Bowe Bergdahl: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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| unit = Blackfoot Company, 1st [[Battalion]], [[501st Infantry Regiment (United States)|501st Infantry Regiment]], [[4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division]]<br />[[United States Army North]] (Fifth Army)

| commands =

| battles = [[War in Afghanistan (~~2001–14~~2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]]{{surrendered}}

}}

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Bergdahl walked away from his battalion on the night of June 30, 2009, at [[observation post]] (OP) Mest near the town of [[Yahya Kheyl]] in [[Paktika Province]].<ref name="NBC"/> Accounts of his capture differ. In a video, Bergdahl said he was captured when he fell behind on a [[patrolling|patrol]].<ref name="HuffingtonPost2009-07-19"/> Taliban sources allege he was ambushed after becoming drunk off base; U.S. military sources deny that claim, stating, "The Taliban are known for lying and what they are claiming [is] not true."<ref name="Cnn2009-07-19"/> A Department of Defense spokesperson said, "I'm glad to see he appears unharmed, but again, this is a Taliban propaganda video. They are exploiting the soldier in violation of [[international law]]."<ref name="HuffingtonPost2009-07-19"/><ref name="TheGuardian2009-07-19"/>

Other sources said Bergdahl walked off base after his shift<ref>{{cite news |url=~~http~~https://www.nbcnews.com/id/~~32007586~~wbna32007586|title=Parents of captured GI plead for privacy|work=NBC News|date=July 20, 2009|access-date=November 14, 2013}}</ref> or that he was grabbed from a [[latrine]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/31/world/meast/afghanistan-bergdahl-aboard-helicopter/ |title=Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl: Flight to freedom |publisher=CNN |date=May 31, 2014 |access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> In 2009, the [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]] attributed his disappearance to "walking off his base in eastern Afghanistan with three Afghan counterparts and was believed to have been taken prisoner".<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=July 19, 2009 |url=http://archive.news10.net/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=63538 |title=Soldier Held in Afghanistan From Idaho |publisher=News 10 ABC |access-date=June 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606225725/http://archive.news10.net/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=63538 |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

General Nabi Mullakheil of the [[Afghan National Police]] said the capture occurred in [[Paktika Province]].<ref name="HuffingtonPost2009-07-19"/> Other sources say that he was captured by a Taliban group led by Mullah [[Sangeen Zadran]], who moved him to [[Ghazni Province]].<ref name="TheGuardian2009-07-19"/> He was held by the [[Haqqani network]], an insurgent group affiliated with the Taliban, probably somewhere in Pakistan.<ref name="NBC">{{cite news|url=http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/10/11633115-frustrated-dad-of-taliban-prisoner-bowe-bergdahl-takes-matters-into-own-hands?lite|title='Frustrated': Dad of Taliban prisoner Bowe Bergdahl takes matters into own hands|publisher=~~Worldnews.msnbc.msn.com~~[[MSNBC]]|access-date=November 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513083317/http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/10/11633115-frustrated-dad-of-taliban-prisoner-bowe-bergdahl-takes-matters-into-own-hands?lite|archive-date=May 13, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Bergdahl was a [[Private first class#United States|Private First Class]] when captured; he was promoted ''in absentia'' to [[Specialist (rank)|Specialist]] on June 19, 2010, and to [[Sergeant]] on June 17, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=14580|title=Press release 14580|work=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref> According to soldiers in Bergdahl's platoon, the morning when Bergdahl was discovered to be missing, his equipment was found neatly stacked, with his compass missing.<ref name="Bethea2014"/>

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On July 18, 2009, the [[Taliban]] released a video showing Bergdahl,<ref name="HuffingtonPost2009-07-19"/> who appeared downcast and frightened. A [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] statement issued the following day confirmed that Bergdahl had been declared "[[missing in action|missing]]/whereabouts unknown" on July{{nbsp}}1 and that his status had been changed to "missing/[[prisoner of war|captured]]" on July 3.<ref name="Usdod2009-07-19">{{Cite news|url=http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=12827|title=DoD Announces Soldier Status as Missing-Captured|date=July 19, 2009|author=United States Department of Defense|publisher=[[United States Department of Defense]]|access-date=December 25, 2009|author-link=United States Department of Defense}}</ref>

In the twenty-eight–minute video, his captors held up his [[dog tags]] to establish that the captured man was Bergdahl.<ref name="HuffingtonPost2009-07-19"/> Bergdahl gave the date as July 14 and mentioned an attack that occurred that day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=~~http~~https://www.cbsnews.com/~~stories~~news/~~2009~~pentagon-ids-soldier-held-by-taliban/~~07/19/world/main5173084.shtml~~|title=Pentagon IDs Soldier Held by Taliban|first=John|last=Miller|date=July 19, 2009|access-date=December 29, 2009|agency=Associated Press|work=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite video|title=Video: U.S. Soldier, Bowie Bergdahl, Captured By Taliban|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NJV1XIRfWs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/3NJV1XIRfWs |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|publisher=CNN|access-date=December 29, 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/19/afghanistan.soldier.hostage/index.html|title=U.S. soldier captured by Taliban: 'I'm afraid'|publisher=CNN|date=July 19, 2009|access-date=December 29, 2009}}</ref>

On December 25, 2009, five months after Bergdahl's disappearance, the media arm of the Taliban released a video of "a U.S. soldier captured in Afghanistan" entitled "One of Their People Testified".<ref name=King1>{{cite news|last1=King|first1=Laura|title=Bergdahl denounces U.S. effort in Afghanistan in Taliban video|url=http://www.latimes.com/world/afghanistan-pakistan/la-fg-archive-taliban-video-shows-us-soldier-20140531-story.html|access-date=December 21, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 26, 2009}}</ref>

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In June 2010, Bergdahl managed to escape his captors but was recaptured after less than nine days.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://serialpodcast.org/season-two/3/escaping/transcript |title = Episode 03: Escaping – Transcript}}</ref> In August 2010, it was reported that a Taliban commander named [[Haji Nadeem]] had claimed that Bergdahl was helping to train the Taliban in [[improvised explosive device|bomb-making]] and infantry tactics.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/taliban%3A-captured-soldier-joined-cause-dpgonc-km-20100822_9290058|title=Taliban: Captured Soldier Joined Cause|publisher=Fox News|date=August 22, 2010|access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/06/exclusive-bergdahl-declared-jihad-secret-documents-show|title= Bergdahl declared jihad in captivity, secret documents show|author=James Rosen|work=Fox News|access-date=March 25, 2015|date=2015-03-24}}</ref> The Pentagon dismissed the reports as [[Taliban propaganda]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Zatkulak|first=Karen|url=http://www.ktvb.com/news/Reports-about-captured-Idaho-soldier-not-true-101339234.html|title=NBC: Reports about captured Idaho soldier not true|publisher=Ktvb.com|date=August 23, 2010|access-date=November 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114012811/http://www.ktvb.com/news/Reports-about-captured-Idaho-soldier-not-true-101339234.html|archive-date=November 14, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In June 2013, Bergdahl's parents received a letter from him through the [[Red Cross]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57588087/pow-bowe-bergdahls-parents-receive-letter-from-captive-son|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140531181623/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57588087/pow-bowe-bergdahls-parents-receive-letter-from-captive-son|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 31, 2014|title=POW Bowe Bergdahl's parents receive letter from captive son|work=CBS News|date=June 6, 2013|access-date=November 14, 2013}}</ref>

In January 2014, the United States received another proof-of-life video dated December 14, 2013, in which Bergdahl mentioned the death of [[South Africa]]n former president [[Nelson Mandela]], indicating the video had been recorded after December 5.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/15/22315644-us-has-recent-proof-of-life-video-of-pow-bowe-bergdahl?lite | title=U.S. Has recent 'proof of life' video of POW Bowe Bergdahl}}</ref>

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Bergdahl was treated by U.S. military medical staff at an undisclosed base in eastern Afghanistan. He was then transferred to [[Bagram Airfield]] before being flown to [[Landstuhl Regional Medical Center]] in Germany, for medical treatment.<ref>{{cite news |title=US soldier Bowe Bergdahl freed by Taliban in Afghanistan|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27651690|work=31 May 2014|publisher=BBC News|access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> On June 13, 2014, he was flown by military plane to San Antonio, Texas, where he was taken to the [[San Antonio Military Medical Center#Brooke Army Medical Center|Brooke Army Medical Center]] to complete his recovery and reintegration.<ref name="BergdahlinUS">{{cite news|title=Pentagon says Bergdahl has arrived in Texas|url=http://www.thesanantonionews.net/index.php/sid/222889431/scat/c08dd24cec417021/ht/Pentagon-says-Bergdahl-has-arrived-in-Texas|access-date=June 13, 2014|publisher=The San Antonio News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701232056/http://www.thesanantonionews.net/index.php/sid/222889431/scat/c08dd24cec417021/ht/Pentagon-says-Bergdahl-has-arrived-in-Texas|archive-date=July 1, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Taliban detainees – known as the "[[Taliban Five]]"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/taliban-five-arrive-qatar-after-swap-deal-20146113536748321.html|title=Taliban five arrive in Qatar after swap deal|access-date=June 1, 2014|publisher=AlJazeera|date=June 1, 2014}}</ref> – who were transferred from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to custody in [[Doha]], Qatar, are [[Mohammad Fazl]], [[Khairullah Khairkhwa]], [[Abdul Haq Wasiq]], [[Norullah Noori]], and [[Mohammad Nabi Omari]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Howell|first=Kellan|title=Terror suspects freed by Obama admin. were labeled 'high risk' in 2008: report|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/31/terror-suspects-freed-obama-admin-soldier-were-lab/|access-date=May 31, 2014|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> They were the Taliban army chief of staff, a Taliban deputy minister of intelligence, a former Taliban interior minister, and two other senior Taliban figures.<ref>{{cite news|last=Joscelyn|first=Thomas|title=Five of the Most Dangerous Taliban Commanders in U.S. Custody Exchanged for American Captive|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/five-most-dangerous-taliban-commanders-us-custody-released-pow-exchange_794017.html?page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603074332/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/five-most-dangerous-taliban-commanders-us-custody-released-pow-exchange_794017.html?page=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 3, 2014|access-date=June 1, 2014|publisher=www.WeeklyStandard.com|date=May 31, 2014}}</ref>

Some Republican members of Congress have said that the prisoner swap that led to Bergdahl's release may have been illegal.<ref>{{cite news |author=Mark Sappenfield |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2014/0601/Obama-s-Bowe-Bergdahl-prisoner-swap-Was-it-illegal |title=Obama's Bowe Bergdahl prisoner swap: Was it illegal? – |work=The Christian Science Monitor |date=June 1, 2014 |access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> The [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014]] (NDAA) mandates that all prisoner transfers from Guantanamo Bay require 30 days' notice to Congress, which was not done in this case.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bergdahl-release-arrangement-could-threaten-the-safety-of-americans-republicans-say/2014/05/31/35e47a2a-e8ff-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_print.html |title=Bergdahl release arrangement could threaten the safety of Americans, Republicans say |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 31, 2014 |access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> When President [[Barack Obama]] signed the bill, he released a [[signing statement]] saying that the restriction interfered with the president's [[executive power]] as [[commander-in-chief]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/us/politics/obama-signs-defense-bill-with-conditions.html Obama Disputes Limits on Detainee Transfers Imposed in Defense Bill], ''[[The New York Times]]'' (January 1, 2013).</ref>