U.S. officials moved quickly Saturday in what they assessed was a small window of time to retrieve U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from his Afghan captors.
For five years Sgt. Bergdahl was held as a prisoner of war by Taliban forces. His release in Qatar was negotiated between U.S. forces and the Taliban. Qatari officials served as a go-between in the dialogue.
In exchange for Bergdahl’s release, five prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. prison in Cuba, were released. The five men were former Taliban insurgents, now all in their mid- to late 40s. After more than 10 years in confinement they are of no intelligence value to the U.S. or our enemies.
Critics of the prisoner swap say the negotiations give the Taliban undue legitimacy and in no time the insurgents will be back waging war against the “evil empire.”
Republican members of Congress are also upset they were not given the opportunity to approve the release of the prisoners held at Gitmo.
Under the arrangements of the swap, the five men are to remain under supervision for one year in the politically neutral country of Qatar.
On the other side of the argument, the Obama administration said it believed Sgt. Bergdahl’s health was in jeopardy and time was of essence.
Critics also maintain the swap will encourage other terrorist organizations to take U.S. citizens as hostages, knowing the U.S. will negotiate.
Bergdahl was not a hostage, but a prisoner of war — the lone U.S. soldier being held captive — whose release the U.S. felt honor-bound to secure, despite questions of the circumstances of his capture, including the accusation he had deserted his base.
The U.S. government holds it as a sacred vow to protect its men and women in uniform. Along with that comes an ironclad commitment to bring them home.
That assurance is critical to every soldier and their families.
Soon enough, we’ll know the circumstance of Sgt. Bergdahl’s capture.
But first and foremost, he is a U.S. soldier who has endured five years of captivity, and for his safe return we are grateful.
— Susan Lynn
