There has been quite a bit of chatter lately since the killing of Osama Bin Laden by Seal Team 6 almost two weeks ago. After the smoke cleared and the cheering stopped, many speculated that grim news couldn’t be far from the horizon. Still more thought that this should hasten the end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since we have finally found, and killed, the Western World’s most wanted man, why are we still fighting in Afghanistan? War’s over man, let’s move on to what really matters now…the lives of our celebrities and whether Obama is secretly a Muslim extremist born on the moon.
Sadly, the wars are not over and our brave men and women are still dying in countries thousands of miles from their home towns. More specifically, I recently learned about the plight of a father and his only son from one of our partners, the North Carolina Chapter (7) of Rolling Thunder. Via their Facebook page, they had a YouTube video posted, which I have reposted to this blog.
Sadly, the wars are not over and our brave men and women are still dying in countries thousands of miles from their home towns. More specifically, I recently learned about the plight of a father and his only son from one of our partners, the North Carolina Chapter (7) of Rolling Thunder. Via their Facebook page, they had a YouTube video posted, which I have reposted to this blog.
Bowe Bergdahl - Image by Associated Press
Over the course of the past two months, we have been quite busy and I am sure I have carpal tunnel syndrome from all of the emails, letters and requests I have been writing, many times to blind eyes. Frustration doesn’t seem to fully explain the emotion of speaking to deaf ears or writing to those who cannot grasp the urgency of our project’s goals. Many times I get wrapped up in the goings on around here and it takes a slap in the face to put me in my place, to awaken me to a clearer perspective on what’s important, and what isn’t. The struggles of this family, their son and the whirlwind of international diplomacy they now find themselves in is what cold-cocked me in the face this morning and brought a huge portion of perspective for my thoughts to chew on.
Sun Valley Idaho
Bowe Bergdahl was a once a boy from Hailey, Idaho, a resort city in Blaine County, the central part of the state. A small town boy, growing up in a community of less than 1,500 people amidst the wilderness and paradise that is the Rocky mountains, he joined the Army and was attached to the 25th Infantry Division out of Fort Richardson, Alaska. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in February of 2009 as a part of Regional Command East, International Security Assistance Force. The Battalion’s area of operation included Khost and Paktika provinces, all on the border with Pakistan. On June 30th, 2009, while on duty in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, PFC (now SPC) Bowe Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban. Since his capture they have released five videos, the last being a brief one in December 2010, showing him in captivity, threatening to execute him and demanding $1 million and the release of 21 Afghan prisoners, most of which are being held in Gitmo.
Robert Bergdahl - Photo by UK Daily Mail
On May 6th, 2011, his father, Robert Bergdahl, released a video via YouTube, pleading to Pakistani officials and the Taliban to release his only son. He appears with a full beard, the mountains of Idaho in the background and his eyes stare into your soul. Being a father myself of boys, I can only imagine the pain and torture it is, not knowing if your son will be killed today, or maybe tomorrow, or the next day. Is he cold or sick? Is he hurt or in pain? What if
he gets sick? What if they lose patience and kill my son? It is heart wrenching to speculate must be going through his mind.
In the video, Robert remains humble and respectful in his pleas to the captives, asking for them to play the video to Bowe. During the 3 minute display, Robert speaks a language that according to The Daily Mail (UK) is used in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, obviously hoping to relate his plight to those who hold his son for ransom. It is a haunting video and truly brings the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq a bit closer to home for those who choose to watch it.
he gets sick? What if they lose patience and kill my son? It is heart wrenching to speculate must be going through his mind.
In the video, Robert remains humble and respectful in his pleas to the captives, asking for them to play the video to Bowe. During the 3 minute display, Robert speaks a language that according to The Daily Mail (UK) is used in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, obviously hoping to relate his plight to those who hold his son for ransom. It is a haunting video and truly brings the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq a bit closer to home for those who choose to watch it.
Though we celebrate the death of Osama Bin Laden, the fight sparked by September 11th continues in his absence. Our men and women remain vigilant and watchful thousands of miles from our shores and Robert Bergdahl lays awake nights, I’m sure, hoping that one day, a Special Forces Unit will intervene for his family, but those hopes are in vain. The Wars over, they say, the mastermind of terror is dead, buried at sea. Unfortunately for Robert and Bowe and thousands of our men and women in uniform, the wars rage on, captivity continues and the blood of our sons and daughters continue to stain the battlefields, thousands of miles from home.
Never Forget!
Never Forget!
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