This claim is consistent with the emails he sent to his father just days before he left his unit. Bergdahl wrote to his father in somewhat less than patriotic terms: “I am sorry for everything here. These people need help, yet what they get is the most conceited country in the world telling them that they are nothing and that they are stupid.” He declared: “I am ashamed to be an American. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools. I am sorry for everything. The horror that is America is disgusting.”
“Taliban Commanders Say They Found Bergdahl Cursing His Countrymen,” by Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC News, June 5, 2014:
The Taliban found Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl walking alone, acting abnormally and cursing his countrymen before they captured him in Afghanistan in 2009, two men who were Taliban commanders at the time told NBC News on Thursday.
They said that Afghan locals first informed fighters about the soldier, and then the fighters rushed to capture him.
“Our people at the time couldn’t understand his language, but it was after he was shifted to a safe location, he said he wasn’t happy with his countrymen, but he didn’t intend to convert to Islam or join mujahideen (holy warriors),” one of the commanders said.
They later claimed that he did convert, however, and was teaching bomb-making to Taliban jihadis.
The commanders said that Taliban officers first thought it was a trick — perhaps an American soldier sent out alone to spy on the enemy.
“As we never saw their soldier patrolling alone … we would ask him how he managed to walk out of his base,” one of the commanders said. “He would tell us that it was personal issue.”…
John C. Barile says
O, well then–it’s a personal issue. We should all respect that; we should just leave things alone.
/sarc
ssoldie says
Bull…. and excuses, ‘personal issue’.
CogitoErgoSum says
If Bergdahl wanted only to help the people of Afghanistan he should have joined some type of group strictly opposed to violence…..like the Peace Corps or a non-violent religious organization (I wonder how he would have been received in Afghanistan as a Christian missionary?) Couldn’t he also have asked for a discharge under the classification of conscientious objector? Instead, he joined the U.S. Army…and then deserted. An Army is for (or should be for) fighting wars and defeating enemies of its country. Soldiers are expected to obey the orders of their commanders and to have confidence that the decisions of their leaders are in the best interest of THEIR country. President Obama doesn’t even think the Taliban is our enemy. Who, then, are we fighting? If Obama thinks like Bergdahl, he should get our army out of Afghanistan right now and send over the Peace Corps. Lets see how long the American people would put up with what happens to peaceful, unarmed American civilians over there……..any volunteers?
voegelinian says
We already are and have been helping the people of Afghanistan, to the tune of over 100 billion dollars now, in countless projects of building, rebuilding and repairing their infrastructure (power plants, hospitals, schools, water treatment, roads, bridges) — and to the tune of countless of our men and women dead or tragically wounded trying to defend Afghani Muslims from their own diseased countrymen trying to massacre them.
shrugger says
I’m sorry but there is a LONG list of things he could have done to help the People of Afghanistan. Going into Combat Arms DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO MAKING THAT LIST!!!11!!1!!
Can they actually hang someone for desertion in a time of war and treason that is SOO obviously mentally friggin deficient??
Meh, I’m going to go with yes anyway.
Kepha says
Interesting that they captured a guy who apparently wanted to be captured.
In any case, I remain of the opinion that an American deserter deserves an American firing squad.
ssoldie says
here, here
Rojm says
Does he care how women are treated in Afghanistan? Stoning, child marriage, blue burkas, and other such things should horrify anyone with a heart. I guess he had no heart to follow, if he could not see the treatment of women in Afghanistan as a crime against humanity.
tetra says
Well, i suppose it was logical for him to dislike America, seeing as how corporately inclined our politicians and presidents have become, the corruption is obvious. But why teach them how to make bombs? I suppose o could understand superior fighting techniques but not outright explosives, who would they use the explosives on? How do they engage in war? (Civilian targets exempt from attacks?) What would the dp with the new knowledge they gained? Why go back go America in the first place?(since he didn’t like it) does he just not want to fight anyone at all?(he didn’t join them in jihad) and if that’s the case why not just ask to leave and become a farmer or something? As a Muslim myself i don’t understand jis actions or those of people who hate America. They could just pray for America and teach the people Islam by example, fighting and killing people isn’t going to help at all. And even then you are only suppose to fight defensively, when islam expanded originally the purpose of such was to secure land and spread islam. Now we have no need for that, only.infighting between sects take place and even then, its questionable due to two reasons. One: shias are allowed to go to hajj(don’t know why) and two they still claim there is no god worthy of worship but the one true God. So we aren’t supposed to kill anyone who says that unless they commit a major crime… so how is all this murder justified or justifiable? ??
Glenn Nelson says
It looks like he may have been one of their boy toys…isn’t that one of the hats they put on them…and the ear rings?
RG says
@ Glenn Nelson. Good point! Ahemmm!
CP says
I think Bowe is somewhat “mentally challenged” Maybe that is why they won’t do anything to him but send him back to his parents. I was shocked that this young man cannot even spell. Also, the part about him not wanting to see his parents makes me think he’s ashamed to face them. There’s a lot going on here that doesn’t quite add up, but regardless, you just don’t walk off your post. Such a tragic thing that americans were killed while looking for him. May God comfort their family’s loss. This family is a mite strange.