Republicans slam Obama, say he has broken the law
The United States has secured the release of a young soldier held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years under a swap deal by freeing five high-profile Taliban detainees from the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, 28, the only American soldier held prisoner, has been handed over to US special forces near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, while the five Taliban detainees freed in exchange have been flown to Qatar, where they will be required to live with security restrictions for one year.
The released detainees are Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban Deputy Minister of intelligence; Mullah Norullah Nori, a senior Taliban commander; Khairullah Khairkhwa, a Taliban Interior Minister who had ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin laden; Mohammed Nabi, a Taliban security chief in Qalat; and Mohammad Fazl, alleged to be a mass killer of Shia Muslims.
While the US authorities were relieved over getting their soldier out safely, top Republican lawmakers attacked President Barack Obama for freeing “hardened terrorists”, with some accusing him of breaking the US law that requires Congress to be notified 30 days before any transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay.
“As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of the service members who recovered Sergeant Bergdahl and brought him safely out of harm’s way,” Obama said in remarks from the White House Rose Garden. “While Bowe was gone, he was never forgotten….The United States of America does not ever leave our men and women in uniform behind,” he said.
But Republicans, even while sharing the relief over the soldier’s recovery, sharply criticised the release of five prominent Taliban detainees. This trade-off “may have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans”, said Representative Howard P McKeon and Senator James M Inhofe, the top Republican lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees respectively.
Another senior Republican, House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Rogers said: “I have little confidence in the security assurances regarding the movement and activities of the now-released Taliban leaders, and I have even less confidence in this administration’s willingness to ensure they are enforced. I believe this decision will threaten the lives of American soldiers for years to come.”
The Obama administration, however, stoutly defended its decision to proceed in the matter and with speed because of the “unique and exigent circumstances”.
“Due to a near-term opportunity to save Sergeant Bergdahl’s life, we moved as quickly as possible. The administration determined that given these unique and exigent circumstances, such a transfer should go forward notwithstanding the (30-day) notice requirement,” a senior administration official said.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke of US intelligence suggesting that Bergdahl’s safety and health were in jeopardy.
The parents of Bergdahl, who have campaigning tirelessly for their son’s release for the last five years, thanked President Obama and lauded the efforts of the US and Qatari governments. “We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son,” they said in the statement.