Serial, Season 2

[Nonlinear FC]

I agree with those three big points, and add a fourth: dude suffered tremendously in his long captivity. This fact makes additional incarceration punishment cruel and unfair, even if you conclude he legally deserted his post. Credit for time served.

And while I totally agree with you, my clumsily made point is that "reasonable" folks seem to really diverge on that fourth point. I put reasonable in quotes because I think even a lot of very reasonable/rational military folks are having a tough time with letting this go. I think Sarah was trying to make the point that even guys in his battalion who originally couldn't let it go have come around to your (our) position, but those are the exception to the rule.

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Anyways, I learned quite a bit about this case and even the war in Afghanistan... I really hadn't paid much attention to the COIN objectives. It really explained why were basically sinking in quicksand with that mission. As we've all said, it had a different pacing from the season one, but I certainly listened to every episode with great interest.*

* - That said, I actually re-listened to almost the entirety of season one on a road trip as my wife caught up to where I was... Can't say I'd do the same with Season Two.

[The Sybian]

I think the biggest reason for all then outrage against BB is the rumors and lies reported about him intending to join the Taliban, having a dog, and a bunch of other crap. His father completely set it off with the beard and speaking Pashtun, convincing people Bowe and his father were both Taliban. At best, Bowe has a warped sense of reality, at worst, he suffers from sort sort of mental illness. Probably both. Hearing about his childhood, he sounds like he wasn't well adjusted to society. The Coast Guard breakdown makes it clear he wasn't mentally stable enough for the Army, let alone deployment to what sounds like the shittiest shithole FOB. If you believe him, and I don't think he is cunning enough to make this stuff up, he thought he was going to show everyone he was Jason Bourne, and he joined the Army because he wanted to be a WWII soldier. I get the anger and frustration military members feel towards Bowe, but the guy wasn't sane when he walked off the FOB.

Johnnie, I'd love to know what your buddy learned. I've read a lot about the psychology of hostages, torture and cult members, but Bowe's experience is one of kind. Obviously there is little to nothing Koenig could discuss about the last 4 years of Bowe's captivity, because he was so far gone, and probably very little happened other than rotting in pain and staring at a wall. He was probably reduced to an abused animal. The lack of stimulation and human contact is devastating. Some people irreparably crack within a few days.

[Johnnie]

I messaged him the other day. He still has to get through a few more podcasts and then he'll chat with me about it. I'm not sure what he can and can't tell me yet. And therefore what I can and can't say to you guys. I've held back the little bit I do know that not even Koenig had on her podcasts. I really thought more would be divulged, but it suck to a straight script on her end. And to think, there was 25 hours of conversation between Bowe and that guy...

[The Sybian]

I messaged him the other day. He still has to get through a few more podcasts and then he'll chat with me about it. I'm not sure what he can and can't tell me yet. And therefore what I can and can't say to you guys. I've held back the little bit I do know that not even Koenig had on her podcasts. I really thought more would be divulged, but it suck to a straight script on her end. And to think, there was 25 hours of conversation between Bowe and that guy...

I'm not too confident in Koenig's ability as a journalist. It may be her informal speech, especially the conversations with her supervisor, but I don't feel like she is good at probing questions or pushing for more. I don't have much to base that on, just my impression. I was going to call it a millennial style, but I'm shocked to see she is 46 yo. Fuck, I really assumed she was about 25.

Johnnie, I don't expect your friend can divulge much of what I'd love to know. Maybe he can write a book down the road when info becomes declassified.