Bowe Bergdahl

A US soldier captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan has been identified as Bowe Bergdahl. The 23 year old private from Ketchem, Idaho was captured on July 3rd.  The Taliban released a video with Bergdahl, prompted by his captors, calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.  

Here is an excerpt from the video (Reuters):

"I am scared. I'm scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner," he says. "I have my girlfriend who is hoping to marry. I have my grandma and grandpas. I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America."

A voice off camera prompts: "Miss them."

The soldier continues: "And I miss them every day that I'm gone. I miss them and I'm afraid that I might never see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them that I love them again. I'll never be able to hug them."

"BRING US HOME"

Later, the voice prompts: "Any message to your people?"

"Yes. To my fellow Americans who have loved ones over here, who know what it's like to miss them: you have the power to make our government bring them home," the soldier says.

"Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country."