Dismissal of ex-US soldier Bergdahl’s conviction was invalid, court rules
Appeals panel says only military tribunals may assess court-martial convictions in blow to former Afghan war prisoner.
The appellate ruling that reinstates Bowe Bergdahl's court-martial conviction is a quiet but firm reminder that legal procedure outlasts public sentiment. The panel's decision does not turn on whether Bergdahl's actions were defensible or contemptible. It turns on jurisdiction: only military tribunals may undo a court-martial. That is the entire story, and it is enough.
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