Bowe Bergdahl trial delayed until February – under next president

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, who walked off his combat outpost in Afghanistan and spent five years in captivity, will be court martialed under a new commander-in-chief.

A military judge decided Tuesday to delay Bergdahl’s trial from August until February to provide time for resolving disputes over the defense team’s access to classified documents.

Bergdahl, 30, sat attentively in his dress blue formal uniform, his infantry cord looped under the epaulet on his right shoulder, during the brief hearing. The soldier from Hailey, Idaho, faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. The latter charge is relatively rare and carries the potential sentence of life in prison.

A February start would mean the court martial could make headlines only weeks after the new commander-in-chief is sworn in as president.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]


Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/17/bowe-bergdahl-trial-delayed-next-president

---

Associated Press in Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Tuesday 17 May 2016 16.54 BST

[blackspade]

1. A rediculous persecution.

[dembotoz]

2. either hrc or trump could produce a show trial to show they are strong with the military

[Marrah_G]

3. He suffered enough

[DinahMoeHum]

4. A POW from Vietnam says: Free Bowe Bergdahl

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/who-we-are/member-highlights/2016/03/03/vietnam-pow-speaks-bowe-bergdahl

(snip)
A personal note here: I was held for 8 years as a POW in Vietnam, along with hundreds of other American airmen as time went along after my capture. I was trained prior in a Navy survival school. And I was a Navy Lieutenant, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. So unlike Bowe, not only did I have training for the possible eventuality of being captured but I was also with fellow Americans. We were able to support each other and resist as an organized, military, team.
What a difference from the circumstances of PFC Bowe Bergdahl. What a difference we experienced upon repatriation, welcomed as returning heroes. Bowe is being court martialed.
(snip)
(snip)
We all need to examine what is really going on here. The upcoming court martial of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is just a signpost of a much deeper, cancerous infection. And punishing this low-ranking man who never should have been in the Army in the first place is anathema to any kind of justice. Free Bowe Bergdahl!
(snip)

More about Philip N. Butler here:
http://phillipbutlerphd.com/

[Javaman]

17. I agree...

there is a great podcast called "Serial" which is following the history and current developments regarding Bergdahl.

from everything I have heard so far, it sounds as if it's his commanding officer has an axe to grind that's why Bergdahl is up for courts martial.

[yellowcanine]

5. So members of the military are not entitled to a "speedy" trial?

Something stinks here, methinks.

[former9thward]

7. The defense is the one filing the motions to delay.

Does that stink? Maybe.

[yellowcanine]

9. The delay is about the defense access to classified documents.

"A military judge decided on Tuesday to delay Bergdahl’s trial from August until February to provide time for resolving disputes over the defense team’s access to classified documents."

If the defense cannot get the access to classified documents, the judge should give the military a limited time to provide the access and dismiss the case if access is not provided, not delay the case. The defendant's right to a speedy trial should not hinge on the military's refusal to allow proper discovery to proceed.

[Lurks Often]

11. That presumes the defense team and Bergdahl want a speedy trial

[jberryhill]

28. These types of things are not at all unusual

It's not as if he's locked up or anything.

[Rafale]

6. That dude suffered enough from his own stupidity.

Perhaps a pardon is coming.

[TipTok]

8. Hope he gets the max and rots....

[truebrit71]

19. Nice.

[FairWinds]

10. I'm also a member of Veterans For Peace . .

Bergdahl is only one of thousands of troops who are experiencing
psychological distress or worse . .

As long as the USA sends young people out to kill for the empire,
many will come back deeply scarred psychologically.

The magnitude of the problem is stunning.

Here is an article I wrote on the subject . .

http://www.juancole.com/2015/09/bowe-bergdahl-psychology.html

(BTW, I find it infuriating that the Trumpster regularly singles Bergdahl out
for denunciation.)

[Brickbat]

12. Never should have been in the army in the first place.

[alarimer]

13. No, that much was clear from Serial

In general, I am fairly sympathetic and think 5 years in a Taliban hellhole is punishment enough.

[Brickbat]

15. Same same.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. If it's President Trump, he'll probably have him summarily executed on the White House lawn....

....for being a "traitor."

Because his dumb ass thinks going AWOL is the same as being a traitor and fighting for the enemy.

Honestly, it's simple. Time served (in conditions far worse than any US military prison), discharged, end of story.

[FairWinds]

16. He's also going to need a lifetime of medical care . .

and he should get it.

[TipTok]

18. He can get it at Leavenworth...

[FairWinds]

20. Snark alert . .

no attempt to offer reasoning, evidence, and/or facts.

I hope that you are not treated as callously as you
treat Bergdahl, even though frankly you deserve it.

So are you a vet? Active? Neither one?

Veterans For Peace

[TipTok]

21. If I wander off alone and unannounced off my FOB...

... and into the local Afghan population feel free to be as callous as you like.

He deserves the maximum punishment here for all the wasted time, resources and people who had to focus on him instead of doing their job.

[FairWinds]

22. And what is "their job"?

I have yet to meet a single Iraq or Afghanistan vet
who thinks the mission who thinks the mission is going
anywhere . .

Surprising that they don't all wander off.

[TipTok]

23. Jobs were wide and varied ... Especially back then...

I'm not sure how it was for you but the current goal is to do the best you can with what you've got.

Things certainly were not made better by the diversion of resources to look for one lost idiot. Not to mention everything that happened later in political, military and diplomatic spheres.

[FairWinds]

24. Here is your mission . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017372895#post3

[TipTok]

25. Way to promote the crazy vet stereotype...

... just waiting to snap.

We don't need that kind of help.

[FairWinds]

26. Dumb wars and engaging in torture create mentally ill veterans . .

I know lots of them.

And almost all the figures I cite are from the Veterans Administration, like . .
one third of the vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, 730,000 men and women,
had come home with a mental health condition by 2012.

The truth is the truth. Try to deal with it.

Personally, I think I have a case of moral injury - look it up.

http://www.stripes.com/opinion/why-distinguishing-a-moral-injury-from-ptsd-is-important-1.333520

How about you?

You seem to sorta belong on web sites of a more
Wingist persuasion.

[TipTok]

27. There is a difference between awareness...

... and hyperbolic garbage like "Then they come back home to the good ol' USA as walking time bombs."

[DashOneBravo]

29. Alert

On Wed May 18, 2016, 04:42 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

There is a difference between awareness...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1455280

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

"hyperbolic garbage" is disrespectful.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Wed May 18, 2016, 04:52 PM, and the Jury voted 0-7 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: What?
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I'm on the fence on this one.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future

[TipTok]

30. Ha...

I needed that chuckle...