retired a decade or two ago.

I'll never forgive him for THAT!

Caribou Barbie is an embarrassment to free thinking people, and other species as well, all over the planet... not that she should be included in that group, it's just that she has been found to be a poseur for free thinking people.

McC makes about as much sense as she does.

I try to control my use of that word but in this case it fits like a mamma grizzly bear's glove.

mahalo spanone~

The Political Game @politicgame
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Hey Twitter, Bob Bergdahl grew out his hair & beard in solidarity with his captive son. Also learned Pashto & Arabic. Give the guy a break.
10:07 AM - 1 Jun 2014 21 Retweets 8 favorites

MOre "Bergdahl Tweets"..
TOD

Carmona lost by just 3 points last time. He will be formidable against a washed up loser with a 33% approval rating.

Our real President has done a great thing for Idaho and America.

I haven't heard anything about why they think he's such a star!

I could understand if they always had some Pub spokesman on all the time because that would demonstrate they are promoters of the pub ideas, but why John? I can't think of a good reason.

I don't remember what it was? Can you refresh our memories?

McCain was released with the general phased release of American POWs held by the DRV as part of the Paris Peace Accords of January 1973. He was released in March, 1973.

That agreement did, in fact, call for an "exchange" of prisoners. Both NLF and PAVN combatants were released by the RVN as part of the ceasefire agreement. That said, it was not technically an exchange, since it was premised on a ceasefire. Obviously, that ceasefire was short-lived.

that's why I asked the question.

McCain was released in 1973 as part of the negotiated 'peace' between the U.S. and Vietnam. It was not some sort of conspiracy theory which AnnieBW was implying. McCain was released along with 591 other POWs.

I am glad Bergdahl was released, but it is not fair to compare his release to that of the Vietnam POWs.

As were PAVN regulars.

Again, this wasn't technically an exchange, as the parties were in a state of ceasefire, but there was certainly a reciprocal release of POWs, including "Viet Cong" (that is, NLF) forces.

of McCain. He could have been released early and chose not to. He also did not just 'walk off his post' and allow himself to be captured.

I do not care about politics when comparing these two incidents.

I am pointing out facts of McCain's release.

You can take them or leave them.

It's a public board.

I imagine there's a reason to state the startlingly obvious known by all. Will next announcement will be as anti-climatic, irrelevant and useless, too?

I, too, was curious about his time as a POW.

McCain's father was head of Pacific operations for the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese offered to release McCain. McCain refused unless everyone else was released. That is when they began to torture McCain. Because of the torture McCain to this day can't raise his arms above his shoulders and needs other people to comb his hair,etc. Twice I have been at Hoa Lo prison where McCain was held. Once in November, 1992 with the John Kerry delegation investigating POWs held in Vietnam after the war, when it was still a working prison, and once in 2010. It is disgusting that anyone on a progressive discussion board would try and slander our POWs.

but to question his character as to his POW status is embarrassing for anyone, even a progressive.

I remember reading a story about when McCain first was running for a U.S. House seat in Arizona. Another Republican was questioning his 'carpetbagger' status since he was not a long time resident of Arizone. McCain responded that he was sorry, but as a member of the military, his longest previous residence at one location was at the Hanoi Hilton. I seem to remember he won the primary.

Well,....ya get what you pay for....

However, the general phased release of American (and RVN) POWs held by the DRV and by NLF forces in the RVN was reciprocated by a general release of NLF and PAVN combatants held by the RVN. It was not an exchange, of course, since it was premised on a ceasefire. But there was reciprocal repatriation of combatants.

It sounds like it was an incredible, unforgettable experience for both of them -- as it must have been to all of you. From the few accounts of that entire effort, it sounds like it was an intense experience for all involved.

It is disgusting that anyone tries to use the experience of anyone as a Pow -- whether Democrat or Republican.

It is disgusting you would try and slander POWs.

. . . they made a deal: the Paris Accords provided for a prisoner exchange that led to his and others' release from captivity.

When a war ends you exchange prisoners. Just as we did at the end of WW II and every other war. What exactly did the U.S. give? You are trying to imply that our POWs were part of some underhanded deal. From the OP: Well, shit, Johnny McSame, what did we give to the Viet Cong for YOUR release, hmmm? So you tell me -- what did the U.S. "give to the Viet Cong" for the POW release?

. .. are you 'trying to imply' that there is some fundamental difference in the nature of the exchange deal that recovered the Sgt. and the deal made to exchange troops at the end combat operations in the Paris Accords?

I think that would be a weak argument. This release was clearly stated as part of reconciliation efforts that coincide with the end of combat operations this year that the President announced last week. Only difference was that this man was the LAST known U.S. prisoner in that conflict.

The OP , and you are defending it, says they got something. What was it?

. . . they got the same type of 'deal' as this Sgt. - they got their own POWs in exchange. I've never suggested he got anything special, just the same type of deal that he's complaining about now . . . or maybe he'd like to argue that the Taliban in Afghanistan are more pernicious than his own captors.

Our war in Afghanistan has not ended and is not ending. We are still killing people and they are still killing us. You exchange prisoners when a war stops -- not when it is maybe going to stop at some date in the future. Not only are we staying until at least the end of 2016 but we are going to be training and equipping the government there to continue killing Taliban.

I wish the war ended long ago but it hasn't. This is not comparable to the Paris Accords.

. . .and that this deal was worked out as a measure of reconciliation in conjunction with that announced end.

Try arguing that the Vietnam conflict was more of a war that Afghanistan or that the end of our combat operations there was somehow significantly different than the ending of this one.

The last U.S. prisoner in Afghanistan was released in a negotiated exchange. All of the fine points you're arguing are completely irrelevant and basically wrong - all, apparently in defense of that shitwipe, McCain.

. . . provided for the POW exchange of 'Communist' enemy combatants that led to his release, along with hundreds of others.

At the end of combat operations, deals are normally made to exchange prisoners, often as part of confidence-building reconciliation. As you know, last week the President announced that combat operations would be ending in Afghanistan this year. The WH and Pentagon clearly stated this release and exchange was part of those broader reconciliation efforts. Same as with McCain and his fellow POWs.
____________________________________

The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 included provisions for exchanging prisoners of war. The plan to bring American prisoners home was called OPERATION HOMECOMING. Prisoners were to be returned to U.S. control during February and March 1973, with the longest-held generally returning first.

OPERATION HOMECOMING returned 591 POWs: 325 Air Force personnel, 77 Army, 138 Navy, 26 Marines and 25 civilians. Those who were not freed at Hanoi--POWs held in South Vietnam by the Viet Cong, mostly Army and civilians--left from Loc Ninh, the scene of the North Vietnam-South Vietnam prisoner exchange.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=14412


President Nixon shakes hands with Lieutenant John McCain in the receiving line at a welcome home ceremony for returned POW's in the State Department Auditorium.

Being a child of the 1970's, I don't know as much about the Vietnam War as I probably should. I just knew that McSame was a POW. Thanks for filling in the gaps.

McCain has also been accused of collaborating with his captors during his time as a POW. I would think that someone in McCain's position would at least give Sgt. Bergdahl the benefit of the doubt.