◼ Taliban Releases Lone U.S. POW - AP via Daily Beast
◼ American Soldier Who Served With Freed POW Casts Doubt on Official Story; Fears Reprisal From Obama Administration - Soopermexican/IJ Review
Early Saturday it was announced by the administration that the only American prisoner of war in the Afghanistan was released in exchange for 5 Guantanamo Bay terrorists being set free to Qatar....◼ Freed American POW’s Father Deletes A Very Disturbing Tweet: Throws Prisoner Exchange in Question - Soopermexican/IJ Review
The circumstances of the capture of Bowe Bergdahl had been in question long before his release – supposedly he had wandered off and captured by the Taliban.
But a soldier on Twitter is claiming that the official story is untrue, and has posted his version of the events that led to Bowe’s capture as I originally posted on my blog.
Towards the end of his story, he says he fears reprisal from the Obama administration, and asks for legal help. It must be noted also that he has a avatar that bears a picture of Bowe with the word “traitor” posted over it.
◼ ‘How Many Other Prisoners Have Lasted 5 Years?’ Soldier Who Served With Bowe Bergdahl Concludes His Story and Allegations - Soopermexican
◼ Bergdahl release arrangement could threaten the safety of Americans, Republicans say - Washington Post
Amid jubilation Saturday over the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from captivity by the Taliban, senior Republicans on Capitol Hill said they were troubled by the means by which it was accomplished, which was a deal to release five Afghan detainees from the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Top Republicans on the Senate and House armed services committees went so far as to accuse President Obama of having broken the law, which requires the administration to notify Congress before any transfers from Guantanamo are carried out.
“Trading five senior Taliban leaders from detention in Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl’s release may have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans. Our terrorist adversaries now have a strong incentive to capture Americans. That incentive will put our forces in Afghanistan and around the world at even greater risk,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. McKeon (R-Calif.) and the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, James M. Inhofe (Okla.), said in a joint statement.
Lawmakers were not notified of the Guantanamo detainees’ transfer until after it occurred.
◼ Five of Most Dangerous Taliban Commanders in U.S. Custody Exchanged for American Captive - Thomas Joscelyn/Weekly Standard
◼ Terror suspects were labeled 'high risk' - Washington Times
All five terror suspects the Obama administration exchanged for the release of Sgt. Bowe Berghdahl on Saturday were deemed in a 2008 Pentagon dossier to be ‘high risk’ for launching attacks on American interests if released.◼ Who are they? - CNN
◼ Here are the Taliban Terrorists Obama Released to Free POW Bowe Bergdahl - Eli Lake/The Daily Beast
◼ Sets off debate - McClatchy
There were also questions about the wisdom _ and precedent _ of freeing five high-ranking Taliban, all of whom were on the Obama administrations list of detainees to be held indefinitely without charges, in exchange for one American service member.◼ Lawmakers Question Deal Behind Soldier's Release - SIOBHAN HUGHES and MICHAEL R CRITTENDEN/Wall St. Journal
“These particular individuals are hardened terrorists who have the blood of Americans and countless Afghans on their hands,” said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who himself was a POW in Vietnam. “I am eager to learn what precise steps are being taken to ensure that these vicious and violent Taliban extremists never return to the fight against the United States and our partners.”
And there were nagging questions about the circumstances of Bergdahl’s captivity. How Bergdahl came to leave his base in Afghanistan has never been clear, and some have suggested he should be treated as a deserter, not a captive.
◼ Taliban Statement Boasting ‘Victory’ Regarding Afghan War POW’s Release Raises Serious Questions - Independent Journal Review
Why and how was the CIA station chief in Kabul outed just a week prior to this big announcement? Was Bergdahl in fact a deserter, as some fellow soldiers have asserted? Hopefully, answers to these questions will be immediately forthcoming. What questions does this news raise in your mind?
◼ Why wasn't Congress notified before Gitmo exchange? - SOTU
