Washington Post 2/17/14 - U.S. seeks prisoner swap with Taliban to free Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

How the fuck do the righties in Congress say they didn't know about this? Oh and fuck Diane Feinstein too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-seeks-prisoner-swap-with-taliban-to-free-army-sgt-bowe-bergdahl/2014/02/17/f142ed50-9590-11e3-afce-3e7c922ef31e_story.html

[Botany]

1. And House Intel Committe Chair was told in 2011 too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025043348

Bergdahl + Benghazi = Berghazi (totally made up scandals by the GOP)

[CJCRANE]

2. That's a good article, it's very detailed.

[TwilightGardener]

3. The 30-day provision was specifically intended to prevent this swap, I believe.

They knew it was coming, they're such lying assholes. And yes, Bergdahl's walking away was common knowledge. And yes, there were already concerns about Bergdahl's health.

"Officials at the Pentagon said last month that they had obtained a new video of Bergdahl, the first evidence U.S. officials have seen in nearly three years that the soldier remains alive. They had long been seeking evidence that Bergdahl was still living, because of reports that he had attempted to escape once and because of concerns about his health, a U.S. official said. The United States intercepted the video before its makers intended to release or broadcast it, the official said."

[JimDandy]

5. When was that bill with the 30 day provision passed?

And why didn't Obama veto it?

[okaawhatever]

6. It was the NDAA (military budget) and Obama authored a signing statement basically saying the

30 day rule was unconstitutional and he may act without the notice if the situation demanded it. Of course, Obama could argue he did give them notice given all the fits and starts of negotiations. I don't think even the Robert's court would find a 30 day notice rule Constitutional.

[thesquanderer]

11. Can Congress veto/block such a swap?

If not, what would even be the purpose of a 30 day notification?

[okaawhatever]

14. To take power away from the President. I think the congressional republicans didn't want Obama to

have any good press and they wanted an opportunity to either screw with the deal or prepare a media blitz condemning it. Remember, the 30 day notice was their way of blocking all Gitmo prisoners from leaving, basically. it was an attempt to keep control after they agreed to fund the moving of prisoners. Remember the repubs have fought everything Obama has tried to do to close Gitmo.

It all boils down to the gop trying to make sure Obama isn't successful. Can congress veto/block a swap? No, but they hold the purse strings so they might be able to come up with something there. Obama vowed to close Gitmo and the 30 day provision was their last ditch effort to make sure he wasn't successful in one of his big campaign promises.

[TwilightGardener]

4. By the way, this same deal was discussed in an April AP article, and McCain was

asked about this prisoner swap, and said something like "it's dead, it's not going anywhere". Well, six weeks later--Guess what, Johnny Mac?

[lumpy]

7. Wasn't aware of the Wash. Post article. Wonder how many others weren't/aren't aware of it.

Rather important especially considering those Congress critters who claim to be taken by 'surprise' and are outraged by not being notified. Of course it is common knowledge that too many Congress critters don't know what the hell is going on anywhere at anytime.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Feinstein is just... Ugh.

Not a helpful contributor to the party.

From what I saw the day of, she was first in line to shit on the President for getting this done.

[Aerows]

9. I think she's terrified with the CIA

monitoring situation.

[SunSeeker]

10. K & R

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-seeks-prisoner-swap-with-taliban-to-free-army-sgt-bowe-bergdahl/2014/02/17/f142ed50-9590-11e3-afce-3e7c922ef31e_story.html

BY ANNE GEARAN AND ERNESTO LONDOÑO February 17


Five members of the Afghan Taliban who have been held at Guantanamo for years would be released to protective custody in Qatar in exchange for the release of Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan in 2009 and is thought to be held in Pakistan by the Haqqani network, an allied insurgent group.

To refresh the American offer, which has been on the table for more than two years, senior officials from the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies decided within the past month to allow the simultaneous release of all five men. Taliban representatives had objected to the previous plan to release the prisoners by ones or twos as a test of Taliban and Qatari intermediaries’ ability to make sure the men did not return to militancy.

(snip)

Bergdahl, an Army infantryman assigned to a unit from Alaska, was taken captive after walking off his base in the eastern province of Paktika, a decision that confounded his comrades and commanders in Afghanistan. The U.S. military launched a massive manhunt, fearing it would be nearly impossible to find him if his captors smuggled him into Pakistan. The Taliban soon took credit for capturing him and offered to release him in exchange for $1 million and 21 Afghan prisoners.

(snip)

The decision to try to resume talks comes amid U.S. frustration with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has refused to sign a security pact that would allow some forces to stay in the country next year. Without it, all U.S. troops will depart this year, and the already declining U.S. leverage with the Taliban would be reduced.

Thanks for the thread, Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

[Cha]

13. Ooooops. The WaPo knew about it and so did those who read it but DiFI and the repubs knew

Nothing?!

thanks YMBL