Michelle Malkin » Questions about the reported abduction of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl; Update: Reports of desertion mounting

Questions about the reported abduction of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl; Update: Reports of desertion mounting

By Michelle Malkin • July 20, 2009 05:02 AM

Scroll down for updates…evidence of desertion mounting…

My prayers are with the family of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier seen on the Taliban abduction video released this weekend. The Jawa Report has the full clip.

All Americans should hope and pray for his release from jihadi custody.

There’s one question I have, though, about strange details initially reported on the case — details which have been deleted from later wire dispatches. Read:

The circumstances of Bergdahl’s capture weren’t clear.

On July 2, two U.S. officials told the AP the soldier had “just walked off” his base with three Afghans after his shift. He had no body armor or weapon and they said they had no explanation for why he left. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

On July 6, the Taliban claimed on their Web site that five days earlier “a drunken American soldier had come out of his garrison” and was captured by mujahadeen.

In the video, Pfc. Bergdahl said he was lagging behind a patrol when he was captured.

Details of such incidents are routinely held very tightly by the military as it works to retrieve a missing or captured soldier without giving away any information to captors.

The question is: Which account is accurate?

The first account strongly suggests desertion, a la Wassef Ali Hassoun.

The second account might provide an explanation for why Pfc. Bergdahl had no armor or weapon on him when captured.

The third account is totally at odds with the other two.

Follow-up questions:

Were the AP’s sources mistaken?

Did the AP botch the reporting?

Or is the disturbing first account the right one? Knowing, as the AP pointed out, that “[d]etails of such incidents are routinely held very tightly by the military,” wouldn’t the two U.S. officials have been extremely careful in passing on such sensitive details to the media on July 2?

And what about the “three Afghans” that Pfc. Bergdahl reportedly “just walked off” with after his shift?

Who are they?

Did they have security clearances at the base?

Did any or all of them work as translators?

Are they still missing?

Did one of them serve as the English-speaking questioner on the Taliban video?

Is anyone else puzzled by the completely conflicting stories? Will the Associated Press explain them?

What’s going on?

***

More strangeness via the Oregonian blog:

Kim Harrison Dellacorva, who moved from Idaho last fall and lives in the Pearl District of Northwest Portland…is listed on military documents as Bergdahl’s godmother. She ran the extracurricular performing arts school in Ketchum that Bergdahl attended.

A military casualty assistance officer knocked on Dellacorva’s door June 30, after Bergdahl was reporting missing from his company’s outpost in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. At the time, nobody knew where he was or what happened to him. The military declined to release his name to the public, although his disappearance was an open secret in Hailey, the Idaho town near Ketchum where Bergdahl’s parents live in a remote canyon.

But over the weekend, his Taliban captors posted a 28-minute video that shows Bergdahl answering questions and eating.

Kim, Shane and Shane’s sister, Kayla Harrison, were relieved to see that Bergdahl is alive. But they say that parts of the video they have seen don’t sound like the Bowe they know.

“The only part that sounded like Bowe was when he said, ‘It’s very unnerving to be a prisoner,’” Kayla Harrison said.

A lot of the other stuff, about relatives and having a girlfriend back home he hoped to marry, sounded completely unnatural, the Harrisons say. Bergdahl doesn’t have a serious girlfriend, they say.

***

This is an indisputable truth:

“The Taliban are using the soldier for propaganda purposes,” said Navy Lt. Robert Carr, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Partial transcript of Bergdahl video:

“Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country.”

“Please bring us home. It is America and the American people that have that power.”

***

Update: Lt. Col. Ralph Peters had tough words about Pfc. Bergdahl’s reported desertion yesterday and has a warning for the media:

Partial transcript:

PETERS: On that video, he is collaborating with the enemy. Under duress or not, that’s really not relevant. He’s making accusations about the behavior of the military in Afghanistan that are unfounded, saying there are no rules. He’s lying about how he was captured, saying he lagged behind a patrol.

Julie, I’ll tell you, any 11 Bravo infantryman will tell you, that’s not how it works. In a war zone, any soldier is aware of where all his buddies are. If it’s a night patrol, you’re sure of where the guy in front of you and behind you is. So we know this private is a liar. We’re not sure if he’s a deserter. But the media needs to hit the pause button and NOT portray this guy as a hero…

***

Received from a USARPAC soldier this morning:

“Please don’t list my name– I am here in Afghanistan– I know the story and the accounts that he was drunk or that he was lagging behind on patrol are not true– this soldier planned this move for a long time. He walked off the post with a day’s supply of water and had written down before that he wanted to live in the mountains. He has violated the Code of Conduct in his 28 minute speech and he is an e[m]barrassment to everyone who has worn the uniform. He made it to two towns and was asking for water when the locals turned him over to the Taliban. That is really all I can say– since we are still looking for this soldier.”

And from P.J. Tobia:

I’ve been reporting for over a week (along with the AP and WaPo) that Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier who’s gone missing in eastern Afghanistan, walked off the base on his own accord.

Now, somebody close to the people searching for Bergdahl has repeated this assertion saying that the soldier left “a note behind that said he was going to the mountains to find himself. He took a journal and 4 or 5 knives with him.” My source tells me that Bergdahl arrived at a village and asked if anybody spoke English. That’s when he was captured.

My source tells me that there is no doubt Bergdahl deserted, which in a time of war is punishable by a court martial at the least, or even execution.

Posted in: Afghanistan

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#749633

On July 20th, 2009 at 11:59 pm, chapoutier said:

C’mon, be brave…from behind the anonymity of your keyboard.

Huh? lgm has had his personal information and picture linked to (and mocked) dozens of times on this site. If you don’t know who lgm is in real life, or at least how to find out who he is, you are not paying attention.

Meanwhile, I notice your new website, starvethebeast.net, does not list your name or any personal identifying information anywhere. Which is fine. Probably concerned about potential negative consequences personally and professionally from your radical stance.

But don’t be so crass and hypocritical as to criticize others for hiding behind the veil of anonymity when you yourself do not seem to walk the walk.
#749649

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:10 am, stillontheroad said:

lgm said:

Back so soon from your Chukchi Sea swim?
#749656

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:17 am, sonofdy said:

lgm: everyone here has said that we need to get him back then go from there. My view is that if the facts turn out that he deserted like is suggested, he is very stupid or mentaly ill.

You see the word “IF”??? Do you know what it means???
#749662

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:21 am, Flyoverman said:

On July 20th, 2009 at 8:53 pm, lgm said:

Wow, just wow! Aren’t you disgusted and ashamed, ashamed of the Republican conservative smear machine? Watch it go to work on an American soldier captured by the enemy. Suddenly not only is it his fault, but he’s a deserter and should be shot.

lgm,

I think that this post probably is the best example I can find of a bigotted comment.

Were there people on this thread advocating what you claim? In a way, yes. However, the majority of us have written or implied no such thing. If you read my posts on this thread, you certainly will see none of that.

Taking one bad example and blindly applying it to an entire group of people is bigotry, which you just did.

One black is lazy and another steals, so all blacks are just lazy no good thieves. One Jewish merchant overcharges, so all Jews are greedy.

lgm, rest assured I will respond to you directly based on your words and yours alone, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with you. Just because some Kos Kid or another poster on this thread writes something stupid, I will not apply their comments to you. I expect the same courtesy and respect from you.

I have no time for bigots; black, white, left, right, etc. There is no place for them in this country.
#749681

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:34 am, Ragspierre said:

If you don’t know who lgm is in real life, or at least how to find out who he is, you are not paying attention.

Yep. That would be me. Not paying attention. I know this will make very little sense to you, but I never thought to try to discover lgm’s identity.

I’m funny that way.

Meanwhile, I notice your new website, starvethebeast.net, does not list your name or any personal identifying information anywhere. Which is fine. Probably concerned about potential negative consequences personally and professionally from your radical stance.

Nope, not true. This kind of thing can’t be done anonymously. My name is clearly tied to the movement. Whatever consequences ensue, I crossed that Rubicon some time ago.

One reason you won’t find my name published on the site is because it isn’t about me.
#749698

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:53 am, chapoutier said:

Yep. That would be me. Not paying attention. I know this will make very little sense to you, but I never thought to try to discover lgm’s identity.

It makes perfect sense to me. But to accuse him of hiding behind anonymity is wrong. He used to link his handle to his personal webpage. Until, I suspect, he started getting harassed by people here. But to this day, folks will still link to it when they want to take cheap shots at him. Few posters have been more open with their real identity.

Nope, not true. This kind of thing can’t be done anonymously. My name is clearly tied to the movement.

Where?
#749706

On July 21st, 2009 at 10:57 am, Ragspierre said:

But to accuse him of hiding behind anonymity is wrong. He used to link his handle to his personal webpage.

And I was supposed to know this by osmosis? One thing that TENDS to be true about the internet generally is that people are uncommonly nasty because they are anonymous. I would have no way of knowing there was a specific exception in lgm.

Use the response page on the web site. Don’t worry, I won’t dragoon you into the movement.
#749726

On July 21st, 2009 at 11:09 am, chapoutier said:

And I was supposed to know this by osmosis?

My apologies. Maybe I assumed you have been around here longer than you have.

Use the response page on the web site. Don’t worry, I won’t dragoon you into the movement.

Hah. That’s alright. I don’t really care about your real name. You will always be Rags to me
#749733

On July 21st, 2009 at 11:12 am, Ragspierre said:

You will always be Rags to me

Awww… (Cyber-hug)
#749882

On July 21st, 2009 at 1:10 pm, purplepeep said:

chapoutier said:
If you don’t know who lgm is in real life, or at least how to find out who he is, you are not paying attention.

Can’t peak for whom you’re addressing there; but as for me, it’s not that I don’t pay attention – I just don’t care, Chappy!

However, I must note the terms “real life” and “lgm” in the same sentence seem somewhat contradictory.
#750065

On July 21st, 2009 at 3:49 pm, stacman said:

All you guys are pretty funny. Either never having served in the military, and/or a combat situation. I know, I know, everyone is presumed innocent, blah, blah, blah. The facts given are clearly actions of a deserter. The only question remaining is how much effort should go into extracting the deserter? Should a braver soldier be killed trying to extract him?

The liberals hanging out here were likely appalled at the LtCol suggesting the Taliban should take care of him for us, and save us the legal fees to slap his hands. As far as I’m concerned, he has earned whatever fate he has coming.
#750200

On July 21st, 2009 at 5:24 pm, purplepeep said:

stacman said:
All you guys are pretty funny. Either never having served in the military, and/or a combat situation.

The liberals hanging out here were likely appalled at the LtCol suggesting the Taliban should take care of him for us

I would hazard a guess that even some extremely conservative folks would differ with you, stacman. They may prefer that the UCMJ handle this rather than some behead-crazy psysco-Islamist lunatics, believing that Americans should be held to the American rules and standards of justice rather than kowtowing to the demands of insane sharia.
#751241

On July 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm, stacman said:

Under ordinary circumstances I might agree with you purplepeep, but these aren’t normal circumstances. This guy voluntarily walked away from the “American rules and standards of justice” to join the islamic lunatics who would prefer to behead him for a thrill. I can’t be compelled to feel sorry for this kid, nor would I order another soldier to risk life and limb to extract his sorry a$$ out of there. The motto of “no man left behind” ended when he left.
#775718

On August 12th, 2009 at 5:04 pm, Chuck said:

If the guy walked away from his post, deserted his fellow soldiers, he should be tried and shot.
#783944

On August 20th, 2009 at 5:11 pm, valleygreaser said:

Every single time LGM squeaks everybody drops any real discusion and spends the rest of the time discussing LGM’s looney postings. DON’T FEED THE TROLLS has been the #1 internet rule for years. Trolls are not so-called because they offer rational opposing points of view; the troll’s strategy is simply to END rational discussion of an issue by having their idiotic post become the new topic. It’s an need for attention thing. Let’s not play, folks!