Heroes or Traitors?

Edward Snowden and Bowe Bergdahl:  heroes or traitors?

Snowden plainly broke the law when he stole super-secret information from the U.S. Government and gave it to news media.  Many say he gave our government’s serets to our enemies, and that makes him a traitor. 

But others say he showed us Americans how our own government has been spying on us in ways “1984” never even dreamed of, and that can only be good.  

Personally, I think Snowden is a hero, or will be when he comes home to face trial.  I believe deeply that every American has the right, even sometimes the duty, to beak the law —  if he is willing to pay the consequences.  Snowden broke the law, although apparently for patriotic reasons.  Now he just needs to complete the job by paying the consequences.

And what a trial it would be. Everybody, from the judge to us faraway spectators,  would be acutely aware that all of us have benefitted greatly from his crime.

Bergdahl’s case is different.

Bergdahl walked away from his comrades-in-arms at a very dangerous time in a very dangerous place, and thus became the Taliban’s prisoner. President Obama gained his release by trading away five of the Taliban’s top leaders. 

Was the trade worth it?  

What we’ve heard so far is that Bergdahl could be a deserter, perhaps even a traitor.  To many, giving up five men who almost certainly will return to war against us seems stupid and probably illegal.

But unlike Snowden, there are many questions that must be answered.  Many unknowns.

Besides, the United States never leaves a soldier behind.  Never.

So the jury’s out on that one.  Let’s wait, and not leap to judgment.

-Skip