On Friday, traitorous Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who left his post and wandered into Taliban territory, only to be taken prisoner and held for years, then exchanged for Taliban terrorists by President Obama, received no prison time. That freedom came despite the fact that Bergdahl’s desertion apparently led to the deaths of six Americans who went searching for him. The judge did give Bergdahl a dishonorable discharge, and reduced him to private while giving him a $10,000 fine. Bergdahl had already pled guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and could have gone to prison for life.
The rationale for the sentence is unclear, but the judge in the case had commented on it previously: he had stated that he would take into account President Trump’s negative comments about Bergdahl when considering sentencing. Col. Jeffrey Nance stated, “I will consider the president’s comments as mitigation evidence as I arrive at an appropriate sentence.” According to The New York Times:
The judge rejected a request that he dismiss the case or cap the length of the sentence on the grounds that the president’s comments had precluded a fair hearing. The judge said he had not been influenced by the remarks and that the public’s confidence in the military justice system had not been undermined.
So instead of recusing himself, the judge did what the defense wanted and simply let Bergdahl off the hook.
The sentence is as repulsive as Obama’s decision to trade away top terrorists in exchange for a deserter. Americans lost their lives searching for a man who deliberately left his post; more Americans will lose their lives to the terrorists Obama released in order to return Bergdahl to the country. Now, Bergdahl will go free, with virtually no penalty.