He was freed in a prisoner swap that sent five Taliban leaders who were being held at Guantanamo to Qatar, where they had to remain for a year.
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The U.S. Army is holding an Article 32 hearing in the case of Sgt.
The preliminary hearing Thursday at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is known as an Article 32.
Bergdahl is facing charges, including desertion, for leaving his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
Bergdahl disappeared in June 2009 while serving in Afghanistan after expressing opposition to the war.
It also is possible that army prosecutors and Bergdahl’s lawyers will work out a plea bargain deal, whereby the soldier would relieve the military court of carrying out a long trial in exchange for a guilty plea and a moderate punishment.
In March, Bergdahl was charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. He could face a sentence of life in prison. A hearing is scheduled Thursday. Many Republicans and some Democrats criticized the swap as politically motivated and a violation of the USA policy of not negotiating with terrorists. Last year he was released when the Obama Administration exchanged five Taliban members for Bergdahl. But once he was captured by the Taliban, there is little question that Bergdahl acted every bit the brave soldier, repeatedly trying to escape, and when he succeeded, being recaptured and severely beaten and chained spread-eagled to a bed.
Kurz alleged that Bergdahl had planned for weeks to abandon his post and that there was enough evidence to warrant that the Idaho native face a court-martial.
While the Pentagon has said there is no evidence anyone died searching for Bergdahl, legal experts say the misbehavior charge allows authorities to allege his actions put soldiers who searched for him in harm’s way.
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Bergdahl’s lawyer Eugene Fidell had a one-line opening statement where he said: “The government should make Sergeant Bergdahl’s statements available to the public, not only just to you”, referring to statements his client made concerning the incident. GOP front runner Donald Trump has called Bergdahl a “dirty rotten traitor” although he’s been charged with no such crime. Prosecutors could argue that it should go to a court-martial while defense attorneys could argue that the charges should be resolved by less severe means. “This is a hugely serious offense”.
