Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Great New York Boobs

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is where Hillary (who hasn't been mentioned in any reports thus far) comes into this dreadful scandal of epic proportions:

Jerrry Gordon Via NewEnglishReview: Questions arise over Qatar Brokered Swap of Taliban Detainees in Exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl


On CBS Face the Nation, David Ignatius of The Washington Post revealed what apparently was common knowledge in informed circles that such a swap had been under consideration four years ago. However, it was objected to by then Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullins. Further, both GOP and even several prominent Democrat Senators had objected to such a release. Ignatius underlined the controversy the prisoner swap created with these comments;

I think this is going to be politically controversial because the people who are being released, the five people being released from Guantanamo are very dangerous Taliban cadre. These are people in one case, the deputy military commander, in another case, the deputy chief of intelligence.

In two cases, the (UNINTEL), they're people who worked directly to facilitate Al Qaeda during Al Qaeda's time in Afghanistan. So for that reason, I’m told ,under Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and chairman of Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen, it was judged that these people were just too dangerous to let go.

And one thing that's changed that allowed this release is that the current Secretary of Defense and Chairman had decided that was an acceptable risk. We'll have to see details about how they will be held. How we can make sure they're not back on the battlefield before this one-year period that part of the deal is up. It remains to be seen.

Also of concern was the position of Hillary Clinton who served as Secretary of State at the time of those discussions and presumably had knowledge of them. Further, David Sanger of The New York Times indicated that Qatar, which has relations with the Taliban, had endeavored to negotiate a deal for the exchange of Sgt. Bergdahl for the GITMO Detainees last year which fell apart. That the exchange was connected to the timetable for exit of US forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban had established an office in Qatar last year, aAnd reportedly secret negotiations began in earnest this past February.

President Obama following a secret trip to Afghanistan announced this past week maintenance of a residual force of less than 10,000, bringing home the vast portion of the US International Security Afghanistan Force troop contingent. The objective is to wind up formal operations in Afghanistan and withdraw completely before the 2016 Presidential elections. At the Rose Garden press conference , the President said:

We are committed to winding down the war in Afghanistan, and we are committed to closing Gitmo. But we also made an ironclad commitment to bring our prisoners of war home. That's who we are as Americans. It is our hope Sergeant Bergdahl's recovery could potentially open the door for broader discussions among Afghans about the future of their country by building confidence that it is possible for all sides to find common ground.