Icheoku says possibly President Barack Obama has finally walked into the minefield of those who always wanted him out of office and out of sight, and may have his presidency blown into pieces by the gathering storm of Bowe Bergdahl trade for Taliban 'hardest of the hard core' Guantanamo Bay detainees? Icheoku asks was the President misled into celebrating one of the worst decisions of his government thus far in the Rose Garden or was he a victim of overzealous staffers eager to score cheap political point with securing the release at all cost without first weighing the ramifications?
Icheoku queries further who vetted the deal to ensure its compliance with existing statutory laws of the United States as well as its conformity to a standing practice of the United States wherein we do not as a matter of policy negotiate with terrorists, despite that President Reagan negotiated with the Iranians except that the Iranians are not terrorists but state actors one would add? Icheoku asks but are the Talibans terrorists or rather state actors in view of the fact that they were the government in Afghanistan before the US invasion which eventually led to their toppling? Anyway assuming that the Talibans are not terrorists and also not in power anywhere, including in their former Afghanistan, why would US negotiate with them? May be because they had something the United States wanted and only them can negotiate a trade for it and they did; and the rest is now history.
However, the issue here is not the standing of the Talibans or their otherwise suspected terrorists-status or lack thereof. No, the issue triggered by this is whether President Barack Hussein Obama acted ultra vires the constitution when he released some Talibans without first notifying Congress as required under the law? Icheoku hopes that this is not the case as the President would have handed his detractors a weapon to attempt to shoot down his presidency through impeachment? But President Obama will not be the first US president to be impeached - President Nixon was impeached over the Watergate Scandal; President Bill Clinton was impeached over Monicagate Scandal and President Reagan escaped Irangate impeachment.
So Icheoku posits that were President Obama to be impeached and possibly removed from office over the developing Bowe Bergdahl Scandal, Americans will understand and so also would the world especially Africans, who although identified and celebrated with his electoral victory have been left holding the plate under his presidency. African Americans will also understand because their lot has not improved much since they overwhelmingly helped vote him into office? Icheoku will not also "give a damn" because it is been disappointments all over the place as a result of so much promises that has largely been left unfulfilled and lastly, America's influence the world over is for all intent and purpose seemingly tanking. May be a change of baton would be appropriate except that his vice president Joey Biden, despite all his trumped foreign policy credentials, has not gotten many foreign policy right under this administration? This somehow gives credence to former defence secretary Gates' assertion that Joe Biden was absent in his strongest suit - foreign policy.
Icheoku calls for an independent investigation into the Bowe Bergdahl/Taliban prisoners swap scandal and if the President is found to have willfully violated existing United States law for the Congress to immediately commence an impeachment proceedings. If impeached, then let due process take its course through a removal or reprimand; admitted the former will be difficult because of the composition of the senate but at least a message would have been delivered that the United States laws and interests supersedes anyone individual's, including the president, whose duty it is to honor and uphold such laws. Nothing else should matter including the fact that five Talibans were traded just for one American deserting soldier? It shows how much value the Taliban attached to the life of an American, suggesting that one American is equals to five Talibans. Icheoku has no problem with that.
But if investigation concludes that the president acted on the advise of his trusted advisers, including that of security, military chiefs, state department and of course chief of staff and his vice president, then blames and reprimands should be apportioned accordingly, admitted that the buck should have stopped at the Oak desk? But until the root of the matter is completely excavated and unearthed, Icheoku maintains that the Bowe Bergdahl Taliban prisoner exchange scandal is not going away anytime soon, but will continue to haunt his presidency until its soul rests in peace.
But a traitor cannot and should not be canonized or turned into a undeserving hero. Such honor is earned and not conferred and assuming the later, not to an army deserter who could easily pass for a traitor for crying out loud. American military service is an all volunteer force, no one conscripted Bowe Bergdahl into service and he understands the duty to salute and carry out orders fully well. So if he wanted to mount the soapbox, he should have turned into a politician and then his views would become relevant. But until then it is not his to decide whether a war is immoral of not or whether the scenes of battle is always messy. No, his part to play in the scheme of things especially policies, was to ask how high to jump when asked to jump. Bowe Bergdahl, as a soldier, has no right to question or rationalize any of his orders. That is the life of a soldier and Bowe Bergdahl swore to uphold these rules.
So Icheoku posits that were President Obama to be impeached and possibly removed from office over the developing Bowe Bergdahl Scandal, Americans will understand and so also would the world especially Africans, who although identified and celebrated with his electoral victory have been left holding the plate under his presidency. African Americans will also understand because their lot has not improved much since they overwhelmingly helped vote him into office? Icheoku will not also "give a damn" because it is been disappointments all over the place as a result of so much promises that has largely been left unfulfilled and lastly, America's influence the world over is for all intent and purpose seemingly tanking. May be a change of baton would be appropriate except that his vice president Joey Biden, despite all his trumped foreign policy credentials, has not gotten many foreign policy right under this administration? This somehow gives credence to former defence secretary Gates' assertion that Joe Biden was absent in his strongest suit - foreign policy.
Icheoku calls for an independent investigation into the Bowe Bergdahl/Taliban prisoners swap scandal and if the President is found to have willfully violated existing United States law for the Congress to immediately commence an impeachment proceedings. If impeached, then let due process take its course through a removal or reprimand; admitted the former will be difficult because of the composition of the senate but at least a message would have been delivered that the United States laws and interests supersedes anyone individual's, including the president, whose duty it is to honor and uphold such laws. Nothing else should matter including the fact that five Talibans were traded just for one American deserting soldier? It shows how much value the Taliban attached to the life of an American, suggesting that one American is equals to five Talibans. Icheoku has no problem with that.
But if investigation concludes that the president acted on the advise of his trusted advisers, including that of security, military chiefs, state department and of course chief of staff and his vice president, then blames and reprimands should be apportioned accordingly, admitted that the buck should have stopped at the Oak desk? But until the root of the matter is completely excavated and unearthed, Icheoku maintains that the Bowe Bergdahl Taliban prisoner exchange scandal is not going away anytime soon, but will continue to haunt his presidency until its soul rests in peace.
But a traitor cannot and should not be canonized or turned into a undeserving hero. Such honor is earned and not conferred and assuming the later, not to an army deserter who could easily pass for a traitor for crying out loud. American military service is an all volunteer force, no one conscripted Bowe Bergdahl into service and he understands the duty to salute and carry out orders fully well. So if he wanted to mount the soapbox, he should have turned into a politician and then his views would become relevant. But until then it is not his to decide whether a war is immoral of not or whether the scenes of battle is always messy. No, his part to play in the scheme of things especially policies, was to ask how high to jump when asked to jump. Bowe Bergdahl, as a soldier, has no right to question or rationalize any of his orders. That is the life of a soldier and Bowe Bergdahl swore to uphold these rules.
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