Standing Ground

US Soldier Kidnapped by the Taliban is 23-year-old Paratrooper Bowe Bergdahl

I remember when these kinds of kidnappings, and not just of soldiers but of civilians and reporters, even of missionaries, were making headline and breaking news just about every day back in the early days of the war.

Just like now, and in other recent kidnappings, the Taliban seemed to think that if they just got hold of an American, soldier or not, they would be able to use that person as leverage against the United States to achieve a goal. Usually, it was some kind of demand. As it is this time, with this soldier.

I don't know why they haven't come to understand yet, that like every single time they've tried this kind of tactic it fails because the United States will never give in to demands of terrorists. It is imperative that the United States stand its ground. Not out of pride, however. No, if there is pride involved in such a decision it is merely incidental.

The fact of the matter is, that the United States can't give in to the Taliban, or any other terrorist group. If it does, and it meets the demands, more than likely what will happen is that a precedent will be set. Anytime anyone wants to get something out of the US, what will happen is that they will kidnap an American. Hold them for ransom until the demands are met.

Many people want our troops out of the Middle East, so some people may think it would be just as well to give in. But, that is not the point. I want our troops out of the Middle East as well. But, I can see the reasoning behind not meeting the demands of the Taliban.

Soon, it will not be just wanting our troops gone, it will be for other reasons. And no, bringing the troops out will not stop Americans from being kidnapped in the Middle East. The fact is, Americans were there long before the troops went there to fight wars. Missionaries were there, charity workers were there, tourists were there.

I remember in the early days of the war, when this kind of thing was being reported all the time, that people were often outraged when W. Bush wouldn't meet the demands to save the lives of the kidnapped Americans. I agree that W. Bush did a lot of stupid things, and as it turns out he apparently did a lot of horrible things. That is not the point, though. Not caving in to the demands of the terrorists was probably the smartest thing he did.

It's like with a child. If you give in to them too much, they become spoiled and think they get whatever they want if they just apply the same or similar tactics every time. And as they continue to get what they want, it reinforces the behavior and they move on to more extreme demands.

Now, a child isn't going to hold an adult hostage and demand that they give the child what he or she wants or the adult "gets it" but it's essentially the same pattern.

If we give in, it sets a bad precedent of likely future events that are more than likely going to be far worse than the ones we see now.

I don't think I've noticed any outrage over recent incidents of the US not giving in. But, in the beginning of the war I remember hearing about it. I remember having discussions with my grandfather over it, is the only reason I really remember the public outrage.

Unfortunately, it's not just stubbornness and pride that play a factor in the fact that America cannot give in to the Taliban and give them what they want in order to get Private First Class Bergdahl back to where he needs to be, safe and sound. If they would truly let him go alive. It really is that it would be giving way to more heinous crimes later, to a huge spike in abductions, possibly even people being abducted from US soil itself and brought to the Middle East for these types of things.

If they can recruit men and women in the US to their cause, it should be no problem to abduct them for ransom instead. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

I'm just glad that I don't hear such outrage anymore over a US decision not to give in to the demands. My heart does go out to Private First Class Bergdahl and his family, and his friends and his girlfriend. And to all those who had similar experiences before him. To those who will have experiences like this after him. To those who made it through and to those who did not. To those that will and to those that won't.

It really does, I feel for them all. And I, myself, would not want to be in such a situation. Nor would I want my friends or family members to be.

But, I can understand why we can't give in. I can only hope that he is being treated as well as we are being led to believe he's being treated. That he is still alive, and still being treated well. And that they will let him go, alive, even though they won't get what they want. Or that, at the very least, where is being held is found and he is rescued. If that ever becomes a possibility.

I also have to wonder if he is being forced to say the things he is saying. At least some of them. Some of it sounds a little odd for a kidnapped US soldier to be saying, but...then again there are could be a stockholm syndrome element coming into play.

I don't know which to hope for, really. I just hope only that he is truly being treated well, and that he will be let go safe and alive and allowed to go home.

I don't know if that is a realistic hope, but I'm hoping for it anyway. Because, the US can't give in. And those in power to make the decisions over this know that. So, the US won't be giving in. So, hope for him to be set free alive is really one of the only options I can think of, aside from US troops being allowed to search for him where they really think he has the better chance of being located at and finding him, rescuing him. Other than those two options, there really is no other option, except the more tragic ones.

Right now, hope is all that is left.