Speaking on his radio program Tuesday, president of the Family Research Council Tony Perkins suggested execution is a reasonable punishment for desertion while talking about the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
"As Gen. Boykins said last week, you know, in wartime, deserters are shot," the president of the conservative Christian think-tank said. "Especially those that go over to the other side and share information. As has been reported with Bergdahl."
Perkins referenced retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William "Jerry" Boykin, who said in an interview with CNN that he believes Bergdahl was a deserter, a crime "punishable by death." When host Candy Crowley appeared to ask Boykin if he thought that should be the punishment if Bergdahl is found by investigators to have deserted, Boykin replied, "No, that's not my point. My point is that we have traded for a guy that is guilty of a crime that is actually punishable by death, we traded him for five of the worst Taliban leaders in Guantanamo."
Perkins said the discussion over Bergdahl came up after meeting a group of veterans from a senior Sunday school class.
Perkins is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.