by DAN CALLOWAY
Published 25 December 2009 @ 13:42 UCT
KABUL – NATO has confirmed that a video released on Christmas Day by the Taliban shows a soldier captured nearly five months ago in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl is the only American military serviceman known to be missing in action and held captive by enemy forces or terrorists. The U.S. airborne infantryman was captured by the Afghan Taliban in East Afghanistan’s Paktika province on 30 June 2009.
Navy Rear Admiral Gregory Smith confirmed that the person seen in the Taliban video, which shows an American reading a prepared statement is Pfc Bowe Bergdahl. This is a horrible act on the part of the Taliban who released the video as an affront to the Bergdahl family who are deeply concerned for their son’s safety and want his release and safe return to the U.S. The release of the video on Christmas Day demonstrates contempt for religious traditions and the teachings of Islam.
In the video, the man identifies himself as Bergdahl, born in Sun Valley, Idaho, and gives his rank, birth date, blood type, his unit and mother’s maiden name before beginning a lengthy verbal attack on the U.S. conduct of the war in Afghanistan and its relations with Muslims. He seems healthy and doesn’t appear to have been abused.
Bergdhal, who was serving with a unit based in Fort Richardson in Alaska was only 23 years of age when he was captured just five months after deploying to Afghanistan.
The Taliban’s objective for capturing Pfc Bergdhal is to negotiate the release of Al-Qaeda prisoners in exchange for the safe return of the American being held. Displaying Pfc Berghdal in the video is a direct violation of the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the use of detainees for propaganda purposes.
U.S. military officials have searched for Bergdahl, but it is not publicly known whether he is even being held in Afghanistan or neighboring Pakistan.
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