Bowe Bergdahl - Deserter

[Steelgrave]

You could ask the same about half of Obama's cabinet.....

[bayonetbrant]

Susan Rice didn't know jack squat about the case. Someone gave her a talking point and she was dumb enough to parrot it. She's a buffoon, not the wicked witch of the west.

[OJsDad]

Isn't she the National Security Advisor.

[bayonetbrant]

that doesn't mean she is in command of the military, or has a clue how to spell "UCMJ"

at that level, her job is to discuss strategy - ways, means, ends.
I'm not saying she's any good at that, either, mind you.  The appalling lack of strategy from our administration makes that painfully apparent.  But the details of what's happening in the military aren't her schtick any more than they were for Brent Scowcroft.  it's not part of the job.

[Steelgrave]

that doesn't mean she is in command of the military, or has a clue how to spell "UCMJ"

at that level, her job is to discuss strategy - ways, means, ends.
I'm not saying she's any good at that, either, mind you.  The appalling lack of strategy from our administration makes that painfully apparent.  But the details of what's happening in the military aren't her schtick any more than they were for Brent Scowcroft.  it's not part of the job.

Nonetheless, as NSA giving a public statement she's speaking for the Administration, which gives weight to her statement. Perhaps if the administration hadn't tried to make political hay from Bergdahl's release, Rice's statement wouldn't matter as much. But as it stands, it's the usual spin, spin, spin.

[LongBlade]

Susan Rice didn't know jack squat about the case. Someone gave her a talking point and she was dumb enough to parrot it. She's a buffoon, not the wicked witch of the west.

Agreed.

Unfortunately the entire administration appears to be composed of buffoons. If we had a wicked witch anywhere in power I suspect that, as worse as things could be related to power abuse, there would be far less of a power vacuum across the globe.

[mirth]

It's embarrassing and frightening that she's the NSA.

[Airborne Rifles]

The unfortunate thing for the administration is how hamhandedly they handled the entire thing. Anyone who's served I the army in the last half decade could have told them that trying to make a hero out of Bergdahl wasn't going to end well.

I'm glad we brought him home and I'm also glad he's being charged with desertion.  If he's convicted, I imagine the punishment will end up being rather light, which also seems appropriate.

[OJsDad]

Brant, her knowledge or lack there of the UCMJ is not relevant to her statements.   Your actually saying that the NSA was never brought into the discussion as to whether this was a trade that should be done or not. Your saying that while a trade was being discussed, that it was never brought up that it was possible that Bergdahl may have deserted. 

[bayonetbrant]

Your actually saying that the NSA was never brought into the discussion as to whether this was a trade that should be done or not.

wouldn't surprise me in the least, knowing what we know about how insular the White House is

Your saying that while a trade was being discussed, that it was never brought up that it was possible that Bergdahl may have deserted. 

Again, wouldn't surprise me in the least, given the lack of trust in/out of the administration to seek and listen to alternative points of view

[LongBlade]

Your saying that while a trade was being discussed, that it was never brought up that it was possible that Bergdahl may have deserted. 

Again, wouldn't surprise me in the least, given the lack of trust in/out of the administration to seek and listen to alternative points of view

This administration has shown remarkable talent in filtering out common sense. It appears to be highly driven by ideology and little seems to get in the way of that. The warning signs of whole nations erupting in chaos didn't seem to be enough to cause a reevaluation of policy. It is only now, when the greater middle east is entirely consumed in chaos that it has occurred to them that what they are doing might not be working.

[OJsDad]

I'll by that Brant.

[bayonetbrant]

I base a great many of my assessments of behavior (especially political behavior) on the axiom

"never assume malice when incompetence is an equally-valid possibility"

that doesn't mean people don't act maliciously, just that I don't assume it at first blush until I've done more digging and can arrive at that conclusion based on other evidence.

[Cyrano]

First Rule of Bureaucromancy:  Never attribute to conspiracy what can be adequately explained by stupidity, laziness, or failed technology.  In passing, this could have been the sum of the Warren Report and saved us all the trouble.

Or, borrowing from "Yes, Minister":  "Sir, you're confusing lethargy with strategy."

[Steelgrave]

I have to agree with the last two posts. Simple incompetency seems the most likely answer. I DO think the Rose Garden speech with Obama and Bergdahl's father was pure political opportunism, but that's very much in line with Obama as a whole.