A couple of days ago I read an article in the Washington Post (Bergdahl’s Writings Reveal a Fragile Young Man) on Bergdahl’s state of mind. Now if the information provided in the article is correct, he was not mentally stable when he was accepted into the Army. According to the article and what I’ve read over the last couple of days he was given a psychological discharge from the Coast Guard. If this is true than he was ineligible to join any other branch of the armed services.
Don’t think that I’m on his side for deserting his unit and the military and being the cause of the death of several servicemen, but I’m just curious as to how much of this could have been prevented and by whom. Is it the Army’s fault? Did they and if so, why did they grant a waiver to someone who was discharged from another military branch for psychological reasons? Should his friend, Kim Harrison, have given his journals to the Army when he enlisted? Why didn’t his family and friends speak up sooner? How did the Army miss his instability? Was he really faking his psychological state when he was in and discharged from the Coast Guard?
I do not under any circumstances believe that he should have been traded for 5 high-ranking Taliban leaders. And truthfully he shouldn’t have been traded for the newest Taliban recruit with no power. Since this story broke, I’ve wondered if we’re doing a dance with the devil. If we are than it’s a very dangerous dance and could have exponentially devastating effects on not only the United States but U.S. supporters.
Yes, sometimes you do have to dance with the devil in order to cut its head off, but I just don’t think this is the best move. In my opinion it’s a really bad one and I feel in my bones that the ramifications (although not immediate) will be great.
But the burning question for me is: Why these 5 Taliban leaders? or does it even matter which ones were released? Why so many for one man? It doesn’t make sense to me. And no matter how much I try to wrap my head around it I just can’t. Is it politics gone to far? A bad ‘business’ deal?
I, along with so many other Americans, want to know the truth behind this decision. I don’t want to hear the propaganda made in an attempt to placate us, just the truth.
20/20 Hines Sight 