It’s becoming a mark of the powerful and more-powerful to drop something with zero marketing and have it go fkn off.
This season explores the case of American soldier Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive by the Taliban for almost five years from 2009 to 2014, after walking off one day from his base in Afghanistan.
“In the middle of the night, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl grabs a notebook, snacks, water, some cash. Then he quietly slips off a remote U.S. Army outpost in eastern Afghanistan and into the dark, open desert. About 20 minutes later, it occurs to him: he’s over his head.”
Shortly after his capture, six U.S. soldiers were killed, which some claim was a direct or indirect result of Bergdahl’s actions. This season – which opens with a host Sarah Koenig describing a video made and released by the Taliban – explores Bergdahl’s motivations for leaving his platoon, his experiences in the Army, and the terrible consequences that followed.
“President Obama announced Bergdahl’s return in the Rose Garden, with the soldier’s parents at his side. Bergdahl’s hometown of Hailey, Idaho, planned a big celebration to welcome him back. But then, within days – within hours of his rescue, in fact – public reaction to his return flipped. People started saying Bergdahl shouldn’t be celebrated. Some of the soldiers from his unit called him a deserter, a traitor. They said he had deliberately walked off their small outpost in eastern Afghanistan and into hostile territory.
“Hailey cancelled its celebration. The army launched an investigation. Finally, in March, the military charged Bergdahl with two crimes, one of which carriers the possibility of a life sentence. Through all of this, Bergdahl has been quiet. He hasn’t spoken to the press or done any interviews on TV. He’s been like a ghost at the centre of a raucous fight.“Now, in Season Two, we get to hear what he has to say.”
Get a taster below, or just lap up whole thing HERE.
The intro’s only for you, Facebook. Nice to see you again.
Posted by Serial on Thursday, 10 December 2015
