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.
