As I said earlier,
Hailey and the Valley running up to Sun Valley there are the only majority liberal area of Idaho. Most of the people there do not have a clue about what really went on with Bergdalh...and a lot of the liberals there share the anti-American military sentiments of Bergdahl’s father and that Bergdalh himself developed.
Bergdahl was a clear deserter, and American lives were lost searching for him in the first months after he went AWOL. IMHO, he was probably an enemy collaborator, and I believe his father encouraged him to become one when he told him to obery his conscience and seek men of like mind to stand with. After that email, Bergdahl did precisely that.
It is a travesty and it is disgusting.
I believe Obama thought there would be some kind of euphoria over a US soldier released...not matter the circumstances or cost. I also believe he calculated to have this story get the VA scandal off the front page.
Now it too is blowing up in his face, as well it should.
Finally, I believe that Obama did a three way deal for Bergdhal’s relese. The Taliban itself was not holding Bergdahl. He was under the control of the Haqqanis. They always want a ransom...money...and lots of it for their hostages. I believe if someone digs deep, they will find that not only were the Taliban given their top commanders...all of whom are bloodthirsty killers of Americans and innocents...but that the Haqqanis got a cash payoff too.
If this is so, Obama himself and his administration are guilty of providing financial material aid to terrorists...as well as abjectly violating the law over the release of the five GITMO prisoners.
An Artcile 32 needs to be held on Bergdahl and get the mountains of evidence sworn in and on the record. Then they need to convene a Court Martial for his desertion...in which case he should spend the next 20 years in Leavenworth. If they find he also collaborated, he should be executed.
Having said all of that...and knowing that the majority of Idahoans feel as I do...I do not know anyone who will go over to Hailey and try to physically stop their parade. That’s not where the treason and the problem lies. They are just a bunch of uninformed and misguided people, being wagged by the dog.
This swap has been in negotiation for years through 3rd party Qatar. Obama had no control of when or if the Taleban would agree to a swap, nor even how quickly Qatar would deliver messages between the two. Once agreed to, the swap had to happen quickly, before either side changes their mind, gets nervous, or ups the ante. The hostage takers have the upper hand & will dictate circumstances & timing.
Given this, Obama had no ability to set the timing of the release to his best political advantage. The best he could do was try to keep the swap secret until an opportune time. That doesn't seem to be the case.
If Obama did do this to deflect public opinion away from the VA scandal he sure picked a bad “accomplishment” to tout.
Politically, he gave the Rats nothing to brag about & much to have to explain to voters in November. His failure to notify Congress broke a law HE signed. The known deserter Bergdahl was never worth 5 Taleban commanders. He broke a cardinal rule that we never negotiate with terrorists. His weakness & apparently poor negotiating skills & those of his ENTIRE foreign/military policy team) are on full display. No doubt the troops are disgusted; this is not a morale builder.
I'd say this is Obama’s worst criminal screw up of his tenure.
The Gang that couldn't Shoot Straight
Here is how stupid this bunch is: Obama could have pressured Mexico to release the Marine they hold captive. One stern phone call to El Presidente would do the trick. Americans would be overjoyed & it would cost Obama nothing. No laws broken, no prisoner swap, & no deserter/traitor to explain away. Incredibly DUMB!