The Bergdahl Fiasco
.........................................................................................
American Thinker ^ | March 25, 2015 | Jonathan Keiler
The languishing case of Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl continues to raise serious questions about whether the Obama administration is illegally influencing the military justice system. It would not be the first time either, as Obama’s political views on Islam clearly prejudiced and dragged out the prosecution of former Major Nidal Hassan, the Fort Hood terrorist.
Both cases bear the marks of improper “command influence” on the military. This is most clearly evident in the tormented and confusing delays in processing both cases, reflective of the Army’s struggle to maintain at least a veneer of objectivity, while marching to Obama’s tune.
~snip~
In the Bergdahl case, something similar is happening, though the legal tactics have changed. It is hard to know exactly what is going on, as the Army has effectively stonewalled both the press and Congress. In January, on FOX television’s “The O’Reilly Factor” retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Tony Shaffer claimed that reliable sources told him that Bergdahl would be charged with desertion, though the Army was quick to deny that. Last week on the same program, Shaffer backtracked, and opined that the reason for the delay is that the Army wants Bergdahl to plead guilty to something less than the maximum offense -- desertion in the face of the enemy -- in order to spare the Obama administration the embarrassment of having freed a gaggle of terrorists on his behalf, and feting him and his family as heroes upon his release. This seems to be much more likely, both explaining the delay, and also better fitting President Obama’s agenda, even though that is not supposed to factor at all in military justice deliberations. |
