Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Republican Party Spokesman Calls for the Death of Captured American Soldier

On Faux News over the weekend, Right Wing mouthpiece Ralph Peters called for the Taliban to execute captured Army Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl. I have seen a lot of nonsense by the Right...but this made my heart skip a few beats (not for any good reasons either). I thought I was imagining things... that maybe Rachel Maddow (who pointed this out on her program) was somehow playing tricks on me... but I went online and retrieved the video and replayed it just to make sure that I didn't lose my mind.



Peters has jumped to a lot of conclusions....mainly assuming that Pfc. Bergdahl abandoned his post. The latest reports that I have read have suggested that this soldier may have been drinking and may have wandered off too far.

Here is what was reported by the Taliban on one of its own websites, from July 6th:

"Five days ago, a drunken American soldier who had come out of his garrison named Malakh was captured by mujahedeen. ... He is still with mujahedeen," said the report. The short Web message did not elaborate on his whereabouts....

Either way.... Ralph Peters is out of line.

1. No matter what the circumstances are... this is an American. Period. The U.S. should do all it can to find him and bring him home alive.

2. This young man is/was the responsibility of his senior enlisted comrades (NCO's) and his commanders...regardless of the circumstances. It was their job to take care of him....especially if he was under the influence or for some other reason was not making good decisions for himself. He's a Pfc. for crying out loud! Even if he did something worthy of disciplinary action... he's still the responsibility of his NCO's and commanders. It is their job to make sure he gets home to his family. The same is true for any soldier. Even if they are under the supervision of MP's... They should still be brought home to their families.....and to face disciplinary action if appropriate.

3. It is way out of line for a pundit, a reporter, and especially a Right wing mouthpiece to call for the death of an American soldier being held captive. Especially when the family is panicked about their loved one. Isn't Ralph Peters, with the help of Faux News, collaborating with enemies of the United States by asking them to kill an American soldier? What Lt. Col. Peters did is sickening. His retirement status should be reviewed IMO.

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