There is growing anger in America over President Obama's swapping five Taliban war criminals for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl who may have deserted his unit in Afghanistan before being captured by the Taliban in 2009. There is compelling evidence that the Sergeant violated military law and may have even collaborated with the enemy.

However, top Obama security advisor Susan Rice is saying this about Bergdahl.

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RICE: He is going to be safely reunited with his family. He served the United States with honor and distinction.

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O'REILLY: Another very dubious statement by Ambassador Rice whom you'll remember is the person who misled the world about Benghazi. But that's the administration's take that Sergeant Bergdahl is a honorable man.

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JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Sergeant Bergdahl put on the uniform of the United States voluntarily and went to war for the United States voluntarily. That takes honor and it is a mark of distinction.

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O'REILLY: President Obama himself a bit more cautious.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Regardless of the circumstances, whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he is held in captivity -- period, full stop.

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O'REILLY: But nobody is stopping, Mr. President. The controversy is growing. And your administration is, again, on the defensive. The President is currently in Europe perhaps he can hear the anger over here. It's that loud. Nevertheless, his guys continue to protect him.

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VAN JONES, FORMER WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL: The narrative is let's take this guy, this soldier that we got home, diminish him, turn him into some kind of a caricature. We don't know if he's a traitor, saying negative things about him. Insult his family and then take the five that we are releasing build them up into mega threat against us and then said that the President of the United States is a traitor who turned in a traitor to let out our enemies. Is that the kind of Benghazi of this that you think is appropriate for Republicans?

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O'REILLY: Politics aside, the release of the five Taliban war criminals, sets a troubling precedent and is almost indefensible in the face of Sergeant Bergdahl's status. Five years ago, when the Sergeant first left his unit, Fox News strategic analyst Colonel Ralph Peters said this.

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LT. COL. RALPH PETERS, FOX NEWS STRATEGIC ANALYST (Ret.): My anger is that the media has been turning this guy, who is a probable -- an alleged deserter, certainly AWOL in the combat zone -- as some kind of hero and why does it make me angry? Because we know Bergdahl's name. How many of us know the names of the soldiers and Marines, Navy Corps men fighting through crippling injuries that are in military hospitals.

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O'REILLY: And it gets worst. At least sixth U.S. soldiers were killed searching for Sergeant Bergdahl creating deep resentment in the military. Listen to some soldiers who served with Bergdahl.

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CODY FULL, SERVED WITH BOWE BERGDAHL: He did not serve the United States with honor. We all took an oath. He violated his oath when he deserted us and put other Americans in jeopardy.

JOSH KORDER, SERVED WITH BOWE BERGDAHL: Any of us would have died for him while he was with us and then for him to just leave us like that, it was a very big betrayal.

MASAMITSU: If you had asked me three days ago, I would have said firing squad. But I've got some time to think about it, some time to get a little less emotional and kind of detach myself that way and I think that he should be tried as a deserter and court-martialed. I would like to see him in Leavenworth for the remainder of his days.

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O'REILLY: So this is one big mess and once again the Obama administration has brought it upon itself. These Taliban killers are not soldiers, according to the U.N. in 2013 alone, 74 percent of all civilian casualties in Afghanistan were caused by the Taliban and al Qaeda. At least 2,300 civilians were killed. More than 4,000 injured. Multiply that by 13 years. And you have the level of atrocity the Taliban has committed. This is not a prisoner of war exchange. This is a political move. And it is back firing on the President, no question about it.

So then the question becomes what is going on inside the Oval Office? Why are so many mistakes being made? Big mistakes. The VA scandal that broke wide last week was an acute embarrassment for the administration and now just a few days later we have this. It's almost beyond belief that an administration could be this dense.

So last night I talked with someone who knows the inside story of the Obama White House. I have to keep the person's identity secret but he told me that the President has come to the conclusion that his administration is not, not going to accomplish its goals.

He knows the economy is not going to turn around. He no knows Obamacare is not going to be popular. And he understands that his job approval rating will likely remain below 50 percent. Therefore, according to this guy, the President has concluded that public opinion really doesn't matter anymore. Thus, Mr. Obama is going to do what he wants to do and the consequences be damned. I believe that assessment is accurate.

Just think about it. Why would you swap one alleged deserter because surely President Obama knows the guy left his unit voluntarily for five, five notorious war criminals? Why would anyone do that it simply doesn't make sense because these Taliban guys will continue killing people. The war on terror remains in progress and thousands of people are dying all over the world even ardent pro-Obama supporters have got to be confused.

Yes, the zealots will always support Mr. Obama no matter what he does. But if you are a thinking person, all the chaos in Washington is embarrassing and the explanations just plain incredible.

Susan Rice saying to the world that Sergeant Bergdahl served his country with honor? Are you kidding me? And that's on top of the Benghazi stuff? Is the Ambassador Rice a moron? Why would she say that? With all the facts point to the opposite. Especially when she herself got hammered over the Benghazi deception. Again, what is wrong with these people? Talking Points cannot answer that question. It's beyond comprehension. And the White House Press Corps better start asking about Ms. Rice and the other crazy stuff over and over again.

One final thing President Obama knows that at least half, half of the American public is totally disengaged from political reality. They don't know anything. And they don't care to know. Many live in a high tech bubble, lost in cyberspace. Caught up in their own selfish pursuits. Therefore, he knows the President does, that he can razzle-dazzle, make speeches and survive. That's a big change in this country when you have half of the folks not caring a whit about what our leadership does. Apathy breeds corruption and incompetence, does it not?

And that's "The Memo."

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