Seeing this poor soldier being held in Afghanistan just breaks my heart.

[Critters2]

And causes me to continue hoping for the time when we will find peaceful means to settle disputes.

[vadawg]

1. unfortunately that time will never come, unless theres mass hypnosis

all we can do is pray for this soldier and his family. No idea what we will do to rescue him though.

[Brother Buzz]

5. My wife believes peaceful solutions are possible in a matriarchal society

I have to admit there is merit to her view. :shrug:

[tuckessee]

20. Yeah right. Just think Lyndie England.

Or Condoleeza Rice. Gimme a break!

[Wilms]

2. There is no dispute. Just pipelines and poppies. n/t

[Oregone]

3. Weve been dropping bombs on people there for years

Your heart should already be broke.

I wish the best for this man

[mix]

4. a very sad and cynical lol

+1

[Critters2]

6. I fully admit that actually seeing this poor soul brings it home more strongly

than reading about it, or hearing it reported.

But, just for the record, I can feel for both the Afhanis who've suffered under our oppression, and this poor man, as well. I can do two things at the same time.

[Oregone]

7. Understandable

After a few years, apathy can also grow, and things like this tear down that wall

[Ex Lurker]

8. it's actually a good sign

it means they have an interest in keeping him alive and in somewhat good condition. If there was nothing but silence, that would be more worrisome.

[wundermaus]

9. Do you think they will torture him?

Or hold him indefinitely?
They may even kill him.
The Taliban are just like us.

[Ex Lurker]

11. I'm sure they're not treating him like an honored guest

but they've also made noises about exchanging him for some of their people, which is probably the best case scenario.

[stray cat]

13. just like you maybe? I don't usually throw acid in little girls' faces to keep them from school

[Rhiannon12866]

10. K&R. I absolutely agree, heartbreaking...

It is so long past time that we bring these guys home... ;(

[PuraVidaDreamin]

12. I think with the escalation, unfortunately it will get worse.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm losing hope.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. Me, too. I thought that this was a campaign promise...

One that most Obama voters were banking on, IMO. ;( But I fear that you're right. I saw the video of that poor guy again, today. :scared:

[chatnoir]

14. I cried when I first saw this yesterday

And now this morning saw the following and feel sick. A 23 yo kid from Idaho. ;(


US soldier kidnapped by the Taliban is 23-year-old Army paratrooper Bowe Bergdahl
BY Stephanie Gaskell
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Updated Sunday, July 19th 2009, 10:34 AM

The U.S. soldier captured by the Taliban is a 23-year-old Army paratrooper from Idaho on his first deployment to Afghanistan, Pentagon officials said Sunday.

Private 1st Class Bowe Bergdahl, who joined the Army just last year, was shown pleading for his life on a video released by his captors Saturday night.

<snip>

On Sunday, a Taliban spokesman told Reuters that the video was proof that the soldier was in their custody.

"He is fine and healthy as you saw in the video tape," the spokesman said. "We will decide in the future as to what needs to be done with him."


More at http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/07/19/2009-07-19_bring_us_home_gi_pleads_talibanheld_soldier_sez_on_vid_he_fears_for_life.html


The family of Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl released the above photo.

[UTUSN]

15. & yet Shrub-CHEENEE claimed to believe what what POWs say under duress/TORTURE is "true"!1

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6101238

[chucker47]

16. the poor soldier

Yes. I feel badly for this soldier. He's in a tough spot. The enemy knows how the American public reacts to such visions and they will use it! This soldier may die. He may sustain crippling injuries. It's possible he may survive in good health. Depends on factors mostly outside his control. But he has training and instruction, as all soldiers and Marines receive during bootcamp and advanced training, and he is obligated to act accordingly. He is disadvantaged because he is alone. Not having support from other POWS must be very hard on him.
I'd say he will encounter extraordinary pressure to give more information than he should. If he does, it will not go well for him with military authorities. That is just how it is during war.

[northernlights]

17. oh, here's our visiting freeper again

"I'd say he will encounter extraordinary pressure to give more information than he should. If he does, it will not go well for him with military authorities."

And once again you display astonishing ignorance.

What do you think? That if he's tortured into talking, our military authorities will get him for it?

Well, we all *know*, thanks to Dubya and Darth, that torture leads to good intell...NOT.

Let's try again. We all *know* that, thanks to Dubya and Darth, we are no longer on the torture high ground.

In fact, thanks to Dubya and Darth, the Taliban now have free rein and EXCUSE to torture with impunity. Not to gain bad intel, of course. They know better.

But to pressure us into a better trade deal.

Now why don't you just go back to freeperland, where you belong? :hi:

[mmonk]

19. This is the situation where how we treat prisoners hurts his chances.

I'm praying for mercy.