Shortly after Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was charged with desertion and “misbehavior before the enemy,” mainstream media called for mercy, with The New York Times even expressing concern about how military justice may affect the feelings of the soldier and former Taliban captive.
“This is someone who was held for five years by terrorists,” CNN’s Brooke Baldwin said Wednesday. “Is that not — this is what some say — is that not punishment enough?”
Chris Jansing, a White House correspondent for NBC News, made a similar comment on Thursday. “One of the things that we’ve heard is that there doesn’t seem to be an appetite for further time for him to serve,” she said on MSNBC. “He’s already been in the hands of the Taliban for five years.”
A report in The New York Times by Helene Cooper and Richard Oppel pondered the ramifications if Bergdahl were dismissed from the Army without an honorable discharge.
“Another question is whether the Army will give Sgt. Bergdahl an honorable discharge if he is found guilty of desertion,” Cooper and Oppel wrote. “For members of the military, an honorable discharge is no small matter, and not getting one can not only hinder a veteran’s job prospects, but also weigh on the entirety of how a service member looks back on his or her career.” (The story was subsequently updated to remove that passage.)
The Times editorial board followed up Thursday, calling on the Army to drop its charges against Bergdahl. “A conviction would most likely deprive a traumatized veteran of benefits, including medical care, which he will probably need for years,” the editorial said. “A dishonorable discharge would make it harder to rebuild his life as a civilian.”
USA Today’s editorial board echoed Thursday: “[O]n balance, the available evidence paints a picture of a troubled young man whose foolish action brought him punishment worse than anything U.S. authorities could do to him. And that could be enough.”
Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban after reportedly leaving his post without authorization. He was held captive for five years until the Obama administration traded Guantanamo detainees for him in 2014. An Army spokesman said Thursday he could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.
