The more I learn about Bergdahlghazi, the more I become convinced that Republicans have been breathing their own self-produced methane for too long. Bill Maher had a fascinating panel discussion about the five Taliban prisoners released from the GOP Gulag at Gitmo in the exchange. His final conclusion is so obvious that most journalists could have failed to discuss it only by intent to withhold the most pertinent fact.
It’s been a very long week watching the right-wing freakout over the the prisoner swap for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, with everyone from John Bolton, to Ted Cruz, to the hairpiece Donald Trump, to you name it sticking their two cents in on whether we should have negotiated to get Bergdahl released and on whether the trade for the prisoners at Gitmo was worth it.
During a panel discussion on this Friday’s Real Time with Bill Maher on the topic, Maher finally said out loud what’s been missing from the discussions we’ve been hearing in our corporate media, and that’s why we could not have just tried these "terrorists" being held at Guantanamo Bay in a court of law — we tortured them.
You can debate all you want to, as the group did here, over whether these are bad people or not, and whether they might pose a threat to the United States at some time in the future or not, and who we should and should not be classifying as terrorists.
None of that matters much if, as Maher pointed out at the end of the clip above, we can’t try them because the Bush administration decided it was a good idea to torture them, and we can’t hold them any more because we can’t call them enemy combatants if we’re going to draw down and get out of Afghanistan. Maybe one of these days the so-called "journalists" we’ve got out there who are following Fox’s lead and drumming up their latest fake controversy could bother to point that out to their viewers as well…
Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>
What else can I say? Maher is spot-on!
13 Responses to “Maher Spot-on About GOP Gulag”
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For those who do not have HBO, I'm sorry. Everyone should have the opportunity to laugh with Maher every Friday night that the show is on. Now, on Sunday there is John Oliver so HBO does have a real lock on political humor.
The insincere drivel by Nicole Wallace, with her child-like innocence is was often just a bit repulsive. She really does belong with Joe Scarborough and the rest of the little rascals. "Gee, Why hasn't Obama done that? He's had six years." I'm so glad that Maher verbally smacked her down.
In fact, the entire created Bowe Bergdahl would be controversy is nonsense. If the man did something that is found to be illegal, that will be discovered by the Army investigation. I think it more likely if this is honest, we will find a man that had reached the end of his mental ability to justify the murder of a child. He may have walked away, he may face some punishment, or some mental health help, but we most certainly owed him the rescue from captivity.
Thanks to Maher and TC
I undersdtand that his entire unit was a study in dysfunction.
Will someone please explain to me why, if the Army had the faintest suspicion that Bowe Bergdahl was AWOL (they could not POSSIBLY prove desertion from the information at hand, since he had at least once previously left the base without authorization and returned), why, I repeat, the Army PROMOTED HIM TWICE? Are they under some obligation that didn't exist when I was in service to promote people, absent actual disciplinary action, on the basis if time served alone? Are they under some obligation that didn't use to exist to consider time passed as time served when there is even the remotest possibility that the time may have been AWOL time which would NOT count as time served? I just do not get it.
Joanne, I have been wondering these same points. All this is, IMO is another Republican effort to discredit Obama.
Than is a most excellent point. The answer is clear. If Bergdall walked on water, the Republicans would still swift-boat him, becaause Obama obtained hios freedom.
Is there anything that the GOP won't be hypocritical about – anything at all? No? Ah well….
No
"The problem is we tortured them and now we can't try them in regular court."
I think the Republicanus/Teabagger, Nicole Wallace, either has selective memory, or even though she was at meetings, she was lied to or not told the complete truth. I favour the second because extreme dicretion would be required when breaking international law . . . and they knew the law. Omission is still a lie. Baby Bush and Chickenhawk Cheney were up to their dirty noses in the torture of the detainees. And Congress, dominated by the Republicanus/Teabaggers, passed laws that the detainees could not be brought to American soil etc. So this idea that Obama has had 6 years to figure out how to close Gitmo, is pure rank elephant shit!
Many things happen in the fog of war that might otherwise not have happened. Let a proper investigation be done with all relevant information and then a decision made as to prosecute for desertion or not. We don't have all the facts so there should be no speculation as to guilt or innocence.
Republicanus/Teabaggers are always stirring up firestorms … manufacturing smoke when there isn't any. I am sure that even before Bergdahl sets foot on US soil, they will manufacture a scandal out of all proportion, if no other reason because they want to tarnish Obama.
Question ; Would the military have promoted Bergdahl twice while he was a prisoner if there were pre-existing concerns about his status – captured soldier versus deserter?
Republicans have top manufacture smoke where there isn't any. Smoke is a key ingredient for a smokescreen.
I feel sorry for Bergdahl and his family. If he was guilty of desertion, he will be court martialed. His fmily has been pilloried by the right wing press. First McCain was for his release,now he is not. Smoke and mirrors form the Republicans, all to discredit Obama!
His family "pilloried" is an understatement. I heard one conservative refer to Bergdahl senior as a member of the Taliban because of his hair and beard. I believe that conservative was a member of the press. He is suppose to REPORT the news, not MAKE-UP the news. Silly me, these are Republicanus/Teabaggers! Truth is not in their vocabulary!
I find these asses offensive to the nth degree!
What the Republicans have done to this poor family is nothing short of criminal.
Torture….it all comes down to having lowered ourselves into places we said "other" Countries did and we'd would never. I think the American people need to get off their rose colored glasses in many areas and by doing so see the reality of where we are so we can begin the climb back to having the "higher" standards we speak about but fail to do.