Bergdahl Release Deal Critics Focus on Father’s Bushy Beard and Utterances in Arabic and Pashtu

President Barack Obama speaks during an appearance in the
Rose Garden of the White House, accompanied by Bowe Bergdahl's
parents Bob and Jani Bergdahl

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: After Robert Bergdahl celebrated the release of his son Bowe in a White House appearance next to Barack Obama, some are suspicious about his invocation of Allah and his past comments criticising US foreign policy

For Barack Obama, it must have seemed like a politically safe photo opportunity. His administration had just secured the release of America’s only known prisoner of war after years of negotiations and now he had invited the soldier’s parents to join him on the steps of the White House to proclaim the deal.

The images from the Rose Garden of a smiling president placing his arms supportively around Robert and Jani Bergdahl, whose son Bowe was freed in return for the release of five Taliban leaders in Guantanamo Bay, were broadcast around the world.

But past comments by Mr Bergdahl condemning US foreign policy - not to mention his bushy Islamic-looking beard, his command of Pashtu and Arabic and his use of an Islamic greeting while standing next to Mr Obama - have now been seized on by conservative critics of the president.

There was outrage on some social media sites yesterday at what appeared to have been a message that the soldier’s father issued via Twitter, which has since been removed from his account on the micro-blogging site.

“God will repay the death of every Afghan child, ameen!” the message read, using the Islamic equivalent of Amen. In the same message, he repeated his view that all Guantanamo Bay detainees should be released. » | Philip Sherwell, New York | Monday, June 02, 2014