U.S. troops reacted with outrage to the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was exchanged with the Taliban for the release of five top prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Bergdahl, many troops have said, is a traitor who aimed to desert his Army post.
Time reports on social media posting by some troops:
The bile surrounding his rescue is blunt on his Fort Richardson, Alaska brigade’s Facebook page:
"I say we welcome him home with a firing squad.," one says. "He’s a piece of trash and everyone from [Fort Richardson] knows it the only person less American than that man is the president for giving up 5 hvt’s [High-Value Targets]"
"Now he can stand trial for deserting his post," says one message on his unit’s Facebook page—a sentiment that has garnered 44 "likes."
"Do you know how many families never saw their loved ones because of him?" a third poster asked.
Commenters who suggested such comments were unduly harsh were dismissed by and large. "Maybe if you knew the truth and the sacrifices made from people in our units in Alaska to find this douche you wouldn’t feel the way you do," one responded to a poster urging restraint. "I feel worse for the kids who have to grow up fatherless cause their daddies died looking for this punk."