Trump offered to shoot an American sergeant who spent five years in captivity by the Taliban

Bow Bergdal was captured by the Taliban in June 2009. The 501 Airborne Regiment, in which Bergdal served, was then in Afghanistan. The gunmen seized the sergeant shortly after on the night of 29 June he voluntarily left the outposts, in which he served. In captivity, Bergdal spent five years; according to him, most of this time he was kept in a cage and tortured. In 2014, he returned to the United States — a captive sergeant was exchanged for five Taliban detained at the American prison in Guantanamo.

The search operation Bergdal from captivity led by Michael Flynn - The general, who became Donald Trump's national security adviser and soon resigned, as he became aware of his secret meetings with Russian diplomats. During the search for the missing sergeant, several American soldiers were injured. In an interview with British documentary filmmaker Sean Langan, who makes a film about Bergdal (in 2008, Langan was captured by the same Taliban group that held the sergeant) Flynn said he was sure: Bow Bergdal left the part with the intention to join the militants.

In 2014, Fox News reported that Bow Bergdal "became a warrior of Islam." In the material of the channel, citing secret documents, it was reported that the sergeant voluntarily joined the ranks of the militants, converted to Islam and became a mojahed. Bergdal categorically denies these allegations. According to him, he left the post to find other American military and complain about the commander of his platoon, who "moved out of the coils." The materials of the tribunal contain evidence that Bergdal twice tried to escape from the Taliban, for which he was subjected to additional torture.

The story of Berdgala is an important plot of the 2016 election campaign of the year. President Barack Obama, giving the order to exchange Bergdal, said that the motives of desertion are irrelevant. At the same time, the Republican Party criticized the decision to exchange the sergeant for five Taliban. The Central Control Board of the United States ruled that Obama did not inform Congress of all the circumstances of Bergdal's capture. Presidential candidate Donald Trump during several speeches called the sergeant a traitor, who should be shot. In an interview with Sean Langan, the soldier said that after such statements the commander-in-chief did not believe in a fair trial.

At the 16 October Tribunal, Bowe Bergdahl admitted charges of desertion and discipline in a combat situation. He also agreed that by leaving the post, he endangered his fellow soldiers. Under the first article, he faces up to five years in prison, under the second - imprisonment up to a life sentence. At the same time, Michael Flynn believes that it would be unfair to imprison Bergdal. “Yes, he was captured by the Taliban on his own will, but we sent him to Afghanistan,” the retired general said. The sentence to Bow Bergdalu must endure October 23.