Fox News Strategic Analyst Lt. Col. Ralph Peters appears to view trials as something of an unnecessary expense. Here was heard this week telling Fox News that, if captured U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl, did leave his post — then “the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles” by killing Bergdahl. I discussed the status of Bergdahl on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
The clip indicates that there is more commonality between some Americans and Al Qaeda than previously assumed. What is really striking is how the Fox host tries to moderate the comments by saying that no one wishes harm to come to any soldier — only to have Peters tell her to think about the other soldiers.
While Peters notes that the facts are not clear, he proceeded to call Bergdahl a “liar” and collaborator for the statements made in the video. Bowe Bergdahl, 23, is from Ketchum, Idaho, is attached to the 1st battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division from Fort Richardson, Alaska.
In the video, he says that he was captured when he lagged behind the rest of his unit — a proposition that Peters declares to be another “lie.”
There were some who called the sailors captured on the U.S.S. Pueblo as traitors for participating in North Korean films — a view long rejected by most credible military experts. Various POWs in Vietnam and Korea were forced to sign confessions, which Peters might also view as “lies.” Even Vietnam War hero and GOP Presidential candidate John McCain signed a confession stating: “”I am a black criminal and I have performed the deeds of an air pirate. I almost died and the Vietnamese people saved my life…” Would Peters call him a liar in the same way that he called Bergdahl a liar for saying that our forces fighting without rules?
This controversy follows an earlier clip where a Fox regular Michael Scheuer suggests that the best hope for the country and presumably critics of the Obama Administration is for another major attack to occur, here.
If Bergdahl left his post, the usual punishment (even in war time) is not execution and we tend to insist on a trial before any punishment occurs. That is what distinguishes us from the enemy — and certain Fox News analysts.
Ralph Peters, The Journal Of International Security Affairs, Spring 2009, Number 16
one has to wonder about this poor unfortunate young mans mental state. I dont think I would walk away from my base given the history of the Taliban and Al Quiada with American prisoners. The most shocking were the 2 that were mutilated and killed a few years or so ago in Iraq, they were burned, stuck, castrated and tortured in other ways before being shot or so said the reports I read.
I would like to hear what actual combat veterans think about this and I mean boots on the ground type guys not REMF’s.
I want to add one thing to the discussion. I don’t know who these “conservatives” are anymore. I was raised by two very traditional conservative parents. I would not ever have heard such disdain for our soldiers from them or any of their associates.
During the Kerry campaign when Republicans started wearing their purple bandages I can’t tell you how offended I was. My husband has two purple hearts. I could not believe being wounded in battle would be ridiculed by anyone calling her/himself a conservative. These chickeshit chickenhawks should be shamed into enlisting on the battlefield. If they still want to make these types of statements after they have done 3 tours on the battlefield, I will listen to them. If they will not do even one tour, let alone the 3 to 7 tours many of our troops are doing now, then they should be shamed at every possible turn. I do not recongnize either the conservatives or liberals of our political spectrum any longer.
Even for FOX this is a new low. Tried and condemned to death without an evidentiary trial by a FOX analyst.
If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would swear you were making it up.
AY,
You’re probably right re: the Civil War, Andersonville anyone?
“Apparently One Racist Buchanan Isn’t Quite Enough for MSNBC”
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/apparently-one-racist-buchanan-isnt-quite
I suppose if anyone gets PTSD sick they deserve to die? That or other debilitating mental shock could happen to any soldier over there or even here state side after returning.
Those cold hearted bastards like the jerk on the video think spending all their time destroying life is cool.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/07/when-is-it-our-turn.html
Mike S.
“Peters. He’s never seen combat and he made his bones as an intelligence analyst in Washington.”
It is that IQ that is running the show so what would you expect? Interesting that you say the part about the British Rule of Battle. I believe that this was also the rule for the American Civil War but most did not want to even be fighting.
As a New Yorker I am all too familiar with the likes of this fool Peters. He is more than just a FOX stooge, he is one of Rupert Murdoch’s longtime buddies. He has been a contributor for the New York Post’s editorial page for years. As posted above this tool never saw combat but writes as a “military intelligence analyst”. He’s been carrying neocon water for as long as I can remember and now seems to be heading off the cliff into crazyland along with his Murdoch editorial page neocon cohorts Malkin, Krauthammer, Friedman, John Podheretz etal.
The following link gives all the information you want to know about the “heroic” Peters. He’s never seen combat and he made his bones as an intelligence analyst in Washington. How dare this desk jockey cast aspersions on a scared young soldier in captivity in a country that has a century’s old tradition of torturing those invading them? The British Colonials in the 17 and 1800’s had a saying that a soldier when in battle should save a last bullet for himself lest he be captured. The Russians revived it during their debacle. This “heroic” writer of fiction, who’s never been to war, is of the same ilk as Bush/Cheney: He is another cardboard macho man, who thinks talking tough, makes him so. That he is fronting as a military analyst is a disgrace.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Peters
long story…will be back to make comment on this issue later
Mespo:
Peters is a product of “FOX” culture.It seems that the more outrageous your thought process,the more you are accepted on that network.
this is a test…my name and webaddress was wiped out but i am still logged in…want to see if I post if it comes back or i need to logout and login again
I echo the comments above.
There’s a reason retired lieutenant colonels are a dime a dozen. If this unfortunate soldier dies, the Taliban can always take a page from the playbooks used at Gitmo, Begram and other prisons and simply announce that his death was from “natural causes.”
Query: Do we actively recruit crazies for our military or is Peters a product of the culture?
Seeing an American in custody sure makes me wish that we could hold the high ground on torture…..
If Fox News had any credibility they would immediately state that this analyst is no longer going to be used as an analyst and that they disavow his hateful and stupid statements. I think the relatives of the soldier in captivity should make a visit to this Colonel’s house and remind him why we don’t wish death upon anyone, yet alone our own soldiers. What a sick statement.