They were for Bergdahl before they were against him: those terrible GOP flip-floppers
Expect to read a lot more articles like this one in your friendly neighborhood MSM, entitled “The Bergdahl boomerang: GOP lawmakers who long urged a rescue now sour on the idea.”
The article isn’t quite as lopsided as the headline would suggest. For example, it has a few passages that take into account the fact that the actual Bergdahl deal featured some circumstances the GOP hadn’t bargained for, and that some Democrats are upset and changed their minds too. But the piece is obviously meant to stir readers who are Democrat loyals to have sentiments exactly like this one in the comments section, first in line when I happened to look just now: “It’s the same old story; the GOP supports something until Obama does it, then they oppose it.”
This is the line that the MSM has agreed would work best as an approach to the Bergdahl release, that and the one that goes something like “Republicans are attacking a soldier, so they’re hypocrites when they say they care about the military.”
When the Bergdahl deal first broke, the MSM was as blindsided as everyone else and their first reactions were more honest and more critical of the administration. Oops! Now that they’ve had time to stop, digest, regroup, confer, and get their talking points straight, they’re more united on the themes they think will be most effective in deflecting criticism from Obama and reflect most poorly on Republicans.
I don’t think most of you need reminding, but these are just some of the things that changed between the time politicans were supporting some sort of deal for Bergdahl and the time the details of the actual deal came out:
(1) Much more about Bergdahl’s desertion (not to say possible defection) has come out, proving that he walked away willingly, and knowingly put his comrades at risk in searching for him.
(2) The identities of the prisoners in the exchange, five of the worst detainees at Gitmo, if not the worst.
(3) The security arrangements for those prisoners after their release—that is, practically none, or laughable ones.
(4) Obama’s flouting of the laws that govern notice to Congress when releasing Guantanamo prisoners.
(5) Obama’s ignoring the counsel of military and intelligence experts on the dangers of this move.
Have I left anything out? It’s as though a person has agreed that getting a nice new car would be awfully nice, and then when the car is delivered he discovers that (a) it’s a lemon, and the seller knew it’s a lemon; (b) it has a bomb attached to it that will go off when the ignition is started; and (c) he will have to pay the seller a billion dollars. The person receiving the car might even respond by flip-flopping and say hey, wait a minute, I don’t really want that car after all, if that’s the deal I have to accept to get it.
But it would be too late; the deed was done without consulting him. And then it’s time to call him a hypocrite.
A good analogy, neo.
This is a deal where our Congress critters will try to see which way the wind is blowing. Let them know what you think.
Here’s my e-mail:
“Dear Senator/Representative ________,
I’m writing to express my opinion on the Bergdahl affair.
I have great sympathy for Bergdahl’s parents and their long, desperate quest to see their son returned home. I’m glad, for their sakes, that he is safe in our custody. That said, there are questions about his conduct at the time he left his unit. There must be a thorough investigation of this and a court martial, if necessary, composed of experienced combat soldiers, not, not rear echelon garri-troopers. I don’t want to see the military justice system diluted by lawyers and people who have never heard a shot fired in anger.
As to the trade of five Taliban for Bergdahl. All I can say is, what is happening to this country?
The Taliban are a terrorist group. This was not, not an exchange of POWs at the end of hostilities. We should never negotiate with terrorists. This precedent has made hostages much more lucrative for the terrorists. Wouldn’t a Colonel, a General, or a Senator be a much more attractive hostage now? This, in my opinion, was about as stupid a move as the Executive branch has made yet.
Do not allow any more of the dangerous illegal combatants that are held at GITMO to be released.
Sincerely,”
Let’s let them hear it. Write to them about the VA. About the Benghazi investigation. About the IRS abuses. About the EPA overreach on CO2. About Obama’s outrageous use of executive orders. About their supine willingness to let the executive run all over them. Etc. No dearth of issues to bombard them about. They do count the yeas and nays on issues. Let them know where you stand.
They don’t actually read them directly. Their secretary handles that stuff.
You can tell how much they are paying attention by how quickly they reply.
I didn’t request a reply to the above missive. All three Congress Critters have replied. That’s really unusual. Both because I got a reply and this quickly. It shows that this is a veeery sensitive issue.
They will think everyone is sleep walking as usual, if they don’t hear from you. Try it, you’ll like it. The more you do, the more you’ll want to do. You may think it’s not doing any good, but they have their fingers in the air trying to find out which way the wind’s blowing. They may not agree with you – mine sure as heck don’t, but they need to know that everyone is not on board with their programs and ideas.
You want “flouting”. “Flaunting” means something else entirely. It’s a common confusion.
Both because I got a reply and this quickly.
And those replies are different from canned mass messages in what way? They were hand written?
Language Nazi:
Thanks! Will fix.
You left out one thing from the car analogy, neo. We traded a Mercedes Benz that’s got some miles on it but is still in condition to get that lemon that’s still going to cost a billion dollars.
Just saying, in addition to everything else that’s wrong with the deal we could have gotten more for our trade-in, too.
And they’re not just calling their critics hypocrites anymore. Now they’re calling people psychopaths.
I am amazed at the stupid things people have to say to defend the Obama administration. Especially by the Obama administration.
Susan Rice says Bergdahl served with honor and distinction, and she and others are doubling down by claiming they were talking about the fact Bergdahl enlisted. Apparently just signing the contract and putting on the uniform counts as serving with honor and distinction.
So when are we going to be emptying out Leavenworth and our other military stockades and naval brigs, as opposed to emptying out GITMO? Everybody in those lock-ups signed a contract and wore a uniform. That’s the only way you can get into those prisons.
Bradley Manning signed the contract and wore the uniform. He even deployed. Did he serve with honor and distinction?
This is the weird place we’re in. They’re saying a deserter served with honor and distinction, and they’re calling the soldiers who didn’t desert but risked their lives (some killed) looking for him psychopaths and “swift boaters.”
They think telling the truth is a crime. Politicians and their flunkys are allowed to say stupid things, I suppose, but these politicians and flunkys are speaking for the Commander in Chief.
This bodes well for morale and retention.
Via Dave Burge of Iowahawk fame, apparently somebody has noticed the same thing I have about Obama and his minions. To be fare, lots of people have noticed the same thing I have, and since 2008 we’ve been getting together both in reality and online since 2008 to wonder why anybody could have not noticed the same thing we have.
This whole Bergdahl fiasco they’ve decided to run with has it’s own hashtag.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHsuicidemission?src=hash
Steve 57: “Just saying, in addition to everything else that’s wrong with the deal we could have gotten more for our trade-in, too.”
Quite right. We shouldn’t be making deals with terrorists in the first place. But if you’re going to bargain with them, try to do it right. They ask for five, you offer one. Stand firm and they will offer four, at which time you offer two and say, that’s your last offer – and mean it. In the ME every transaction is done on that basis. Haggling is the norm and being a tough bargainer is expected. The Taliban dealership accepted five trade ins in great shape in return for one unit in questionable condition. Yep, smartest administration – ever!
I saw a doctor who worked at GITMO interviewed on Judge Jeanine’s show last night. He describes these killers as far more radicalized and dangerous than when they were taken prisoner. They have been kept in good health, provided an opportunity to stay in good physical shape, and are fit for the duty. He also described them as men who have lived only to kill their enemies. Men without souls who are extremely dangerous. Quite a picture.
When you realize that all the GITMO prisoners are illegal combatants (no uniform, no allegiance to a sovereign nation, attacks primarily civilian targets) who could be legally shot after a short court martial, are still waiting for a trial because the leftists lawyers have trumped up every kind of legal excuse for not doing so, the mind boggles. The enemy has declared war, we have declared lawfare. (Warfare that is hindered by legal niceties at every turn.)
Hell, J.J., we treated them just like we treat all incarcerated violent felons: Feed ’em, heal ’em, bulk ’em up, entertain ’em with TV, give ’em Sunni muslim “chaplains”. Then let ’em loose to do their thing, ya know.
This whole deserter for war criminals things just boggles the mind. (Check your premises.) The thing that comes to mind for me now is that since it is said that obama is setting the stage for the release of all of the Gitmo prisoners what happens when he gets around to Kalid Sheik Mohammed, remember him? Nobody that I have heard has mentioned KSM since this went down. Maybe if he promises to be a nice boy, KSM will get the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a ride home on Air Force 1 making our surrender complete.
Some of us wanted to get rid of the people in Gitmo, permanently, while others wanted intel and information, and others talked about American Justice and due process for insurgents.
Well, Hussein found a way to give you the finger, no matter what camp you belonged to. But we turned out to be right, those of us that said we needed to get rid of the insurgents or else somebody was going to release them or take hostages to release them. Israel should already be a prime example of why you don’t want too many prisoners of the enemy action, living around.