The Fox News analyst who said the Taliban could save the U.S. “a lot of legal hassle” by executing a captured U.S. soldier spoke again last night, this time softening his remarks but still calling the soldier a deserter, a liar and mentally disturbed.
Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a paid Fox contributor, claimed on The O’Reilly Factor to have inside information on the nature of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl’s capture. He said he asked a “very senior military leader” whether the Army private deserted before being captured June 30. “The answer was yes,” Peters said.
“I do hope for his family’s sake this guy comes back safely,” Peters said in yesterday’s interview. It was a bit of a turnaround from Sunday, when he argued that if Bergdahl “walked away from his post and his buddies in wartime,” it would be preferable if his captors killed him.
Peters said Bergdahl lied in a Taliban propaganda video about being taken while on patrol. “He left his weapon of his own volition. That’s what we know,” Peters said. “He may be mentally disturbed.”
“I’m sticking to what I know,” he added.
