Discussion: Bergdahl Says He Was Tortured by Taliban Captors

Discussion for article #223652

Sadly, largely due to the actions of the Bush Administration, I am afraid that Sgt. Bergdahl is going to have a very tough time. All of the things he claims were “torture,” we have done too…and in spades.

But it was “not torture” according to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush, Tennant, Addington, and of course John Yoo…who “made it” all legal with a few strokes of the pen.

What we did in Iraq, Iran and Guantanamo and condoned in the numerous “black sites” we sent prisoners to was defined as war crimes in WW II and people were sentenced to death for doing it.

Now, with just a little change in definitions, you can do most anything, but it isn’t torture. “Enhanced interrogation?” That sounds good.

Sorry Bowe. You were just a victim of some Enhanced Interrogation and induced stress.

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TPM (via AP):

Some of Bergdahl’s fellow soldiers maintain that Americans died during efforts to find and save him.

Fox News:

Pentagon officials probing claims that eight soldiers died while looking for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl have confirmed two troops from his unit died while the search was underway, but not while they while they were on patrol, a senior defense official told Fox News Friday.

Bergdahl was held by the Taliban for five years before being released last week in exchange for five Taliban Guantanamo detainees. Since his release, members of Bergdahl’s unit at the time of his disappearance have said he was a deserter and claimed eight men died as a result of the search for him.

The official said the two soldiers in Bergdahl’s unit who died were in a combat outpost that was attacked. The official said it was impossible to prove a link between their deaths and Bergdahl’s disappearance.

In addition, investigators have determined that some of the other eight soldiers were killed while driving a logistic delivery to the base, and likely would have been doing so regardless of the search. The official said a few others were involved in explosive ordinance detection, but did not say whether that job was related to their deaths.

The official also confirmed that Bergdahl did try to escape his captors at least twice. After one of the attempts he was “caged” in either a small box or small room, and was at some point held in solitary confinement for a period of time.

Doesn’t this seem a bit backward TPM?
That I can find a more complete narrative of sourced opinions at-- of all places-- Fox News?

jw1

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Then there’s this:

On Wednesday, Bergdahl’s hometown of Hailey, Idaho, abruptly canceled plans for a welcome-home celebration, citing security concerns. And on Saturday the FBI said Bergdahl’s family had received threats that are being investigated by federal, state and local authorities.

The U.S. official told the AP that Bergdahl’s parents were being harassed and threatened, including death threats.

Can’t fathom the depth of depravity necessary for this to occur.
Savagery. It’s no better than that.

jw1

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Meanwhile, Sean Hannity suggests collaboration. This country is beyond redemption at this point.

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Well this news ought give right-wing cruelty pimps this week’s get-off.

After all Americans suffering SOMETHING from ANYONE get our morally defective Baggers their little sado-gasms.

Remember if you skip the polls in November, we’ll have to listen to more of them.

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Well jw1 I happen to see a promo for Chris Wallaces sSunday show and he and others will be pushing that soldiers did die while looking for Bowe Bergdahl.Facts don’t matter with these folks.

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Not sure how it makes sense.
That FoxNews TV is serving up red-meat to their cable audience;
where FoxNews.com’s article (posted 6/6) is actually questioning the veracity of those red-meat generalities foreshadowed on-air today.

jw1

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Heartbreaking to hear what he endured under the Afghani Taliban. However, I’m afraid of what is going to happen to him and his family at the hands of the American Taliban now.

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TPM Headline: Bergdahl Says He Was Tortured By Taliban Captors


Fox News Headline: Good. He deserved it!

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CNN reports that the FBI is already investigating threats to the parents.

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Death threats against the family of American POW kept in a cage and torture or weeks/months… GOOD WORK PATRIOTS!

IMOP,
Psychopathy, Sociopathy, Squared = RW and Sycophantic media. And because they hate that Pres. Obama is spoiling their game…

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No, he was subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques. Based on the organ failure/death definition of the US government, it was NOT torture.

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“Not sure how it makes sense.”

Touche !

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From “The Guardian”

Hailey’s police chief, Jeff Gunter, told Reuters that the four
threatening emails were being investigated by the FBI. FBI spokesman
William Facer said in a statement: “The FBI continues to monitor the
situation in Hailey, Idaho. We are working jointly with our state and
local partners and taking each threat seriously.”

The organized projectile-vomit hatred aimed at the Bergdahls by the conservative movement leaves me deeply worried about our nation’s character and more importantly the safety of the Bergdahls.

P.S. Wasn’t meant as a reply to Pine, but the comment system still has me a little befuddled sometimes. Oh, well; not to worry.

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“Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has told people treating him at a U.S. military medical facility in Germany that he was tortured, beaten and held in a cage by his Taliban captors in Afghanistan after he tried to escape, a senior U.S. official said Sunday.”

From the views on the right I have read it looks like the GOP is in line with the Taliban

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Bergdahl had the unfortunate circumstance of being released during an Obama presidency.

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Bowe, based on the vile things Fox News and Republicans have been saying about you what the Talibans did to you is nothing compared to the psychological torture Americans will inflict on you.

This may sound cold but I give him 2 years in America for him to off himself. If I were his family I’d leave this country along with my child and move to Europe or Canada. File for refugee immigration consideration.

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Repubs trying to Benghazi the Bergdahl release. The “facts” come from them and only them.

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This is just an appalling, dispiriting situation all around. But, not to be a Pollyanna, there’s decency to be seen as well. I think the majority of people are glad he’s safe, and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. They’re just not screaming it in spittle-flecked rantings on the societal bathroom wall we call the Internet. Maybe, when we know more, thoughtful people will feel sympathetic toward an overly idealistic, enthusiastic young man who couldn’t handle the callousness and brutality he found in a real war zone. Maybe it helps to remember Hugh Thompson, the helicopter pilot in Vietnam who ordered his crew to stop one part of the My Lai massacre and flew some of the villagers out to safety. He was willing to use force against his own fellow soldiers, because many people understand that simple humanity is a higher thing than unquestioning tribal loyalty. And the helicopter crew got medals for it. That’s too complicated for the dregs to understand. But most of us get it, I think.

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