President Obama Should Be Ashamed

OK - I've got your attention now, huh? What am I going to talk about with a title like that? After all - there are so many things President Obama should be ashamed of during his presidency that I could easily make this a five page post. But I won't. Today's post is about a pitiful and what some believe a traitorous act by the President earlier this year and his complete lack of action now.

I'm talking about the trade of five top Taliban leaders for one US Army deserter vs Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who is languishing away in a Mexican prison while the President does nothing to attain his release.

Back in June the Obama administration, in their apparent desire to appease our enemies, decided it would be a good idea to release five of the Taliban's top commanders from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for one Sgt. Bo Bergdahl, a man who by all accounts walked away from his post in Afghanistan in search of the enemy. He left his weapon and belongings behind and, according to local civilians, sought out the Taliban. He ended up being held hostage.

Touting "We do not leave anyone behind wearing the American uniform," President Obama defended the exchange saying

"I make absolutely no apologies for making sure we get a young man back to his parents. We had a prisoner of war whose health had deteriorated and ... we saw an opportunity and we seized it. And I make no apologies for that."

Except what did we get in exchange? The Obama administration promised the American people that the five released terrorists would not return to the battlefield. They would, it was said, remain in Yemen for at least a year. By August one had returned to the Taliban and three others have since joined ISIS.

Bo Bergdahl, whose camarades all say he is a deserter who should face court martial, is back in the Army at a desk job while the Obama administration tries to sweep the desertion thing under the rug ... while the Army investigates his actions to determine if he deserted or was captured.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Tahmooressi, a veteran who honorably served two tours in Afghanistan, was in the process of moving to his new duty station for treatment of PTSD when he somehow lost his way and ended up at the Mexican border in San Ysidro, California. Why he didn't or couldn't turn around I don't know. But somehow he ended up in Mexico with all his worldly possessions in his vehicle, including three firearms that were legally purchased and registered in the United States

Under Mexican law Sgt. Tahmooressi was not authorized to be in possession of the weapons and he was immediately arrested. Common sense would dictate that a US Marine with orders and all his possessions who made a wrong turn should be immediately directed back across the border. But the Mexican military and Customs agents held Tahmooressi for seven hours before he was formally charged. Among the charges was "possession of military grade weapons and ammunition" as defined by Mexican statute. Most likely it was an AR-15 or similar weapon and ammunition.

Tahmooressi's new attorney, who is confident he can get Tahmooressi released, said recently "This is a federal court and as in any democratic nation you will not find an executive calling up a judge and ordering the release of a suspect. It makes no difference if it is a mayor, governor, or the president, there's not a phone call in the world that will change this."

And while I don't really believe this since the Mexican government and legal system is one of the most corrupt in the world, they're going to play this out until the end. I read last week that it's the Mexican military that's pushing the issue rather than the police. But who knows?

What I do know is that the return of Sgt Tahmooressi as one who wears the uniform is not on President Obama's to do list. Does he not have some Mexican cartel leader he can exchange for a Marine? He hasn't contacted the Sergeant's family nor invited them to the White House. Is that because Tahmooressi's mother isn't as hot as Bergdahl's? Only the President knows for sure but it's shameful that he won't even call the Mexican President to discuss Tahmooressi's release. Presidential juice goes a long way and I'm certain there is some outrageous thing Obama could offer President Nieto that could help get Tahmooressi freed, regardless of what his attorney says. But Presidential liar...  mouthpiece Josh Earnest says the President will not be making any calls.

Looks to me like we don't leave anyone behind only when the President has a chance to appease Islam. But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.