Bowe Bergdahl – I Ain't Marching Anymore

Part 2 of my dialogue with Serial about Bergdahl

Is here, at WHYY’s Newsworks in preparation for that panel on the 15th. Think of it as a companion, and perhaps a closer, to the discussion I began at this blog and then at Guernica. By the way, that panel is full of kick-ass experts. Expect me to be very quiet.But I think anyone who’sContinue reading “Part 2 of my dialogue with Serial about Bergdahl”

if you’re anywhere near Philly on March 15th

All this meditating on Bergdahl has gotten me included on this panel on WHYY, Philadelphia’s NPR station. You should come for veteran correspondent Quil Lawrence and the other panelists: Josh Fattal, Former Iran Hostage Malcolm Nance, Veteran U.S. Intelligence Officer Rachel Van Landingham, Military Law Expert and Professor of Law Read up on all ofContinue reading “if you’re anywhere near Philly on March 15th”

Bergdahl, from @Serial to serial trouble

Though I do tend to think that 5 years being tortured by the Taliban is adequate punishment for what he did, I’m seeing Bergdahl as less a dissenter than an anomaly.

Newsflash: New York Times + Buzzfeed sue FORSCOM re Bergdahl, and don’t tell anyone

I’m going back and forth between a legal filing I received this weekend and my newswires, which show no signs that some of the major news organization have filed a request with General Abrams, commander of Fort Bragg — politely demanding the public release of its investigation of Bowe Bergdahl. I’ve written here before aboutContinue reading “Newsflash: New York Times + Buzzfeed sue FORSCOM re Bergdahl, and don’t tell anyone”

#Bergdahl = Rashomon

It’s now more than two weeks since the Army brought charges against Robert D. Bowdrie Bergdahl, known to most of us as Bowe.. In that time, journalists and commentators have rushed to characterize a young man most of us knew only from last years’ headlines, and photos of a skinny Army private in Arab robesContinue reading “#Bergdahl = Rashomon”

Bergdahl court-martial: Did he aim to misbehave?

I swore I wouldn’t write anymore about Bergdahl until I’d talked to his attorney. That may change soon. But for now, I can amplify that attorney’s voice: That PBS NewsHour was one of the more useful of the reports I saw about Bergdahl being charged with desertion. Some of others that are helping me thinkContinue reading “Bergdahl court-martial: Did he aim to misbehave?”

Some actual news, some not quite

By “not quite” I mean: Who knew all you needed was ONE quote from the Army secretary and then pack in all the partisan backstory. and Presto – you can get paid?

bowe bergdahl, who walked away from Omelas

Despite all the time and spilled pixels, it feels like we know less about Bergdahl than we did when he was still a Taliban prisoner and we had only Michael Hastings’ vivid 2012 Rolling Stone portrait. What we have instead is speculation, and the understandable anger from members of the unit he walked away from, never to return, and measured words from his parents and his attorneys.