Just-freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl deserved to be released regardless of whether he turns out to be a deserter, says former Navy SEAL and FBI special agent Jonathan Gilliam.
"He's an American citizen, his life is worth something, regardless whether he deserted or not,'' Gilliam told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
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Gilliam — president of United States Continued Service, which puts military veterans and ex-government workers in public- and private-sector jobs — was critical of National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
On Sunday, Rice praised Bergdahl as serving his country with "honor and distinction,'' a statement later questioned when his fellow soldiers began suggesting he was a deserter.
"Let me just say this about Susan Rice. She should not be confused with Condoleezza Rice, who is a true professional and a PhD,'' Gilliam said Wednesday.
"I don't know Susan Rice, where she gets her experience to be doing all these things. Again, I try to stay apolitical on this, but you measure professionals by the minute details of their perfection.
"You measure amateurs by the size of their mistakes. We're measuring one large mistake after another with this administration.''
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