Escape Attempts Kept Bergdahl In Cage For Months

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The Republicans have been desperate to turn President Obama’s victory into a defeat by recruiting former members of Sgt Bowe Bergdahl’s platoon to make unsubstantiated allegations about the embattled American soldier. Interviews conducted by fair and impartial sources such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the US Army tell a much different story.

US officials tell the New York Times Bowe Bergdahl tried in vain to escape his Taliban captors, and as punishment, he says “they kept him in a shark cage in total darkness for weeks, possibly months,” says one official.

Officials say that Bergdahl’s physical health is relatively sound—skin and gum conditions associated with lack of hygiene aside—but that mentally he’s not yet ready to face a reunion with his family, much less the inevitable circus surrounding his release. “Physically, he could be put on a plane to the US tomorrow, but there are still a couple of mental criteria to address: the family unification piece and the media exposure piece,” says a US official.

A Pentagon official says “It’s safe to assume Bergdahl was held in harsh conditions. These are Taliban, not wet nurses.” Though Bergdahl shows “signs of improvement,” there’s still no timetable for when he might return to the US but he would next head for an Army evaluation at a medical center in Texas, notes the Times.

Interestingly, Bergdahl objects to being called sergeant. “He says, ‘Don’t call me that,’ ” said one American official. ” ‘I didn’t go before the boards. I didn’t earn it.’ ” Meanwhile, Bergdahl’s family is getting threats, the FBI confirms, saying that it’s “taking each threat seriously.” And in a separate piece, the Times delves into the “ragtag” unit to which Bergdahl was assigned, and its troubled history. It’s interesting to note that his fellow soldiers didn’t like him because he appeared a little more cerebral in his daily activities.

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Professor Mike

Professor Mike is a left-leaning, dog loving, political junkie. He has written dozens of articles for Substack, Medium, Simily, and Tribel. Professor Mike has been published at Smerconish.com, among others. He is a strong proponent of the environment, and a passionate protector of animals. In addition he is a fierce anti-Trumper. Take a moment and share his work.

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