Should a captured American soldier be executed by the Taliban?

[Choronzon]

Mossad.

I don't understand. Are you trying to say "Mossad does this, and are pretty successful at it." or perhaps "Mossad does this and their neighbors all hate Israel."? Or maybe something else all together?

 

[mgb_phys]

The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have been extremely successful. The fall of the Ba'ath party, Iraq has a near fully functional army and air force again, there is democracy...Do some homework before you make such blasphemous claims.

Who put the devoutly anti-communist Ba'ath party in power in the first place?
Hope your new guy works out better.

Afghanistan is working pretty well - at this rate we should be able to get rid of the Russians soon, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8540726.stm

 

[MotoH]

Who put the devoutly anti-communist Ba'ath party in power in the first place?
Hope your new guy works out better.

Afghanistan is working pretty well - at this rate we should be able to get rid of the Russians soon, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8540726.stm

He should have been removed from power after OP: DS. We also didn't get Bin Laden when we had the chance in 95. Easy to say that someone is a bad man in hindsight.

The Russians blame NATO for all of its problems if you haven't noticed. This is coming from a country who lost almost a hundred fully operational T-80s in a forest in the Urals.

 

[russ_watters]

I was skiing a year ago in Tahoe and a section of the mountain was roped-off and had a sign over it telling you that if you passed the sign, your life was in your own hands. Among other things, it said "rescue, if available, will be costly".

My point is, the government's responsibility to keep you safe has limits. At some point, when you knowingly enter into a dangerous situation, you take your life into your own hands.

 

[zomgwtf]

I was skiing a year ago in Tahoe and a section of the mountain was roped-off and had a sign over it telling you that if you passed the sign, your life was in your own hands. Among other things, it said "rescue, if available, will be costly".

My point is, the government's responsibility to keep you safe has limits. At some point, when you knowingly enter into a dangerous situation, you take your life into your own hands.

So going to work as a soldier is one of those jobs where when things go bad they say 'just kill him'?

I don't believe that at all.

 

[russ_watters]

So going to work as a soldier is one of those jobs where when things go bad they say 'just kill him'?

Huh? I'm not talking about the regular duties. I'm talking about what happens when someone "passes the ropes". I probably should have quoted an earlier post where people were talking about speculation the soldier was a deserter and comparing that to things like the missionaries arrested in North Korea that Clinton bailed out (or the ones in Hati that s/he didn't!). The thread seems to have moved beyond that...

 

[MotoH]

I don't understand. Are you trying to say "Mossad does this, and are pretty successful at it." or perhaps "Mossad does this and their neighbors all hate Israel."? Or maybe something else all together?

Israel is the most feared country in Palestine, not only because of its immense military strength, but because Mossad is extremely good at what they do. I believe it is one of Hezbollah's leaders that has been in hiding for the past 2 years for fear of assassination.

Israels neighbors have hated Israel since it was founded, not because of Mossads exploits, but because they do not want them their. (amongst other reasons)

 

[mheslep]

When I was a soldier I certainly did fight where and when I was told, and only then...

I'm sure you did. I had in mind some of the stories Gen Patraeus told after he took over in Iraq, about having to go visit some commanders and remind them.

 

[BobG]

First off, where in Afghanistan was Bergdahl stationed when he was abducted? There seems to be an assumption that he was stationed in a war zone where his base was the only safe place for Americans and that only a deserter would leave the base.

Leaving a base doesn't make one a deserter. It doesn't even make him AWOL unless he fails to show up for his next shift (and he reportedly left the base after completion of a duty shift).

Leaving his weapons only means he didn't leave the base expecting trouble. Presumably, he wouldn't have left the base if he thought he would be abducted.

Secondly, how hard is it to get off base? Is this base in enemy territory, so guards patrol the perimeter? Guards that Bergdahl had to evade to sneak off of the base? Or did Bergdahl just walk out of the main gate - an action the gate guards didn't find the least bit unusual?

If it was normal to leave the base, were there off limits establishments and/or off limits areas of town? Places where an American would be taking their life in their own hands if they visited? Was Bergdahl in one of those establishments or parts of town when he was abducted? Or was he the exception that was abducted in one of the safe parts of town?

He reportedly left the base with three Afghans. Americans at some locations (Camp Harriman/Forward Operating Base Orgun-E, for example), have an excellent relationship with Afghans that work on the base and with the Afghans in the surrounding community. Not that Camp Harriman is particularly relevant since we don't know where Bergdahl was abducted from.

So, was he leaving with them because he was defecting? Was he leaving to go get drunk with them? Was leaving the base with Afghans that lived in the community dangerous? Or was it a lot safer than wandering around a foreign community on your own?

There's just about no info on Bergdahl's capture other than that he definitely is in Taliban hands and that he definitely is a US soldier. Those are the only two things that are definitely fact.

I'm not sure what's served by speculating on how we should handle him if he's a deserter or if he's a hero on a secret mission, since there's no reason to believe he's either.

 

[zomgwtf]

I'm not sure what's served by speculating on how we should handle him if he's a deserter or if he's a hero on a secret mission, since there's no reason to believe he's either.

Thank you, I was just about to come on and write something along the same lines since I was too tired to bother to reply last night.

I don't think that Bergdahl is some sort of 'hero' on a secret mission but I do not think it's fair at all for Fox News to be putting on the air to the public that this man should be executed by the Taliban to save America troubles. That was pretty much the entire point of this post.

Now going to rescue him that's something different, I feel that if America finds his location and they are certain that a rescue op would be effective with no casualties then they obviously should go for it... Even if there were minimal casualities they should go in and extract him. The military definitely know that they are signing up to risk their lives to help others and in this case it would be to rescue a fellow soldier from the hands of the enemy.
I personally wouldn't have any problems laying down my life to go and rescue this man from his captors. I feel it would be better that I die or get shot and suffer than have to sit around and kick back while this man may be tortured or worse... be beheaded while he's fully concious.