A few days ago, Fox News military analyst Ralph Peters appeared on the network to discuss PFC Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier captured by the Taliban. In the course of the interview Peters, acting as judge and jury, declared that Bergdahl was a liar, a deserter, and that “the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills,” presumably by killing him. (Watch here)
Last night Peters went on Bill O’Reilly’s show to explain his position. What took place was another episode of bashing Bergdahl wherein both Peters and O’Reilly branded him as “crazy.” However, they both also completely ignored Peters’ previous remarks regarding permitting the Taliban to execute an American soldier. (Watch here)
Now a truly bipartisan assembly of Congressional veterans is speaking out about this atrocious behavior. A letter from Rep. John Boccieri (D-OH) was sent to Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes. It was co-signed by 22 colleagues. It said in part:
“As members of Congress and veterans of the United States Armed Forces, it was with incredulity and disgust that we watched Fox News Strategic Analyst Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters (Ret.) suggest on your airwaves that Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl, “abandoned his buddies, abandoned his post, and just walked off,” and stated that, if this is true, ‘the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills.'”
“We demand an apology to PFC Bergdahl’s family and to the thousands of soldiers who put their lives on the line for our country. As a member of the military family, Mr. Peters should measure his remarks and remember that the United States will never abandon one of its own.”
One of the co-signers of the letter is Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) who goes even farther to call for Fox News to immediately fire Peters and O’Reilly. There is probably little chance of that, particularly with regard to O’Reilly who is Fox’s cash coward. But if there are no consequences for this sort of irresponsible behavior where will it end? It could conceivably progress to the point where Fox News programs host analysts who believe that our country’s only hope is for Osama Bin Laden to attack us again. Oh wait, Glenn Beck already did that.
It’s time for Fox News to start paying a penalty for these repulsive remarks, and it’s good to see members of Congress, who are also veterans, asking for some sort of redress. Frankly, I don’t think an apology is enough. Fox News has been piling up atrocities with impunity and it won’t stop until there is a price attached to their disgusting antics. We must make them pay that price.
The fact that there is a sizable number of Americans that eat that stuff up (or won’t denounce it) makes you wonder about the future of our country.
The good news is that Fox News, despite their hype about ratings, is really viewed by only about 1% of the population. So it’s fewer people than it seems.
You shouldn’t have posted the video link because now people can see how much your full of B.S.
To anyone with a functioning cerebrum those videos reveal a disgusting betrayal of an American soldier being held captive by our enemy. That explains why you didn’t understand it.
“I don’t want to be a Leftist and claim things I didn’t do.”
~ Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters (Ret.), on denying that he had experience leading men in battle.
What does that say about the expert military commentator (on the fair & balanced network, no less) ?
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Now when Bill was in combat…when he was close to it…when his unit was in danger…um, that is, um, IF he was in a unit, well he’d get that information from the other guy, or someone would be dead.
And it wouldn’t be Bill.
yeah.
No, Peters doesn’t want to be leftist and claim things he didn’t do. He wants to rightist and act as judge and jury (and let the Taliban be the executioner) on matters that he has no direct knowledge about.
As for O’Reilly, he never served in the military, but he has mislead the folks about that.
I was thinking back to this interchange… where it seems Bill’s imagination ran away with him and he went from being a correspondent to being a member of a platoon in wartime.
BTW, I’m not even saying he was intentionally attempting to mislead others – more that he seems to have had some trouble moving between fantasy & the real world…
Actually, I recalled that and was looking for it. Thanks for the link.
BTW, do you know this site – http://www.oreilly-sucks.com ?
Yes, the site name is brazen and the author is not adverse to using rough language.
But there is a considerable amount of day-to-day substance and detail that he reports on. It is not just name calling and blanket denunciations.
In that regard, as with your site, he gets into the substance of many of the statements that are made and the format – the frequent lack of substantiation (facts) to back up various claims and comments made through the course of individual shows.
He also points out the repeated lack of any counter-point or contrary opinions.
Its actually remarkable the amount of “content” that can be presented and never challenged.
On a News show.
So while that site can rebut every item in detail (that would take a small full time staff) he can certainly point out the large amount of partisan commentary and opinion (as opposed to facts or even debate) that is conveyed.
edit, last section –
So, while that site CAN’T rebut every item in detail (that would take a small full time staff), he can certainly point out the large amount of partisan commentary and opinion (as opposed to facts or even debate) that is conveyed.