Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey did not mince words when he called the White House comments on Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl are ‘incomprehensible.’
In 2014, Bergdahl was released from Taliban captivity when President Obama agreed to a deal to exchange five terrorists from Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl. The deal faced criticism because the White House failed to notify Congress about the trade, and that Bergdahl’s fellow soldiers claimed he deserted his post.
Claims of desertion did not stop Obama from holding a press conference with Bergdahl’s parents in the Rose Garden. National Security Adviser Susan Rice also said Bergdahl served with ‘honor and distinction.’
Gen. McCaffrey said the White House knew that Sgt. Bergdahl deserted his post.
"There was an exhaustive investigation, at the time by combat forces in Afghanistan on what happened. So we knew objectively what happened within days of the incident," McCaffrey said.
"The bigger issue to me was it was incomprehensible to me that the President of the United States walked out in the Rose Garden with this guy’s parents… and Susan Rice saying he served with honor and distinction."
On Wednesday, Bergdahl was charged with desertion, which carries a maximum of five years in prison. He was also charged with misbehavior before the enemy. This charge is a far more serious and potentially could carry a life in prison sentence.