Kidnapped Soldier

[V8mate]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/815779...

Watching this on the news yesterday. Soldier disappears in mysterious circumstances. Video shows only him, no 'posing' captors etc. Too many vaguaries from the US militay.

Did anyone else think that this came across as purely a bit of staged anti-Taliban publicity?

It's no 'who shot JFK?' or 'moon-landing' type conspiracy; all wars use 'managed news' to help the cause. Just wondering if this was an example thereof?

[scorp]

V8mate said:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/815779...

Watching this on the news yesterday. Soldier disappears in mysterious circumstances. Video shows only him, no 'posing' captors etc. Too many vaguaries from the US militay.

Did anyone else think that this came across as purely a bit of staged anti-Taliban publicity?

It's no 'who shot JFK?' or 'moon-landing' type conspiracy; all wars use 'managed news' to help the cause. Just wondering if this was an example thereof?

I don't see why the military would want much attention on this, if they made a big noise it is just helping 'enemy' propaganda. Not looking good for the poor chap.

[Hedders]

"In the 28-minute video, he says the date is 14 July and that he was captured as he lagged behind while on a patrol. "

WTF?

Nobody saw him get kidnapped? He really must have been lagging!

Anyway, he is dead already.

"He was named as Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

Seems like a strange way of telling us someones name, no?

Edited by Hedders on Monday 20th July 08:04

[Invisible man]

Hedders said:

Anyway, he is dead already.

quite, there will no doubt be another sickening display of savagery on utube. According to the news he last night he went for a walk with 3 Afghan colleagues

[Puggit]

Hedders said:

Anyway, he is dead already.

"He was named as Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

Seems like a strange way of telling us someones name, no?

Not at all, it's merely correct use of the English language.

The full sentence from the report should be 'He was named as Pte Bowe Bergdahl on the video'

[V8mate]

scorp said:

V8mate said:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/815779...

Watching this on the news yesterday. Soldier disappears in mysterious circumstances. Video shows only him, no 'posing' captors etc. Too many vaguaries from the US militay.

Did anyone else think that this came across as purely a bit of staged anti-Taliban publicity?

It's no 'who shot JFK?' or 'moon-landing' type conspiracy; all wars use 'managed news' to help the cause. Just wondering if this was an example thereof?

I don't see why the military would want much attention on this, if they made a big noise it is just helping 'enemy' propaganda. Not looking good for the poor chap.

They could launch a daring (and successful) special forces mission to recapture him quite easily though

[/cynic]

[Mikeyboy]

kidnapped is as much a propaganda statement by the US forces as anything in the video. Er its a war so if the enemy capture him then he is a prisoner of war.

That being said then they have to be a little more respectful of their treatment of him according to the conventions of war if they do claim that.

[Fittster]

On a more general note when was the last conflict where capture soldiers were held in accordance with the Geneva convention? Bosnia?

[Zod]

V8mate said:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/815779...

Watching this on the news yesterday. Soldier disappears in mysterious circumstances. Video shows only him, no 'posing' captors etc. Too many vaguaries from the US militay.

Did anyone else think that this came across as purely a bit of staged anti-Taliban publicity?

It's no 'who shot JFK?' or 'moon-landing' type conspiracy; all wars use 'managed news' to help the cause. Just wondering if this was an example thereof?

No.

[Invisible man]

Puggit said:

Hedders said:

Anyway, he is dead already.

"He was named as Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

Seems like a strange way of telling us someones name, no?

Not at all, it's merely correct use of the English language.

The full sentence from the report should be 'He was named as Pte Bowe Bergdahl on the video'

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

[mechsympathy]

Invisible man said:

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

Eh? How else would they put it?

[Hedders]

mechsympathy said:

Invisible man said:

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

Eh? How else would they put it?

"He IS Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

[mechsympathy]

So they have to rewrite the first line and title, and work out how to link this to previous stories without using the past tense? Now that would be clumsy.

Anyway, poor sod, hope they manage to release him.

[Invisible man]

Hedders said:

mechsympathy said:

Invisible man said:

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

Eh? How else would they put it?

"He IS Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

Yes, more likely shortened to "His name is XXXXX and he went missing.....

or "XXXXX from Ketchum went missing.......

I don't see what's difficult to comprehend, but it's a minor detail in the scheme of things, let's hope for a happy reunion for him and his family

[crofty1984]

Hedders said:

mechsympathy said:

Invisible man said:

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

Eh? How else would they put it?

"He IS Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

He was named as...
The forces have given out his name, thus naming him to the public. This happened in the past.

[Hedders]

crofty1984 said:

Hedders said:

mechsympathy said:

Invisible man said:

It may be correct English but it's a clumsy use of syntax to use the past tense to address someone held captive by savages who usually behead their 'prisoners'

Eh? How else would they put it?

"He IS Pte Bowe Bergdahl, 23, from Ketchum, Idaho. He went missing from his base in a Taleban stronghold near the pakistani border last month. "

He was named as...
The forces have given out his name, thus naming him to the public. This happened in the past.

Actually, you are quite right, in that context.

I stand corrected.



ETA the smiley cos it looked sarcastic without it.

Edited by Hedders on Monday 20th July 17:33

[Jimbeaux]

Mikeyboy said:

kidnapped is as much a propaganda statement by the US forces as anything in the video. Er its a war so if the enemy capture him then he is a prisoner of war.

That being said then they have to be a little more respectful of their treatment of him according to the conventions of war if they do claim that.

They won't. Their idea of following convention will be cutting off his head.

[Mikeyboy]

Jimbeaux said:

Mikeyboy said:

kidnapped is as much a propaganda statement by the US forces as anything in the video. Er its a war so if the enemy capture him then he is a prisoner of war.

That being said then they have to be a little more respectful of their treatment of him according to the conventions of war if they do claim that.

They won't. Their idea of following convention will be cutting off his head.

Unfortunatley that is something I am fully aware of. I do feel sorry for him and his parents.

My point was more that I think the press were wrong in the US and here to use the term kidnapped as while this may be the eventual outcome it isn't exactly omitted fro the rules of war to grab a soldier out on patrol.
tribal soldiers very rarely have learnt the lessons of Sun Tzu, give an enemy no way out of the fight an they will fight harder to survive.

[scorp]

V8mate said:

They could launch a daring (and successful) special forces mission to recapture him quite easily though

[/cynic]

Assuming they knew were he is, afghanistan isn't exactly small.

[V8mate]

scorp said:

V8mate said:

They could launch a daring (and successful) special forces mission to recapture him quite easily though

[/cynic]

Assuming they knew were he is, afghanistan isn't exactly small.

Did you read my OP? I was my contention that he has been 'kidnapped' by his own side as a propoganda exercise.