Jen Psaki Picks Up Where Susan Rice Left Off on Bergdahl

State Dept. spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who was last seen being openly mocked in a briefing last week, spoke on the release of Bowe Bergdahl today. A Fox reporter asked Psaki why, if the US says it will go get any soldier held in captivity, it isn’t doing anything about the Marine being held in Mexico on specious gun violations. Psaki did her best to make sense of it all. Unfortunately, Psaki’s best really isn’t very good at all.

Fox News Q: Just a quick follow up on Matt’s question. You mentioned because Sergeant Bergdahl is a member of the military you went after him. If you have a Marine reservist in Mexico, why can’t you do a similar swap for him?

MS. PSAKI: I understand the desire to make comparisons, but we wouldn’t compare them.

This is — it was a Marine [sic] who was taken while in combat, and you’re talking about a situation of an individual who the Mexican authorities are accusing of violating the law.

Fox News Q: But I’m sure we have five cartel members or somebody in jail we could swap in exchange for this Marine. Would that be a good — MS. PSAKI: Thank you for your advice, Lucas (sp), but every situation is different. Do you have another question?

There’s a lot to unpack in all that. Psaki is confused on the basics of Bergdahl’s service. He isn’t a Marine, he’s in the Army. They’re not the same thing. He wasn’t captured “in combat” according to his squad mates, he walked off the job in a huff of anti-Americanism that would’ve made the young John Kerry proud of him (and the old John Kerry proud of him too). The Pentagon’s investigation in 2010 backs up the widely held view in the military that Bergdahl is a deserter. Psaki has had four years to get the facts. She wasn’t at the State Dept. that whole time, but she was in Obama’s orbit that whole time. She obviously has had ample time to pick up Susan Rice’s ludicrous talking points on Bergdahl’s situation.

The Marine reservist who is being held in Mexico is a wounded combat vet who actually served in the war with distinction and honor. He made a wrong turn, and now Mexico is trying to ruin his life over it. A strong, pro-American American government would have gotten Marine Sgt Andrew Tahmooressi released from Mexico by now. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Mexico last week and apparently didn’t even bring the Marine’s plight up.

It’s silly of the Fox reporter to bring up swapping cartel members for Tahmooressi. There’s no need to do that. We should just be demanding that Mexico return our military personnel immediately, no conditions attached. Surely the world’s dominant superpower can deal with the likes of Mexico.