By Daveda Gruber
IS MEDIA ASSUMING GUILT BEFORE PRESUMING INNOCENCE?
A man signed
up to fight for his country. After all, we were and still are in a “War against
Terror.” This man was BOWE BERGDAHL. He was born March 28, 1986 in Sun Valley,
Idaho. He enlisted in the army and was sent to Afghanistan.
On June 30,
2009, Bowe Bergdahl went missing in Afghanistan. He was at this time the only
POW (Prisoner of War) in captivity from this “War on Terror”. A Department of
Defense statement issued on July 19 confirmed that Bergdahl was declared
“missing/whereabouts unknown” on July 1, and his status was changed to
missing/captured” on July 3rd.
His rank
started as Private First Class (E-3). In June 2010, he was promoted to
Specialist (E-4) during his absence. As time went by, he was later promoted to
the rank of sergeant (Sgt).
Promotions are
nice but getting him free and home would have been a lot better. The Taliban had
demanded one million and the release of twenty-one Afghan prisoners and Aafia
Siddiqui in exchange for Bergdahl’s release. They had threatened to execute
Bergdahl if Siddiqui was not released. Most of the Afghan prisoners are being
held at Guantanamo Bay. Still, the Taliban stated that they did not know
Bergdah’s location.
President
Obama had not sent a letter or made a phone call to the Bergdahl family,
although, other letters from staff members had been sent. I tend to resent the
fact that a president of the United States of America would not communicate
personally with a family of the only POW in captivity. May I remind you, as
well, that President Obama had paid an unexpected visit to Afghanistan and got
back on a private jet to return to the United States? I presume he did not
refuse aide and help to the country of Afghanistan for the return of an American
Soldier who was being held captive while Obama was
there.
The Taliban
have said that they did not know the location of Bergdahl but the Taliban have
sent five videos of Bergdahl in captivity since his capture.
A attempt to
escape was made by Sgt. Bergdahl and a video depicting how he was re-captured
has been shown. How could they not know where this man was if they have all this
information? There is a ‘Red Flag’ that comes up in my mind when investigating
all these facts.
Now, I
question the truthfulness of the Taliban. How would they have access to videos
especially one giving details of his failed escape and then his sad recapture if they didn't have any idea where he was?
I cried out to
Senator John McCain to say something to make it public that there was one
American Soldier being held captive in Afghanistan. He was himself a POW in
Vietnam and should have been able to relate to another man being in the same
type of position.
If you were
the mother or family member of the only prisoner of the war on terror, wouldn't you want all that could possibly be done to get him home be tried? The United
States finally located Bin Laden. Why couldn't we find one of our own?
The only
people who were trying to get him home were a handful on Facebook and a private
website until recently. Oh, his name was mentioned in a long list of POW’s
including John McCain but you’d have to know about it to find it. Finally, his
story hit FOX.
A few more
years later and Bowe Bergdahl is alive and all of a sudden he is released for an
exchange of five high-ranking Taliban from the Guantanamo Bay detention center.
The Taliban quickly found Bowe and knew where he was.
Many are angry
that Bergdahl many have intentionally walked away from his unit in Afghanistan.
I say that this information should be asked of Bowe. Let him tell his story.
After that, we will have a clearer picture. Doesn't an American have the right
to be presumed innocent until proven guilty? The man was held captive in less
than good conditions for five years.
I have been
following the Bowe Bergdahl story for a few years now; long before most of the
American people knew there is was an American POW
alive.
I believe that
Bowe must have the opportunity to tell his side of his story. Be kind, he was
held in overwhelming bad conditions for five years.
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