DR. CUMMINGS: Mr. President, what about Sgt. Tahmooressi?

Dear Mr. President, I know you’re busy, and I’ve waited until after your vacation to write this because I sure don’t want to interrupt your golf game again. But what about our veteran of two tours in Afghanistan? Remember? On March 31, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi accidentally drove across the border into Mexico, was captured, imprisoned, and is now undergoing a trial which could sentence him to a Mexican prison (have you ever seen one?) for 22 years.

Your White House responded to the thousands of letters and phone calls urging you to take some action, by issuing this statement: “We respect the rule of law and expect the judicial process of sovereign nations to protect other U.S. citizens who might find themselves in similar circumstances in the future.” Say that again.

Maybe Tahmooressi is lying. Maybe he drove into Mexico on purpose. Whatever. Most of us can’t help but compare the way you treated Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with the way you’re treating Sgt. Andy Tahmooressi. Bergdahl was a deserter; Tahmooressi was a hero. Yet, you have a Rose Garden ceremony with Bergdahl’s parents and give up five leading terrorists to get him released, and you let Tahmooressi sit in a Mexican prison for six months. Your reasoning: Bergdahl was held by an enemy combatant; Tahmooressi by a “friendly” nation. I don’t get it.

I notice you also refer to “Mr.” Tahmooressi in your infrequent press releases about him. Is that because our Marine received his honorable discharge and is now officially a private citizen? But then why is Bergdahl still “Sgt. Bergdahl”? And by the way, where is your “deserter/hero” now? Your loyal press team seems to have forgotten all about him.

Bergdahl repudiated America; he condemned it like your former pastor who shouted from the pulpit: “God damn America.” Tahmooressi fought for America honorably throughout two long tours of duty. Surely, you are not rewarding the Marxist condemnation of America and punishing the patriotism of the men and women who have put their lives on the line to defend it. Some people say you agree with your wife who said: “I was never proud to be an American until (my husband became president). Is that what this is all about?

Say it ain’t so, Mr. President! Say that over 50 percent of us Americans simply misunderstand you. Tell us that you really do love and respect our country, and that your hesitation to fight against our enemies is just caution and prudence. Help us to understand why you won’t call them Islamic terrorists. It’s not your partiality to Islam, (we know your daddy was a Muslim) but it’s because you want to make it clear that not all of Islam is terrorists. We could understand that.

But is it true that all the policies and statements that you issue are political? That is, “will this garner votes for us Democrats?” It doesn’t matter if you’re addressing illegal immigration or bombing Syria, standing up to Putin or standing down in Benghazi, fighting Congress or wining and dining Republican leaders in the White House.

It’s not about America. It’s not about American citizens. It’s said that you have a team of advisers who constantly monitor the polls and tell you which way the wind is blowing. Is this true? Have all our presidents been like this?

Is this the reason why you haven’t flown down to Mexico and demanded the release of one of our heroes? Is this why you haven’t used your “pen and phone”? It has nothing to do with who’s right and who’s wrong here. It doesn’t matter that the government of Mexico owes us their very livelihood and that their president would agree to anything our president would ask.

It’s true, isn’t it, Mr. President, that the Obama administration has decided (after hours of deliberation) that freeing Sgt. Andy Tahmooressi today is just not “politically correct”? That’s it, isn’t it?

I’m sorry, Mr. President; I just don’t get it.

Dr. Bill Cummings is the CEO of Cummings Consolidated Corporation and Cummings Management Consultants. His website is digitallydrc.com.

This story was originally published September 21, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "DR. CUMMINGS: Mr. President, what about Sgt. Tahmooressi? ."