Brian, I respect your authentic and authoritative report based on wide experience. I have no quibbles with it. I can't imagine servicemen not having the same opinion as yours. From all accounts Bergdahl is a deserter. Deserters should be punished, as I said. I don't doubt there's a military consensus to summarily shoot him.
Please correct me if the difference of opinions here is US handling of his release, five-for-one when he should be left to the enemy to determine his fate, speculation of Bergdahl getting off too lightly for leaving his post, and my preference to hold my opinion---give him slack---until I know how his head is working, PTSD etc.
Lets assume he is a deserter. We dont know his state of mind at the time or now. He may have lacked the moral fibre to see him through his duty. He may have felt himself a late conscientious objector complicit in a role of occupying invader killing an enemy fighting for his country---and thousands of innocents as collateral damage.
This is no apologia for desertion. I dont know military or national obligations to bring home fighters, dead or alive, deserters or not. My guess is governments and the military code are obligated to a very high standard to do so according to Israels brave example and the current bartering of lives. Even the IS caliphate is bartering state to state.
So what to do with Bergdahl? I believe he was promoted while a POW. I believe the US was obligated to bring him home no matter what. There's no justification to punish him more severely than other soldiers who put their units at risk or visited shame on their country. I encourage members to google "US military atrocities" and make up their own minds.
