Captured US soldier in Taliban video: Held by Haqqani network?
The area the kidnapping took place suggests the kidnapping of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl is most likely the work of the Haqqani network, an Al Qaeda-linked group, analysts say.
By Issam Ahmed | Correspondent 07.19.09
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A Taliban video of a US soldier kidnapped outside his base in southern Afghanistan nearly three weeks ago may prove to be a valuable bargaining chip for his kidnappers, according to analysts here.
The soldier, named by the Pentagon today as Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl of Ketchum, Idaho, has been missing since June 30. According to the US military, he was taken while outside his base in southern Paktika province, a restive region that shares a border with North Waziristan in Pakistan.
He appears shaven-headed and is seen wearing a traditional shalwar kameez in the video (see below), appearing emotional and nervous throughout its 28-minute duration.
“I have my girlfriend who I’m hoping to marry, I have my grandma and grandpas,” he says. “I have a very, very good family back in America, and I miss them everyday that I’m gone. I miss them, and I’m afraid that I might never see them again, and I’ll never be able to tell them that I love them again, I’ll never be able to hug them.”
After being prompted by one of his captors, he adds: “Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here, wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country. Please bring us home.”
Bergdahl’s father, Bob, issued the following statement through the Defense Department:
“We hope and pray for our son’s safe return to his comrades and then to our family, and we appreciate all the support and expressions of sympathy shown to us by our family members, our friends and others across the nation…. Thank you, and please continue to keep Bowe in your thoughts and prayers.”
Haqqani network suspected
The area the kidnapping took place suggests it is most likely the work of the Haqqani network, “who are not traditional Taliban, they’re more strongly associated with Al Qaeda,” says Haroun Mir, Director of Afghanistan’s Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) in Kabul.
The Haqqani network is led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, dubbed by analysts as a “terrorist mastermind” who has been linked with a number of the most high-profile terrorist attacks in Afghanistan over the past two years.
According to Mr. Mir, the video is “a classic case of Al Qaeda propaganda” as the group imitates psychological tactics employed by insurgents in Iraq to great effect.
First US soldier taken in Afghanistan since 2001
Private Bergdahl is the first soldier to be taken in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001.
“They may ask for the release of some Taliban from Bagram [prison],” says Fahim Dashty, editor of the Kabul Weekly. “As far as I know, in all the kidnapping in the last few years there was a deal either from the Afghan government or the international community. So it’s possible that another deal will take place.”
Echoes of David Rohde
The kidnapping also has echoes of the abduction of David Rohde, the New York Times journalist who reportedly escaped from his captives earlier this month. (See Monitor coverage of the abduction and escape here.)
Though Mr. Rohde was captured in Logar province in Afghanistan, he was taken across the border and held in North Waziristan by the Haqqani network.
If he is taken across the border into Pakstan, any hopes for a rescue operation by authorities are severely diminished, says Prakhar Sharma, head of research at the Centre for Conflict and Peace Studies in Kabul.
Talks through unofficial channels?
Analysts say that the best hope for Bergdahl is if the US decides to open up negotiations through “unofficial channels.”
A US military spokesman in Kabul, Capt. Jon Stock, told Reuters: “The use of the soldier for propaganda purposes we view as against international law. We are continuing to do whatever possible to recover the soldier safe and unharmed.”
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3. Jacob | 07.19.09
Aww, that’s real cute. The terrorists care so much about us Americans and our families and tell us that we shouldn’t be wasting our time and livelihoods over in Afghanistan, that we should just withdraw all our troops and let them take over and run the place. Wait….
4. jerrykolbe | 07.19.09
the sooner we develope an alternative to our dependence on oil the sooner we can put an end to these vermon. GOD bless all our troops.
5. Charles J. Budde | 07.19.09
Time to go after the families of these people. Lets round up their wives, children, mothers and fathers. The hardest part of war is always trying to figure out how to proceed humanely against an inhumane enemy. If these illiterate idiots want to play at war let us give them someting to think about.
6. theantibush | 07.19.09
He is no good dead to the Taliban, and killing him would only increase public resolve against them.
The Taliban should instead barter him for gold and Taliban prisoners. Doing so would strengthen them in several dimensions. Doing otherwise would be like cutting off their own heads.
7. Seth | 07.19.09
To be used against ones own country in any sort of propaganda scheme is a nightmare scenario for any Soldier.
I wonder what the odds of his being taken to Pakistan are?
8. john | 07.19.09
Even is Private Bergdahl is taken across to North Waziristan, this is very different from captured journalists or civilians.
The Pakistani Army will come under severe pressure to attack Haqqani strongholds which they are extremely reluctant to do. Moreover the chances of Special Forces crossing the border (with tacit Pakistani support) are significant, albeit the probability of success is unfortunately low given the dearth of intelligence resources in the region.
9. charles | 07.19.09
We must find this soldier, NOW. He is one of AMERICAS FINEST, not some piece of TRASH. I wish him and his family GODs immediate protection.
10. twaddle | 07.19.09
Like Vietnam, again here is the USA in a conflict which the morals of war are guided by some “upstanding ethical code of killing”. The USA has distinct honor of having incredible amounts of technology to its advantage, unfortunately like vietnam, the combatant is small, tactful, and cunning.
11. Petra Watkins | 07.19.09
In the case of news about the capture of a U.S. soldier by Taliban forces, events that readers cannot verify, trust in what the news source says is important.
Here, a named analyst links the suspected group to al-Qaeda more than Taliban. A websearch on the group finds them pretty consistently discussed as Taliban, contrary to what the analyst says. The analyst uses the “al-Qaeda” and “al-Qaeda in Iraqi” conflation to make the linkage.
For emotional manipulation, the conflation works well. For trust in reporting of an important story, the conflation does not.
13. David | 07.20.09
As sad as this is, these are the wages of war. It is just not worth having our friends and family put in harm’s way so we can meddle in the affairs of people we have little in common with. Bring the Troops Home!
14. Lynn | 07.20.09
This is practically diplomatic coming from a terrorist organization - a simple demonstration of why the US MUST leave a country where we honestly don’t belong. I know there’s no simple solution, but leaving really is the only final answer.
16. smithers | 07.20.09
The conflicting information surrounding this story — how was he captured? by whom? when? — makes it hard to know which reports to believe.
If, as some ’sources’ report, the kidnappers plan to move Bergdahl to Pakistan, what does that mean? Does it give the US a mandate to send ground troops into Pakistan? Is that what the US wants? Is this incident really a simple kidnapping?
Call me cynical but cynicism has been one of the main lessons of these recent wars.
17. Ronald O Onchwari | 07.20.09
From my perspcetive , and excluding all the reporting and reactions that we are bound to see from this case , I have put myself in the service members position , and everytime I think about the situation I am drawn to the other end : that this is a case that calls for a lot of MI attention .
18. Rational | 07.20.09
War is hell and we must realize it. We made our point in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, at least to the rational. It’s time to leave; it’s been time for a long time.
We have massive debt. We should spend the war money drilling for oil here and on alternative energy. Environmental worries, and greedy-needy-wasteful Americans, should not, must not, waste human life. At least we have a volunteer army.
19. Nancy | 07.20.09
Some of the comments shown are so uniformed, ridiculus, and hateful. The US has no business in Afghanistan. We were not attacked by the Taliban, the Afghans, the or the Iraqis. If you think dropping depleted uranium cluster bombs (which cause birth defects as well as death and dismemberment, kidnapping citizens and disappearing them to prison black holes in Egypt, Syria, Eastern Europe or Guantanamo,using drones on civilian populations, torturing and propagandizing are the acts of a civilized nation - then I suggest that you start reading the real news, see where tax dollars are being spent, and educate yourselves as to the reality of the bloated Dept of the Defense budget and all of the players invested in war and all of the sadness, insanity, injustice, and violence that it brings to the poorest,most indefensible peoples of the palnet - then you will have begun your journey toward peace and humanitarianism. Maybe when enough people get to the same page, we will be able to write a book that includes truth, brotherly love, and a basic standard of life for all of God’s children.
Until then, it’s very upsetting to realize that the writers of some of these comments are so entrneched in the darkness.
20. Ben | 07.22.09
Yeah, right. I’m sure American cluster bombs have done more damage than the former Taliban regime that murdered countless civilians through their mindless arbitrary justice systems. Do you know anything about Afghanistan? Believe it or not, soma Afghans actually enjoy being able to listen to music, go to school, and walk out in public now. Just a few of the things that the Taliban executed people for. By the way, Osama bin Laden managed the 9/11 attacks from Afghanistan in case you can’t remember. I know it was 8 years ago. Long time. And your “bloated” defense has disrupted any additional attacks in those 8 years, so that you could go to whatever pinko university you attend now. So, once we leave, you’ll be able to finish the peace/humanitarian book and any Afghan who tries to read it will be put to death by the Taliban.
21. A U.S. Marine Mother | 08.05.09
AMEN Brother! In response to the last comment from Ben. Thank you!
22. s.b in florida | 11.03.09
does anyone know if he is still being held captive? i havent heard anything about it lately. god bless him. keep him in your prayers!
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1. MrAmerica | 07.19.09
why hasn’t any linked to the complete, unedited video?