By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--June 2, 2014
Cover Story | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us
“Three days later, according to Rolling Stone, the 23-year-old soldier simply walked off his base in Patika province, carrying a knife, his diary and a small camera. “He was captured almost immediately and - despite a frantic search by US troops, drones and helicopters - smuggled into Pakistan by Taliban fighters. “A Pakistani militant commander told AFP that Sgt Bergdahl engaged with his captors, teaching them how to play badminton and inviting them to celebrate Easter and Christmas with them. “He also reportedly grew fond of kawa, an Afghan green tea, helped with the cooking and became fluent in the Afghan languages of Pashto and Dari.”Was it while Sgt. Bergdahl was enjoying his green tea, that US troops died during the frantic search for him? “At least six Americans were killed trying to find him.” (Jim Hoft, Gateway Pundit, June 1, 2014) It took the proverbial king’s ransom and a scandal-beleaguered Obama too get Sgt. Bergdahl released. “The Taliban's demands were high: they would exchange one low-ranking US soldier for five senior Afghan fighters being held at Guantánamo Bay. (The Telegraph)
“This week, Mr Obama agreed. The Guantánamo detainees were released into the custody of Qatar while Sgt Bergdahl was handed over to American special forces near the Pakistani border. “The young soldier, who was healthy enough to walk to the helicopter that carried him to safety, is now being treated at a hospital in Germany. “Chuck Hagel, the US secretary of defence, said the first priority is to restore his health before American intelligence officers begin to debrief him in the hope of extracting valuable information on the Taliban."In good health or not, it is far more likely that Sgt. Bergdahl will be debriefing Hagel, who may soon learn that the Taliban force commander in Pakistan has a wicked overhead smash in badminton and likes goat milk in his green tea. Now that the horse is out of the barn, Senator John McCain, himself a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, is raising concerns over whether the tiny state of Qatar could prevent the former prisoners from again threatening the US. "These are the hardest of the hardcore, these are the highest of the high risk people," Mr McCain said. "It's disturbing that these individuals would have the ability to re-enter the fight." (The Telegraph) Earth to Sen. McCain: Like all Congress members, you were bypassed when the Taliban trade deal went down by your own president, who sooner or later will come up with a ridiculous counter that he has imposed a 1-year travel ban on the Taliban. Remember when zero tolerance meant “We do not negotiate with terrorists?” Now it applies to two-year-olds eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the shape of a gun and giving the proverbial kitchen sink to the Taliban. They may be popping champagne corks in Hailey, Idaho, but the five Obama-released “Tally-ban” are laughing and taking care of business in Qatar.
View Comments