# Is Bergdahl being swiftboated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 2, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840 "2014-06-02T15:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 33
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/641 "2014-06-10T16:36:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, he accepts the exchange in principle, but thinks that Obama didn’t haggle effectively? I support the exchange in principle as well. I think that the fair price should have been one low-ranking Taliban combatant. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/642 "2014-06-10T16:38:27Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And so the President didn’t give him the chance to consider. He’s supposed to? The Senator from Arizona has some authority in such decisions? Authority that would supersede the authority of the SecDef and SecState? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/643 "2014-06-10T16:42:29Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I support the exchange in principle as well. I think that the fair price should have been one low-ranking Taliban combatant. Do we have any? What the Bushiviks told us, everybody held at Guantanamo was a super-dooper heavyweight terrorist. And since when did native people lose their right to resist foreign invasion? Or does that only apply when the invaders aren’t us? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/644 "2014-06-10T16:43:04Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Do we have any? What the Bushiviks told us, everybody held at Guantanamo was a super-dooper heavyweight terrorist. Does it have to be out of Guantanamo? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/645 "2014-06-10T16:45:23Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I support the exchange in principle as well. I think that the fair price should have been one low-ranking Taliban combatant. So what you’re upset about is that Obama placed a higher value on the life of a US soldier that you do. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/646 "2014-06-10T16:48:23Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > The editorial is commenting on the three-month-old McCain video: > > "While McCain notes that he objected to an earlier proposal that would have called for releasing the very same high value terrorists as an act of “confidence building” with the Taliban, he clearly states that he would support the release of these people if the prize were to be the American soldier being held by the Taliban. **He later modifies** his response to say that if the exchange were for one of these terrorists—whom he told us just this past Sunday were people responsible for the deaths of thousands—he would support the deal. > > Does anyone out there believe that the critics would have been silenced if the exchange had only involved one terrorist…or two…or three? If you believe that our policy of not negotiating with terrorists is the correct policy, does negotiating for the release of one high ranking terrorist make it better? Yet, there is Mr. McCain voicing his support for a deal that , just three months later, he would go on TV to condemn." > “Later” as in “later in the video” (since that particular exchange came at the very end of it). It cannot mean “later” as in “now”, since there is no McCain utterance from the last week or so that you can cite that refers to trading just one of those terrorists. Just watched the video. McCain does NOT say at any time in the video that he only supports the exchange if it is for “one of these terrorists”. At no time does he specify any number of terrorists/Taliban leaders except for the number five. So **Terr** , you are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/647 "2014-06-10T16:50:20Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > You have the video. It is clear to me that he says he’d support it if the exchange was for one of the terrorists, not five. The Forbes editorial agrees with me. Again, just watched the video. At no time in the video does McCain say that he’d support the exchange if it was for one terrorist, not five. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/648 "2014-06-10T16:51:36Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > He’s supposed to? The Senator from Arizona has some authority in such decisions? Authority that would supersede the authority of the SecDef and SecState? He has to at least be informed so that he gets a chance to decide whether he supports it or not. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/649 "2014-06-10T16:51:38Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Does it have to be out of Guantanamo? 1. We have some in another location? Bring. 2. No thoughts on the issue of whether or not native people have the right to resist foreign invasion? We were pretty big on that principle when the invaders were Soviet, doesn’t count when it’s us? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/650 "2014-06-10T16:52:02Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Do we have any? What the Bushiviks told us, everybody held at Guantanamo was a super-dooper heavyweight terrorist. > > And since when did native people lose their right to resist foreign invasion? Or does that only apply when the invaders aren’t us? Bushiviks? Maybe you haven’t noticed that many elected members of the Democrat party object to trading these 5 specific terrorists, and to the Obama administrations ignoring the law about not paying for this terrorist transfer, and to not be informed before hand (1 day or 30 days) that the Obama WH was freeing up 5 beds in GITMO. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/651 "2014-06-10T16:54:06Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > He has to at least be informed so that he gets a chance to decide whether he supports it or not. He has to be informed? Sez who? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/652 "2014-06-10T16:55:38Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > So what you’re upset about is that Obama placed a higher value on the life of a US soldier that you do. Got it. The Obama Administration released 5 mass-murdering terrorists on the world. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/653 "2014-06-10T16:57:01Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > the Democrat party _Again_? > [@](#): > > the Obama WH was freeing up 5 beds in GITMO. Why do you think he doesn’t just free them all up, all at once? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/654 "2014-06-10T16:59:47Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > He has to be informed? Sez who? Feinstein. What do you think she’s been complaining about? Congress was not informed before the deal went down. Obama signed a bill into law that says there will be no federal money to make this type of terrorist transfer out of GITMO. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/655 "2014-06-10T17:04:30Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Feinstein. What do you think she’s been complaining about? Congress was not informed before the deal went down. Obama signed a bill into law that says there will be no federal money to make this type of terrorist transfer out of GITMO. Well, then, if they have grounds for impeachment on high crimes, they may proceed. Its worked so well for them before, I can certainly understand why they would be eager to step on their dick one more time. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/656 "2014-06-10T17:05:55Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Just watched the video. McCain does NOT say at any time in the video that he only supports the exchange if it is for “one of these terrorists”. At no time does he specify any number of terrorists/Taliban leaders except for the number five. > > So **Terr** , you are wrong. He says that he supports exchange for one of the terrorists. Again, the Forbes editorial agrees with me. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/657 "2014-06-10T17:07:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > 1. We have some in another location? Bring. I am sure there are quite a few holding places in Afghanistan. > [@](#): > > 1. No thoughts on the issue of whether or not native people have the right to resist foreign invasion? We were pretty big on that principle when the invaders were Soviet, doesn’t count when it’s us? What does that have to do with the Bergdahl exchange? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/658 "2014-06-10T17:07:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > He says that he supports exchange for one of the terrorists. Again, the Forbes editorial agrees with me. No he doesn’t. I watched the video. He does not say this. If you want to give me a time stamp, I’ll watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/659 "2014-06-10T17:08:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Again, just watched the video. At no time in the video does McCain say that he’d support the exchange if it was for one terrorist, not five. Clear out your ears. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840/660 "2014-06-10T17:09:10Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Clear out your ears. At what time in the video? I watched the whole thing. It was less than 3 minutes, and he never said this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840.md?page=32) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bergdahl-being-swiftboated/689840.md?page=34)