The news that Bowe Bergdahl is being treated as a deserter was reaffirming and infuriating at the same time.
To anyone paying attention - the truth of Bergdahl's leaving his post was obvious - he deserted. That military courts confirmed that belief was kind of a "well duh" moment. It was also reaffirming in that those of us who greatly respect the US military were heartened by the fact that the military was able resist what I am sure was substantial political pressure to "suck it up and salute" to the President's version of reality.
It is infuriating in that this picture is now perhaps the most shameful moment in White House history. It is also sadly symbolic of all that is wrong with Barack Obama's foreign policy and naivety (or malice if you want to be less charitable). This is way more shameful than anything Richard Nixon ever did. And maybe even more illegal.
Couple this with the disrespect the President showed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this week and you have to wonder what's next on Obama's middle finger to the military list? It is so bad that at this point would anyone be surprised by a Presidential pardon for American Taliban John Walker Lindh?
One can only hope that this latest episode may be the Joseph Welsh, "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" moment in the Obama Presidency.
