Krauthammer on Bergdahl Deal: 'I Would Have Made that Same Choice'

On Wednesday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer explained that despite there being a high degree of disconnect from the White House’s foreign policy aims to the media focus on the realities of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl story, he argued he would have made the same deal the Obama administration had made.

“Well, that disconnect is quite shocking,” Krauthammer said. “Assume that this had been somebody who had served honorably, it would still be a very difficult decision to release the five commanders in return, but I think people would say tough call but OK. But given the fact that they are all these questions about him being a deserter, the fact that they are not insisting that he must be looked at, perhaps tried or I believe perhaps some investigation launched, somebody in the military actually said he suffered enough. Secretary Hagel says, ‘Well, let’s not be unfair.’ The only way you can begin to justify this is to say we had an obligation to get him out, but now we have an obligation to make sure that if he did what his soldiers around him unanimously said he did, deserted, he needs to be at the receiving end of military justice. But they have such a tin ear here with Ambassador Rice, National Security Adviser Rice saying he served honorably which is obviously untrue, with them talking about his health, which appears to be untrue, and not insisting on the fact that they have to treat him and to deal with what he did which apparently endangered other soldiers in a way that is firm and consistent with military justice.”

“Look, had the choice been mine I would have made that same choice,” Krauthammer added. “It’s a difficult decision and I would not attack those who would have done otherwise. But if you are going to do something like that, and you know that you are exposing the country to risk. These are dangerous militants, but we have long engage in other countries in the West have engaged in hostage swaps where the West always comes out on the short end, the reason we put a value on the individual human life the way that the barbarians at the other end of the table don’t. That’s why we always end up with unequal swaps. The best example of the Israelis terrorists in return for one sergeant.”

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