US soldier freed from captivity in Afghanistan

[GandD 5,966]

Oh what flights of fancy this thread is on. We definitely need more public hangings in the US!!!! Bring back stocks, public executions and corporal punishment in schools. Yay!

They act like the historical implementations of these punishments throughout many many many civilizations resulted in no or reduced crime. Which just isn't the case.......... at all.

[Karee 4,191]

They act like the historical implementations of these punishments throughout many many many civilizations resulted in no or reduced crime. Which just isn't the case.......... at all.

IDK, from what I read this guy decided he didn't like the Army life and split. Fellow soldiers died trying to find him. Now Obama is having news conferences on the front lawn of the white house with the guys Arabic speaking father (which is bizarre in itself because they don't speak Arabic in Afghanistan) claiming a great success after he didn't get congressional approval. Not only that, they did a "prisoner exchange" which puts the soldiers that didn't split in more danger. It sends a pretty clear message that if you kidnap a soldier, you can get some of your terrorist buddies released in return.

I have zero sympathy for this guy if all of the above is true, which it seems like it is.

ETA: If it is true, I hope they lock him up for a very long time. which isn't likely because of the president's involvement.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Karee

[JohnR! 5,495]

Oh what flights of fancy this thread is on. We definitely need more public hangings in the US!!!! Bring back stocks, public executions and corporal punishment in schools. Yay!

This whole thing reads like an episode of Twilight Zone.. Speculation on top of assumptions and before you know the mob is lynching this guy...

[Peikko 1,575]

IDK, from what I read this guy decided he didn't like the Army life and split. Fellow soldiers died trying to find him. Now Obama is having news conferences on the front lawn of the white house with the guys Arabic speaking father (which is bizarre in itself because they don't speak Arabic in Afghanistan) claiming a great success after he didn't get congressional approval. Not only that, they did a "prisoner exchange" which puts the soldiers that didn't split in more danger. It sends a pretty clear message that if you kidnap a soldier, you can get some of your terrorist buddies released in return.

I have zero sympathy for this guy if all of the above is true, which it seems like it is.

ETA: If it is true, I hope they lock him up for a very long time. which isn't likely because of the president's involvement.

As I do not know very much about this guy, how do you know all this about him? From what I have read, most people go AWOL in combat zones not because they are cowards, or fed up, but because they have some kind of mental exhaustion/break down.

As for releasing terrorists in exchange, this is not new. I a not sure why you think prisoner exchanges is new, or bad, or unjustified. Perhaps you can explain that?

[Karee 4,191]

As I do not know very much about this guy, how do you know all this about him?

You must have glossed over the first sentence in my post. I'll post it again for you.

IDK, from what I read this guy decided he didn't like the Army life and split.

From what I have read, most people go AWOL in combat zones not because they are cowards, or fed up, but because they have some kind of mental exhaustion/break down.

As for releasing terrorists in exchange, this is not new. I a not sure why you think prisoner exchanges is new, or bad, or unjustified. Perhaps you can explain that?

I thought the mantra was "we don't negotiate with terrorists" Which is exactly what they have done here. I don't have a problem with prisoner exchanges per se, but I'm having a hard time considering this guy a prisoner if what I'm reading is true. According to numerous reports, he asked his CO about the consequences of leaving his post with his weapon. He was told that it would be a problem. So this hardly seemed like some spur of the moment breakdown if that's true. From the Rolling Stone article:

“In the early-morning hours of June 30th, according to soldiers in the unit, Bowe approached his team leader not long after he got off guard duty and asked his superior a simple question: If I were to leave the base, would it cause problems if I took my sensitive equipment?

“Yes, his team leader responded – if you took your rifle and night-vision goggles, that would cause problems.

“Bowe returned to his barracks, a roughly built bunker of plywood and sandbags. He gathered up water, a knife, his digital camera and his diary. Then he slipped off the outpost.”

Not only that, add in the soldiers that allegedly died trying to find him, and I think the guy should be doing time. A lot of time.

And for the icing on the cake, it appears Obama didn't consult with congress which I believe is required by law. At a minimum it's the right thing to do. Even members of his own party are stating that.

So I'm seeing a lot wrong here.

[Peikko 1,575]

You must have glossed over the first sentence in my post. I'll post it again for you.

I thought the mantra was "we don't negotiate with terrorists" Which is exactly what they have done here. I don't have a problem with prisoner exchanges per se, but I'm having a hard time considering this guy a prisoner if what I'm reading is true. According to numerous reports, he asked his CO about the consequences of leaving his post with his weapon. He was told that it would be a problem. So this hardly seemed like some spur of the moment breakdown if that's true. From the Rolling Stone article:

Not only that, add in the soldiers that allegedly died trying to find him, and I think the guy should be doing time. A lot of time.

And for the icing on the cake, it appears Obama didn't consult with congress which I believe is required by law. At a minimum it's the right thing to do. Even members of his own party are stating that.

So I'm seeing a lot wrong here.

So instead of saying I don't know so I will not speculate, you say I don't know but my guess is that he's a bad guy because that way I can make a whole fairy tale of things to be upset about?

My understanding of mental issues of this nature is that they are most definitely not spur of the moment problems. They build up, the person who is suffering will often behave oddly, ask odd questions, make strange decisions that have no coherency.

Asking the consequences of leaving the post with a weapon, who asks that? Why ask it? What did he plan on doing in hostile territory on his own with or without a weapon? Does this sound like a rational series of questions and actions to you? It doesn't to me. If I was a rational person wanting 'out' I would wait until my next leave and find a way not to return, not wander off into hostile territory with no plan.

Edited June 3, 2014 by The Truth™

[Karee 4,191]

So instead of saying I don't know so I will not speculate, you say I don't know but my guess is that he's a bad guy because that way I can make a whole fairy tale of things to be upset about?

My understanding of mental issues are not spur of the moment problems. They build up, the person who is suffering will often behave oddly, ask odd questions, make strange decisions that have no coherency.

Asking the consequences of leaving the post with a weapon, who asks that? Why ask it? What did he plan on doing in hostile territory on his own with or without a weapon? Does this sound like a rational series of questions and actions to you? It doesn't to me. If I was a rational person wanting 'out' I would wait until my next leave and find a way not to return, not wander off into hostile territory with no plan.

I see you have 26k+ posts here on VJ. I'd think you would understand that a good part of this particular forum is speculation and opinion. Without that, they might as well take it down and post the dictionary. Although some would probably try to speculate on the contents of that. Also, as soon as you say you wont speculate, you do just that in your 3rd paragraph, so I'm kind of confused here.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I see you have 26k+ posts here on VJ. I'd think you would understand that a good part of this particular forum is speculation and opinion. Without that, they might as well take it down and post the dictionary. Although some would probably try to speculate on the contents of that. Also, as soon as you say you wont speculate, you do just that in your 3rd paragraph, so I'm kind of confused here.

Why even bother?

I watched that show when I was a kid.

[GandD 5,966]

IDK, from what I read this guy decided he didn't like the Army life and split. Fellow soldiers died trying to find him. Now Obama is having news conferences on the front lawn of the white house with the guys Arabic speaking father (which is bizarre in itself because they don't speak Arabic in Afghanistan) claiming a great success after he didn't get congressional approval. Not only that, they did a "prisoner exchange" which puts the soldiers that didn't split in more danger. It sends a pretty clear message that if you kidnap a soldier, you can get some of your terrorist buddies released in return.

I have zero sympathy for this guy if all of the above is true, which it seems like it is.

ETA: If it is true, I hope they lock him up for a very long time. which isn't likely because of the president's involvement.

Right. I was just kinda thinking a public hanging or "branding" as was suggested might not be the best avenue of punishment.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Right. I was just kinda thinking a public hanging or "branding" as was suggested might not be the best avenue of punishment.

They wouldn't have hung him or branded him anyway. He would have ended up in the slammer for a couple of decades. He still should be tried for desertion.

[JohnR! 5,495]

As I do not know very much about this guy, how do you know all this about him? From what I have read, most people go AWOL in combat zones not because they are cowards, or fed up, but because they have some kind of mental exhaustion/break down.

As for releasing terrorists in exchange, this is not new. I a not sure why you think prisoner exchanges is new, or bad, or unjustified. Perhaps you can explain that?

It is all based on speculation.

[GandD 5,966]

They wouldn't have hung him or branded him anyway. He would have ended up in the slammer for a couple of decades. He still should be tried for desertion.

I know. That's what I suggested to lost when he asked what I thought they should do. He asked if they should brand him with a d since I thought hanging him was too much. My suggestion was whatever jail time they normally do.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I know. That's what I suggested to lost when he asked what I thought they should do. He asked if they should brand him with a d since I thought hanging him was too much. My suggestion was whatever jail time they normally do.

I think so too, use the normal process for desertion. This guy isn't the only deserter the US has had, this one got the publicity because of the trade. I'm sure there have been plenty of court marshals and disciplinary actions take against soldiers that we never hear about. We only hear about cases like this or if civilians are intentionally killed, etc. It makes for a more sensational headline.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Man this thing is blowing up

[GandD 5,966]

I think so too, use the normal process for desertion. This guy isn't the only deserter the US has had, this one got the publicity because of the trade. I'm sure there have been plenty of court marshals and disciplinary actions take against soldiers that we never hear about. We only hear about cases like this or if civilians are intentionally killed, etc. It makes for a more sensational headline.

I think a little lienency could be shown or a little "time served" considering the conditions. If the guy is really "broken" let him go to a treatment facility. I don't know what he went through but it has to weigh in some I would think.