You are still trying to imagine noble motivations, from the grunt perspective alone (because you were never in management). It's merely coincidence, I'm sure, that they fit the "Obama is the anti-Christ" narrative.
So now it's the vast right wing conspiracy angle. LOL. Face it, Team Obama miscalculated the optics on this one, good or bad deal aside.
I'm just asking what I believe to be fair questions. Do we give the farm away regardless of what the person did in becoming a prisoner? It's a fair debate to have. Secondly, I think we need to address this hero status for everyone and anyone. It diminishes true acts of heroism and accomplishment above and beyond. That's problematic in many areas, not the least of which is POW negation.
Listen, I think what we have is a really mixed up guy who acted impulsively from the get go and things went south for him. Clearly he was in a mentally diminished capacity, which of course will be his defense. I think his father, a religious nut from way back, traded one crazy belief for another trying to get his son back. As I wrote earlier in this thread, I can't say what I would or wouldn't do in the same situation.
This will end up in a General Court Martial. His defense will be mental and emotional duress. Bowe will be found not guilty of collaboration, because proving collaboration will be a real bitch for the prosecution, but guilty of dissertation as that is an obvious fact. He'll be reduced in rank, lose all back pay, get a less than honorable discharge and time in captivity will serve as his punishment. Personally I think that's fair, given what we know at this moment in time. He'll disappear back to his life and that will be that.
Politically, It's another screw up for Obama, but he'll be forgiven by the left and chastised by the right. Not a single vote will be swayed. And the political beat goes on, and on, and on... bores me to tears.
Oh, and for those who will argue that the punishment I stated above is not fair because people died for nothing looking for this guy. Well, they all died for nothing in this war. Iraq and Afghanistan. There was no victory in Iraq. The place is as fucked up as ever. The Tali's will be in control 2 days after we leave Afghanistan. It's all been for nothing, just like Viet Nam. You going to put one guy up against the wall for that? How's about we put 535+ up against the wall. Then we're talking true retribution for crimes against our military and our nation.
