Ex-CIA Officer: White House Could Pardon Bowe Bergdahl

NewsMax ^ | March 27, 2015 | Sean Piccoli

[2ndDivisionVet]

Bowe Bergdahl "caused a lot of suffering among members of the military" after he walked away from his post in Afghanistan in 2009 — and he may skate on charges of desertion and misbehavior because he still has defenders in the White House, says a former CIA station chief.

"We're going to have to wait for a legal outcome here on this case, but the administration has a lot vested in this," Gary Berntsen, who led the CIA hunt in Tora Bora for Osama bin Laden, said Friday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

"The administration made the mistake — a terrible national security error — of trading five hardened terrorists for a young man that has now been charged with deserting and acting poorly in front of the enemy — essentially a worse charge than desertion," said Berntsen.

"I would not be surprised if the White House doesn't look for some political way here to intervene — there are things that can be done, unfortunately," said Berntsen, senior national security adviser for Concerned Veterans for America....

[DoodleDawg]

They won’t pardon him because there is nothing in it for the administration. Bergdhal embarrassed Obama and that’s the one unforgivable crime.

[Lower Deck]

If he is convicted of desertion, does he get to keep his rank and back pay?

That's up to the Court Martial but generally the convicted serviceman forfeits all pay and is reduced to the lowest rank.

[ops33]

“Captured by the Taliban...”

My understanding is that he actually went of post looking for the Taliban.

[ops33]

When an enlisted is court martial-ed there are 4 categories of punishment; reduction in grade, forfeiture of pay and allowances, confinement, and a punitive discharge. A punitive discharge is either a Dishonorable Discharge or a Bad Conduct Discharge. The panel must address each type of punishment separately, he could receive all four, or not. Just a guess, but I suspect he will receive a Dishonorable Discharge, Reduction in grade to E-1, loss of pay and allowances, and a short period of confinement.

[Pearls Before Swine]

That’ll really boost morale in the Army./s

It will be part of Obama's legacy. Which, is why I don't think he'll do it.

[DCBryan1]

19 JAN 2017 is going to have some VERY interesting news come out about pardons. I said long ago that Obama will give a federal pardon to all people of color in the federal prison system, and heck, may try that crap at the state level (it won't fly though). Also, look for full pardons for most, if not all, of his corrupt employees including Holder, Learner, Biden, Kerry, Petraus, etc.

Another bet: NO PARDON FOR HILLARY or her associates.

[blueunicorn6]

Obama loathes the military. He sees it as dollars he could be using to buy Democrat votes. He only pays attention to the military when he has to. His main concern is himself and the Democrat Party.

If the Bergdahl case can help the Democrat Party or himself, then Obama will pay attention to it. If not, Bergdahl means nothing.

[conservativejoy]

What an insult to our honorable military men and women.

[Fast Moving Angel]

Still another bet: Those employee pardons are already written out, signed, and stashed in a safe somewhere.

[LucyT]

.

[BlueLancer]

"Those employee pardons are already written out, signed, and stashed in a safe somewhere."

Those employee pardons are already written out, signed, sealed in a Mason jar, and stashed on Funk and Wagnall's front porch.

[rolling_stone]

obama will probably double down on stupid

[null and void]

obama will probably double down on evil

[bgill]

Hussein will do whatever it takes to stand with his muzzy bros. On the flip side, a pardon might tip the fence sitters over to the conservative side.

[bgill]

We need to have Congress ask WHAT did Obama know and WHEN did he know it.

You jest. They couldn't ask what citizenship the usurper was in '08.

[2ndDivisionVet]

No, of course not.