At What Cost: Bowe Bergdahl

     Patriot or traitor? On May 31^st, 2014, the US exchanged five captured terrorists for the release of Bowe Bergdahl after he had been captured by the Taliban nearly five years earlier. This decision to rescue a captured United States military solider would usually seem like a no-brainer, but at a time when the stakes are so high for the safety of the world, it requires one to dive in and investigate all sides of the issue.
      Prior to his capture, Bergdahl would not by any means be considered a patriot. Before enlisting in the armed forces, he was known to be anti-war and even go as far as saying multiple statements such as, “The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at.” Some would even argue that he had ulterior motives for becoming a private in the Army. After his capture, emails between Bowe and his father that were exchanged during his service in Afghanistan surfaced that were implicitly against America, the military, and war.  When Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban, it is documented that he had deserted his post. In normal circumstances, a soldier that had abandoned his post could be court-martialed and face a lengthy sentence in a military prison.
     No one should ever be subject to the torture and imprisonment that Bowe Bergdahl faced. I do believe that it is America’s duty to protect its citizens, especially those such as soldiers who are putting their lives on the line every day for the safety of our country. But when does the safety of one man outweigh the safety and security of possibly a whole nation? In order to get Bowe Bergdahl back, the US had to negotiate the release of "The Taliban Five", which included a Taliban army chief of staff, a Taliban deputy minister of intelligence, a former Taliban interior minister, and two other senior Taliban members. 
     In order for this risky trade to be worth it, I think that Bowe Bergdahl should have been made to be more of an aid to the government once he was physically an psychologically deemed fit. After all, who would know more than he about  the inner workings and beliefs of the Taliban? How many lives around the world could be saved by Bergdahl's knowledge? But that is not what happened at all. Bergdahl’s family claimed that he couldn’t remember the English language and therefore refused to partake in any interviews outside of the required military investigation. I find issue with this because there are language and communication experts virtually everywhere. If Bowe Bergdahl had truly forgotten English, a teacher or translator could have been with him within a matter of hours. Secondly, Bergdahl could have been a useful resource in the fight against terrorism, but instead he has faded into the background. Bowe Bergdahl is still under investigation, but once it's over, he plans to get out of the Army and pursue a college degree. 
    It's no doubt that it was not only the right decision, but the moral obligation of this country, to bring Bergdahl home. The level of dedication Bowe had to his country definitely made the lines more blurred however. Due to the allegations of Bergdahl abandoning his post, one of his former squad leaders started the Facebook page "Bowe Bergdahl Is Not A Hero", which already has thousands of members. Another concerning aspect of this issue is that it sends a message terrorist groups that there is more value in a hostage situation than there was before. At least six American soldiers were killed in the effort to find and rescue Bergdahl, so I think for the sake of those lost lives Bowe Bergdahl should become an aid in the fight against terrorism and make his release worth it.