Hard to take

NY Times: Captive G.I. on Video by Taliban

Lede: The American soldier who disappeared June 30 in eastern Afghanistan, and was later confirmed to have been captured, appears on a video posted Saturday to a Web site by the Taliban, two United States defense officials said.

The Code of Conduct:

I

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

II

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

III

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

IV

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.

V

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

VI

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

Stay strong, soldier.

UPDATE: The captured soldier is PFC Bowe Bergdahl. More details here. The available details of his capure are hazy. Was he on a patrol? That would be odd, because accountability normally would be tight on a patrol and a soldier shouldn't just go missing - but of course, easier said than done in the fog of war and shit happens. If he left the base by his own decision, did he leave the base by himself or with Afghanis? Why did he leave the base? What did he take with him? Op order, radio codes, maps, weapons?

Eric