CIVICS NEWS Comment: This is the same Ralph Peters who called for killing
all detainees without a trial and for shutting down free speech and waging war against journalists.
Fox News Guest Ralph Peters Suggests Taliban Should Kill U.S. Soldier If He Deserted
Think Progress - July 20, 2009
Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier who has been captured by the Taliban and appears in a video released this weekend by his captors, “went missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan on June 30.” The circumstances of his capture are still unknown. ABC News reports, “Defense officials said it appeared he somehow left his base in Paktika Province at night, likely accompanied by several Afghan soldiers.” On July 6, the Taliban claimed that “a drunken American soldier had come out of his garrison” and was captured by them.
On Fox News yesterday, guest Ralph Peters, a retired Army Lt. Col., urged against leaping to conclusions. “I was to stress first of all that we must wait until all of the facts are in until we make a final judgment,” Peters said, but quickly added, “He is an apparent deserter,” “he is collaborating with the enemy,” and “we know that this private is a liar.” Peters then suggested that if Bergdahl is a deserter, the Taliban should kill him:
I want to be clear. If, when the facts are in, we find out that through some convoluted chain of events, he really was captured by the Taliban, I’m with him. But, if he walked away from his post and his buddies in wartime, I don’t care how hard it sounds, as far as I’m concerned, the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills.
Fox News host Julie Banderas tried to soften Peters’ remark by concluding, “Regardless of what the situation is, we do not want to see any U.S. soldier in harm’s way. And we hope that this guy gets out of there safely. He’s an American – he’s one of ours.” Watch it:
Jonthan Turley comments that “Peters appears to view trials as something of an unnecessary expense.” Michelle Malkin applauds Peters’ “tough words.”
I don't see anything wrong with that comment.
ReplyDeleteMy friend, regardless of what kind of mistake or foolish choice you might make, I don't want you to die. I hope to spend eternity with you in Paradise. I don't wish death upon anybody, but only life and peace and joy. But if we differ, that is ok; I hope you stick around anyway.
ReplyDeleteOk... But regardless of that, if the solider was stupid enough to leave the army in the middle of a desert while there is a war going on, the guy has it coming. Obviously I can't sway your opinion, and quite frankly, I don't want to. Actions have consequences. If he dies or is killed so be it. It will be because of a choice he made, and if I was the ranking general in Afghanistan, I would not waste precious american lives for someone who deserted the army. If he was actually captured then I would do everything in my power to get him back.
ReplyDelete"I would not waste precious american lives for someone who deserted the army."
ReplyDeleteIs there a difference between what you say here and what Ralph Peters said--that they'd be doing us a favor by killing him?
Your statement is much more reasonable than his, I think. You didn't wish death upon the guy, you just said he's will reap what he's sown and don't expect others to bail him out. Your comment makes sense to me. Not his.
I think what Ralph Peters said and what I said are basically the same thing, except I just gave the logic behind the statement.
ReplyDelete