. ETA: I am hugely pro-soldier though!</p> <p>ETA: that doesn't mean that there isn't a situation in which I would hold him responsible. just not this one--yet (without knowing more). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673464 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:49:08 +0000 blackbird 1673464@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mslipgloss, he is 100% responsible if he went AWOL. It is a preventable action. Sure those men could have died on another mission, but their deaths can specifically be attributed to this rescue mission. It's one thing if he was captured. Another if he turned his back on his fellow soldiers </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673422 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:30:44 +0000 MsLipGloss 1673422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a couple thoughts:</p> <p>(1) Regardless of how he was captured, he deserves to come home.</p> <p>(2) Regardless of how he was captured, it is truly sad that others lost their lives in the process of searching for him. </p> <p>That does not, however, mean that he is responsible for those deaths. There are risks associated with all activities in hostile territory, and the threat of injury/death is ever present. There is no proof--nor can there ever be--that there would not have been greater loss of life from any other regular/routine activity. None of us are omniscient. </p> <p>(3) His open disgust/disillusionment with military/foreign policy does not mean that he has done what he accused of doing (desertion/traitor). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673410 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:26:15 +0000 lizzywiz 1673410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: exactly! enough cookies for a squad, at least! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673406 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:24:48 +0000 blackbird 1673406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch-Oh I mean from a mental perspective. He got fucked with, no matter what. 5 years is so long to be a POW.</p> <p>@lizzywiz, lol, when DH was deployed, he always asked I send extras because they would get mad if you didn't share :) a bag for him, a bag for the battalion.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673341 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:54:18 +0000 lizzywiz 1673341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: Definitely selfish (if he deserted). I can't imagine how I would feel if a battle buddy put the team in that situation.</p> <p>Everything a soldier does impacts the team. I remember that we used to get mad if someone ate too much kimchee the night before and showed up to PT formation reeking of fermented farts. It sounds funny until you have to run 5 miles in formation with that dude! Seriously, there would be fights (interspersed with laughter :silly: ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673336 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:52:29 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1673336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a hot topic on Facebook today. One of my friends is former military, and he started debate. Someone who was directly affected by this commented. I really don't know what to think, though. I don't recall ever hearing about this soldier until the news reported he was being freed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673325 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:48:21 +0000 lizzywiz 1673325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: nope, I don't think so. I think the question is mainly did he get kidnapped while on duty or did he abandon his post, then get kidnapped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673310 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:44:06 +0000 looch 1673310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Has the Taliban come out and said that's he joined their efforts? I feel like if it was true that he did, they would have used that as leverage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1673284 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:36:23 +0000 blackbird 1673284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I believe going AWOL during deployment is considered treason. </p> <p>No matter what, 5 years with the Taliban? Damn </p> <p>@lizzywiz, I keep putting myself in those shoes, too. It's one thing to lose a loved one in war, another for them to die due to another's selfish action of desertion </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672919 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:15:36 +0000 lizzywiz 1672919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And, I'm gonna be real here for a second, if it was my loved one killed searching for him, my brother or husband or son, and it turns out he deserted? ? I would want him dead. </p> <p>....oh, who am I kidding? I would probably feel too sad for his parents to actually vote to kill him, but I would want to.</p> <p>(ets there is no voting process in this situation, but you know what i mean, lol) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672911 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:14:25 +0000 MrsSCB 1672911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: ah, got it! Yeah, I don't envy the people who have to figure out what really went on. It seems like it would be so hard to know for sure what was going on in his mind, like if he was deserting because he was trying to defect or if he was suffering some kind of post-trauma breakdown. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672893 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:06:33 +0000 lizzywiz 1672893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: Yep, he would be court martialed. Technically, desertion during time of war has a max penalty of death but they don't ever give the max penalty anymore. It would probably be dishonorable discharge and possible jail time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672877 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:02:02 +0000 MamaMoose 1672877@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Oh no, I'm definitely not saying we should leave him there. But I do think the claims need to be investigated. If he really did desert then I assume there is some sort of military justice system that would send him to military jail? I really have no clue what the right answer is (thank goodness I don't have to make these kinds of decisions!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672844 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:51:12 +0000 MrsSCB 1672844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: But what is the alternative? Just saying "forget it" and leaving him there? I also think if the Taliban wanted to use him against us, the best thing we could do for them is leave him there so they could say, "hey look, your people abandoned you. They don't care about you." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672828 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:47:10 +0000 hilsy85 1672828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: exactly what I said after reading the articles in the NYT about it!</p> <p>It sounds like he witnessed a very traumatic event--seeing a child get run over by an Army tank--which may have contributed to his mental state at the time that he he disappeared. I feel for him...I can't imagine what he has gone through, and I can only hope that his transition home goes as smoothly as possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672819 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:44:40 +0000 MamaMoose 1672819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I worry though about the possibility that he was in a vulnerable mental state and has now spend 5 years under the control of the Taliban and now he's returning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672581 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 10:14:12 +0000 blackbird 1672581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If he really deserted, then he deserves to rot in a military prison forever. Fellow soldiers died FOR him. He bailed on serving his country and fellow men. But if there is more, then I hope it comes out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672580 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 10:14:04 +0000 lizzywiz 1672580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hm. I come from a somewhat military family and I was in the Army, so that definitely colors my view.</p> <p>I do not think he should have been left to rot.<br /> BUT, if he was a deserter, he put his unit in significant danger in several ways: he knew specifics about his base, patrols, equipment, etc. and all of that information was compromised as soon as he put himself in enemy hands (willing or not). The soldiers were also in significant danger searching for him and apparently 6 were killed in the search.<br /> If he wanted to renege on his contract with the military, there were a million other ways he could have done it without putting his unit and their mission at risk.<br /> They are right to feel angry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672571 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 10:09:55 +0000 LuLu Mom 1672571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's a case of we will never know the truth. He has endured so much in the last 5 years, and I'm sure his psyche is not all there, with the chance it broke before even being captured. Its a tough situation, but I'm guessing the truth will never fully come out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672501 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:45:21 +0000 psw27 1672501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee exactly what I've been saying all weekend! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672493 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:41:36 +0000 edelweiss 1672493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>who knows what happened. i feel so badly for him, his family, soldiers who were killed looking for him...it's just a sad situation and at this point i don't think there's any right or wrong or truth or lie. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672460 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:32:03 +0000 mrbee 1672460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds a lot like the plot to Homeland! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672453 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:30:44 +0000 MrsSCB 1672453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's possible he became disillusioned to what was going on over there. I also think it's possible that he had a mental breakdown -- he wouldn't be the first. IMO, especially since we don't really know what happened, it's incredibly unkind of his fellow soldiers to basically say, "F him, we should have just left him there." What if he did have a mental breakdown or something that caused him to leave? So much for standing by your brothers through thick and thin. I'd like to know what really happened but we may never know for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672438 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:25:31 +0000 Pancakes 1672438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, and I wonder if he did desert if he will actually admit to it. My husband thinks that if he was crazy enough to try to defect to the Taliban that he will probably say so, but who knows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/freed-pow#post-1672419 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:19:39 +0000 MamaMoose 1672419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you read the drama about the recently freed POW in Afghanastan? Seems like many of his former fellow soliders feel he was a deserter and possibly a traitor. </p> <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/bergdahl-deserter-or-hero/index.html?hpt=hp_t1" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/bergdahl-deserter-or-hero/index.html?hpt=hp_t1</a></p> <p>What are your thoughts? </p>