Obama: No Apologies

"We do not leave anybody wearing an American uniform behind," President Barack Obama said at a news conference in Brussels Thursday.  He was addressing the controversy that has swirled around the exchange of U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl for five high ranking Taliban prisoners that had been held in the U.S. prison at Guantanamo, Cuba.  The president offered this justification, "We had a prisoner of war, whose health had deteriorated, and we were deeply concerned about, and we saw an opportunity, and we seized it.  And I make no apologies for that."

Five years ago Bergdahl apparently walked away from his military post in Afghanistan, leaving behind his weapon and helmet.  He was soon captured by the Taliban.   Last Saturday the president was joined on the White House South Lawn by Bergdahl's family as he announced their son had been released.  But the good news, even many Republican members of Congress quickly tweeted their support, suddenly turned into a political firestorm of controversy.

Congressional critics include Senator John McCain, who described the exchanged Taliban prisoners as "the hardest of hard-core…possibly responsible for thousands of deaths."  The Joint Task Force Guantanamo earlier had classified them as high risk, and two are wanted by the United Nations for war crimes.  But the five Taliban terrorists, also known as the Gitmo Five, have been in custody at Guantanamo for more than a decade and have never been charged.  Further, once America's war in Afghanistan is over sometime next year, the U.S. would have had to release them.  

Many in congress, from both parties, claim that the president had failed to comply with his legal obligation to inform its members 30 days in advance of any prisoner release from Guantanamo.  On Thursday, President Obama said, "We had discussed with Congress the possibility that something like this might occur, but because of the nature of the folks that we are dealing with and the fragile nature of these negotiations, we felt it was important to go ahead and do what he did."

Discussions about swapping the Gitmo Five for Bergdahl have taken place in the past, including in 2011.  Then members of congress, and key administration officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, opposed such a deal.  But the conditions changed when Qatar agreed to keep the Taliban terrorists for one year, and the president announced the war will end next year.   Nonetheless, Congress will hold hearings on whether the president broke the law.

Most members of the military agree that Bergdahl had to be rescued.  On Sunday's edition of ABC's This Week National Security Advisor Susan Rice said, "He served the United States with honor and distinction…and we'll have an opportunity to learn what transpired in the past." Her comment was not received well by members of his platoon, many of whom have criticized Bergdahl.  "I believe that he totally deserted--not only his fellow soldiers--but his leadership that wanted the best for him and his country," Justine Gerieve, Bergdahl's former squad leader, told CNN.  

CNN also reported that Bergdahl had walked away from his post at least once before.  General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, posted a comment about Bergdahl on Facebook Monday night,  "As for the circumstances of his capture, when he is able to provide them, we'll learn the facts," he wrote.  "Like any American, he is innocent until proven guilty.  Our Army's leaders will not look away from misconduct if it occurred." 

Meanwhile, some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers have charged that as many as eight U.S. servicemen died on patrols looking for him.  The New York Times reported Wednesday, "But a review of casualty reports and contemporaneous military logs from the Afghanistan war shows that the facts surrounding the eight deaths are far murkier than definitive."   The article points out that the soldiers normally did patrols in the high-risk area.  

With regard to the Gitmo Five, they will remain in Qatar for one year before they are able to leave the country.  Twelve years have passed since they were involved in fighting.  It is unclear what role they will play for the Taliban in the future.

The Afghanistan conflict is America's longest war.  About 2,300 members of the military have died there, and $700 billion has been spent by the U.S. waging the war there over the past dozen years.  There is reason to hope, as a second round of presidential elections will be held in Afghanistan next week.  The country will soon have a democratic transfer power for the first time in its history, and the enigmatic incumbent, Hamid Karzai, will be replaced by anew leader. 

Whatever the outcome, the new government will be fragile.  The Taliban will seek a role in the country's future.  U.S. and Afghan officials have been in secret talks with the Taliban about the post-war future.  While administration officials don't link the Bergdahl exchange to a bigger peace deal, it may have been an important first step toward a larger agreement between the parties.

For sure, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl will have a lot to answer for when he is well enough to be questioned by the military.  And the White House is busy defending its unnecessarily messy communications with congress prior to the exchange.  The administration has opened itself up to Republican indignation and righteous platitudes.  Of course, the midterm elections are just around the corner.

Just imagine what the Republicans would have done to the president had Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl died in the hands of the Taliban.  

Veterans Day 2013

Today America remembers its war dead.  More than 2 million men and women have heroically and courageously given their lives for their country since its founding.  

From the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, to Gettysburg in 1863, to the Battle of Amiens in 1918, to Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Battle of Pork Chop Hill in 1953, the Tet Offensives in 1968 and 1969, the Invasion of Grenada in 1983, to Desert Storm in 1991, to Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. servicemen have died defending freedom.

In a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, President Barack Obama paid tribute to America's war dead.  "They are heroes, each and every one," he said. "They gave America the most precious thing they had, the last full measure of devotion. And because they did, we are who we are today: a free and prosperous nation, the greatest in the world."  

In the past decade about 2.5 million members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and related Reserve and National Guard units have been deployed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, according to Defense Department records.  Nearly 40,000 Americans have been deployed more than five times, and more than 400,000 have undergone three of more deployments.  In that time about 7,000 U.S. servicemen have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

The president also spoke about those who are currently on the front lines.  "We must remember our countrymen are still serving, still fighting, putting their lives on the line for all of us," President Obama said.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans have returned home after selflessly putting it all on the line for the country they love.  But all too often the system they defended has failed them.  The transition into daily life can be difficult under the best of circumstances.  For the tens of thousands of veterans suffering from physical or mental injuries, the post war care is inadequate.

An unprecedented number of veterans are facing the challenges of civilian life.  Some have enrolled in college.  For instance, John Byrne, a Valor Award winner for a 36-hour fire fight in Afghanistan in which four of his comrades were killed.  He spent more than a decade in service of his country.  He is now a sophomore at Hofstra University, nearly 20 years older than his classmates.  But he is also working part time and trying to start a family.  While he is not complaining, it isn't easy dealing with homework, work and the emotional effects of battle. 

He recently wrote on his blog, "I think that feeling and emotions I had about going to Afghanistan were rooted in the things my parents instilled in me, being a good person, and the love of being American. Serving my country gave me a proud feeling that I am unable to put into words."

Let us remember not only America's war dead.  Let us redouble our efforts to care for those veterans who have returned home in the hopes of having productive and meaningful lives. 

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;" wrote William Shakespeare in Henry V, "For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Every 15 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a significant brain injury; about 2 million American adults and children sustain a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, each year.  The injuries are inflicted on battlefields as well as football fields.  The victims come from all walks of life. 
 
Former New York Giants Hall of Famer Harry Carson appeared in 173 games as a professional, along with nine playoff games and more than 50 preseason games.  He played inside linebacker and led the team in tackles five times.  In his remarkable football career, including high school and college, Carson experienced thousands of collisions.  He estimates he suffered more than a dozen concussions, and he now admits he suffers from forgetfulness and "bouts with depression."

As a freshman soccer player in Alexandria, Virginia, Sarah Rainy suffered a collision in a varsity match in April 2010.  She left the game long enough for a sip of water before returning.  It was not until after the game that she realized something was wrong.  Five-weeks later she courageously told a Congressional committee about her concussion.  “I sometimes now have to use a calculator to do simple arithmetic — it takes me three times as long to do anything,” said Rainey, who was 14 at the time.  “Even when my head is not pounding, I always feel like I am wearing a compression headband.”   

Afghanistan War veteran Nick Colgin, 27-years-old, recently told NY1 News an incoming shell hit of the side of his Humvee.  He went on, "It kind of dazed me, knocked me out, broke my nose. But the worst part was I didn’t know how it affected me, affected my brain."  He told NY1 he can no longer read or write.

According to the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC), more than 218,000 cases of TBI have been diagnosed among Afghan and Iraq war veterans over the past decade.  Nearly 4 million American athletes get mild brain injuries, or concussions.  For children a concussion can alter lives by increasing behavioral issues and memory loss.  Two-thirds of people with brain injuries report having poor emotional health and depression, which greatly increases the chance of suicide. 

At an annual fundraising gala Tuesday night in New York City, the MHA-NYC will launch the Traumatic Brain Injury and Emotional Wellness Alliance, an advocacy group that will raise awareness of the mental health impact of TBI.  Three "collaborative councils", made up of leaders from sports, science and veteran's affairs that, "Will advise the Alliance, and drive recognition, science-based information, sound policy and advocacy at the convergence of mental health and TBI issues from the schoolyard and stadium, to the battlefield," the MHA-NYC website reports.  I am a MHA-NYC board member.

ABC News Correspondent Bob Woodruff, himself a victim of a severe brain injury while covering the second war in Iraq, along with his wife Lee, a CBS News Correspondent, will host the MHA-NYC event.  They will be joined by honorees Harry Carson, Sarah Rainy and Sylvia Mackey, widow of NFL and Colt great John Mackey, who co-founded the NFL's "88 Plan", which provides for the care of retired pro players who suffer from TBI.   Of course, the Woodruff's have worked tirelessly on behalf of returning veterans through the Bob Woodruff Foundation for Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors. 

It is clear there is much to learn about the problems TBI causes, and increasing awareness among all Americans is an important step.  "The Alliance will have a lasting legacy on many thousands of recreational and professional athletes, veterans, and their families by advocating on their behalf to raise awareness of the behavioral health impact of concussions and more sever traumatic brain injuries," said Giselle Stolper, President and CEO of the MHA-NYC.

Momorial Day

This weekend the United States celebrates Memorial Day.  Sadly, for many Americans the holiday mostly marks the beginning of summer rather than a time to remember those who gave their lives in service to their country.

All across America people will flock to beaches and backyards.  They will barbeque, picnic and play baseball.  They will boat, fish, swim and bike.  Some will watch parades in small town America, sporting events on television, while others will shop at boutiques and huge malls.  Hopefully, some Americans will visit the graves of those who died for the freedoms they enjoy.   

Since the country's founding there have been more than one million U.S. war casualties.  The Civil War was this nation's bloodiest, as the death toll exceeded 623,000.  More than 116,000 Americans died in World War 1, 405,000 Americans died in World War 2, 36,516 thousand died in the Korean War, and 58,209 thousand perished in the Vietnam War. 

Over the past decade more than 2.2 million American service members have seen active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In that time more than 6,300 servicemen have died in those wars, and the conflict in Afghanistan continues.   But the tragedy of war extends well beyond death.  Tens of thousands of service men and women have suffered life-altering injuries, depression and other serious problems, and many struggle to reclaim a normal life. 

Very few Americans are directly impacted by today's military conflicts.  One reason is that an all-volunteer military is fighting America's wars.  The Afghanistan War, which has grown increasingly unpopular among Americans, has continued for more than a decade and the outcome remains uncertain.  News coverage of the Afghan War, especially by cable news channels and network newscasts, is sparse.  America, still struggling to regain its economic footing, is suffering from a collective war fatigue.  Yet heroic and courageous soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen fight on every day to preserve the country's freedoms.  

Memorial Day is a day for reconciliation, a day to come together.  From sea to shining sea the American flag will be raised to the top of the staff and then lowered to the half-staff position in memory of those who have died.  Then at noon the flag will be raised to full-staff to symbolize that those who are living will rise up to continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

Let us all take a moment during our holiday weekend to pause and say thank you to the millions who have sacrificed their lives for America, and also to the brave soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen who continue to defend this country.   

The Tide of War

In his speech to the nation Wednesday night, President Barack Obama announced his plans to withdraw 33,000 American troops from Afghanistan by the summer of 2012, just a few months before November's presidential election. This will bring an end to Obama's surge strategy but it is unlikely to mollify a growing war weariness among the American electorate.

In addressing a growingly skeptical American public the president sounded both optimistic and realistic. At one point he said, "the light of a secure peace can be seen in the distance." But he tempered his hope by saying, "huge challenges remain. This is the beginning -- but not the end -- of our effort to wind down this war." The president's decision would leave 68,000 US troops in Afghanistan to continue the already decade long war at least until 2014, assuming Afghanistan's forces will be able to take over.

The war in Afghanistan is costing U.S. taxpayers $2 billion a week, and more than 1,500 American soldiers have died there since 2001. Al Qaeda terrorists have been driven out of the country, and hostile Tailiban forces number perhaps 20,000 fighters. The Taliban have been degraded in some areas, but not defeated.

So President Obama is facing criticism from hawks, such as Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, who says that the withdrawal is too swift and an "unnecessary risk." South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham wrote a statement via twitter, "We've undercut a strategy that was working." And House Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican from Michigan, expressed his concern; "We are in a very precarious place in Afghanistan right now. It seems the President is trying to find a political solution with a military component to it, when it needs to be the other way around."

The president is rolling the dice with this decision. The Americans have made progress in Afghanistan since Obama's surge, but the central government is frail and corrupt, and its president, Hamid Karsai, is unpopular and unpredictable. Afghanistan's military now numbers about 300,000, but it is unclear whether they can be molded into an effective and truly reliable fighting force. And due to the country's tribal nature creating a strong central government is highly unlikely. All of this uncertainty makes it difficult to see any light in the distance.

America is currently engaged in two and one-half wars that have already cost more than $1 trillion. Its military commitment in Iraq is slowly winding down but U.S. troops will still there for the near term. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is dead but the terrorist group has scattered to Yemen and other countries. And U.S. air forces are currently involved in a NATO effort to oust Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi but he remains in power. The president says "The tide of war is receding," but it is still a flood.

At one point in his speech the president sounded like candidate Obama. "Now, we must invest in America's greatest resource -- our people," he said, "while living within our means...it is time to focus on nation building here at home." But this will be hard to do while maintaining the huge costs of war and dealing with America's enormous deficits.

So it appears that the president, as he so often does, is steering a middle course in dealing with the extremely complex problem of Afghanistan. But in a year's time will the American public, already struggling with an anemic economic recovery, high unemployment and a weak housing market, be satisfied with the president's course? Or will a weary electorate choose another course?

Toast to America 2011

The year 2010 went like a flash. I began the year with high hopes for the beginnings of a robust economic recovery and a tangible decrease in the nation's unemployment. But I also began the year thinking the Chicago Cubs would go to the World Series for the first time in more than 100 years!

The weak economic recovery was the most significant story this year. Unemployment hovers around 10%, and millions more Americans are so discouraged they have stopped looking for a job. While there are some positive signs, foreclosures, personal bankruptcies and poverty are growing. There is so much debt in the American economy that a full recovery will be a slow and painful process. Further, the U.S. government is funding its booming deficits with bonds purchased by China and other countries. The national debt is now at about $45,000 per citizen, and it is growing at about $4 billion daily.

The most important political story this past year was the rise of the Tea Party movement. The movement grew out of citizen discontent with America's government exacerbated by a struggling economy. Although primarily a conservative, "smaller government-less taxes" movement, Tea Party attacks were directed at both sides of the aisle. As a result, the Republican Party has been pulled to the right, and President Barack Obama has been pulled more to the middle.

The repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was the most significant story from the perspective of a social issue, perhaps in decades. No longer will heroic Gay and Lesbian Americans have to hide their sexual orientation while risking their lives for the country they love.

The most important environmental story this past year was the BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. At first, the nation seemed paralyzed with uncertainty about the outcome of this unprecedented environmental disaster. The country came face to face with the consequences of not reducing its dependency on fossil fuels, and Gulf Coast residents suffered severe financial consequences. Yet, in the end, BP CEO Tony Hayward got his life back (and more), while Americans seem to have moved on with their lives. The importance of this story may be that it will take a more significant disaster in order for America to change its ways.

On the international front, America's engagement in two controversial wars is the top story. While U.S. combat troops have now departed Iraq, thousands of soldiers have remained behind as that country struggles with its uncertain future. Neo-conservative dreams of creating in Iraq a "Democratic Arab State" appear unachievable.

Meanwhile, Americans are growing increasingly weary of the war in Afghanistan. The late Richard Holbrooke, perhaps one of America's most brilliant diplomats, who served as America's special envoy to this region, reportedly made the following deathbed plea: "You have got to stop this war in Afghanistan." He knew that a weak and corrupt Kabul government would never be able to rule the whole country. Nearly 500 U.S. soldiers have died in Afghanistan this past year, as well as hundreds of hundreds of coalition soldiers and thousands of civilians. To date, the U.S government has spent a total of about $1 trillion dollars on these two wars.

As we ring in a new year, there are many dark clouds hanging over this country. Citizens are concerned about the uncertain future. Yet, America has overcome adversity many times before in its history. It has always done so because the nation is strong and its people are resilient. That is true as well today. America is the world's leading nation, and a beacon of hope for the entire globe. So, let us drink a New Year's toast to America.

As for the Cubs in 2011, "Wait till next year!"