Obama Did The Right Thing-POW release

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by whell

Not at all the case with the 5 who were released. These guys are probably good candidates for a life sentence...or more.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...-prisoner-swap

I guess they feel these fellows are defanged.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by whell

The only way that this will be ultimately viewed as a successful move is if it results in a workable peace treaty with the Taliban in Afghanistan. That is the only standard by which it can be judged, because:

- it was the Administration's primary purpose for pursuing the release of Bergdahl at this time, and;

- it was a pre-condition of the Taliban to release these specific 5 prisoners, who were / are the top 5 Taliban commanders in custody at Gitmo, before the peach talks could begin.

I do not disagree with your assessment.

This was a very cajones-laden call (similar to the Green Light on taking Bin Laden) that having go wrong could wind up bad, politically.

It's, also, why we should always desire a thinker in the Big Chair. The risk/benefit on this is hugely in favor of the trade but not if you're a simpleton. A prior "cowboy" President wouldn't have possessed the analytical skill to look past the potential opposition sell as capitulation.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by whell

The only way that this will be ultimately viewed as a successful move is if it results in a workable peace treaty with the Taliban in Afghanistan. That is the only standard by which it can be judged...

A workable peace treaty with the Taliban? Really now....you're such a tool. If it were Willard who worked this deal you'd be hailing him as the hero of the new millienium...and then you'd turn around and suggest that now that our guy is out we should nuke the Taliban back into the stone age.

[whell]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

A workable peace treaty with the Taliban? Really now....you're such a tool.

Well, here's another "tool" for you, then. Chuck Hagel's comments:

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" from Bagram, Hagel said the prisoner trade could provide a window of opportunity for peace in Afghanistan.

"So maybe this will be a new opening that can produce an agreement," he said, noting that the United States had engaged in talks with the Taliban in the past.

http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-unannoun...114333904.html

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by whell

Well, here's another "tool" for you, then. Chuck Hagel's comments:

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" from Bagram, Hagel said the prisoner trade could provide a window of opportunity for peace in Afghanistan.

"So maybe this will be a new opening that can produce an agreement," he said, noting that the United States had engaged in talks with the Taliban in the past.

http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-unannoun...114333904.html

WTF do I care for political tool Chuck Hagel's comments on Press the Meat? I'm talking about you...our local tool. Our local specialized hypocrite tool.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by whell

Well, here's another "tool" for you, then. Chuck Hagel's comments:

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" from Bagram, Hagel said the prisoner trade could provide a window of opportunity for peace in Afghanistan.

"So maybe this will be a new opening that can produce an agreement," he said, noting that the United States had engaged in talks with the Taliban in the past.

http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-unannoun...114333904.html

Hagel's correct. The two guys who will be facing each other after Karzai splits (both pro-American and western educated) both said that negotiation with the Taliban were necessary for a lasting peace. A peace treaty, by definition, involves negotiating with the enemy.

[whell]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

However, having said that, I hope the administration was thorough in their assessment of the released detainees. It would be horrible to have one or all of those individuals show up as participating in a terrorist attack. That is the risk the administration took in releasing them.

Dave

Lest we not forget, by the way, that Obama has prioritized closing Gitmo. Apparently some believe that this release also served the purpose of testing the waters regarding further steps the Admin might take in releasing the current residents.

If we're in pursuit of closing Gitmo for the sake of closing Gitmo, there may not be as much "thorough assessment" in future releases.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...ing-gitmo.html

[merrylander]

I gather from Sunday Newshour that they were released to Qatar and the Qatar government has agreed thet they will nt be allowed too travel, sort of like house arrest. At least this is what the reporter from the WSJ said.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by whell

Lest we not forget, by the way, that Obama has prioritized closing Gitmo. Apparently some believe that this release also served the purpose of testing the waters regarding further steps the Admin might take in releasing the current residents.

If we're in pursuit of closing Gitmo for the sake of closing Gitmo, there may not be as much "thorough assessment" in future releases.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...ing-gitmo.html

Lest you forget, it was your party of 'no' that precluded bringing the actual terrorists from Gitmo to trial in American courts. Nice try Whell.

[whell]

Originally Posted by bobabode

Lest you forget, it was your party of 'no' that precluded bringing the actual terrorists from Gitmo to trial in American courts. Nice try Whell.

Oh, BS.

There's almost 150 prisoners left. Of those remaining, nearly 80 of them have been approved for transfer to their home country or a third country. Those transfers are continuing, albeit slowly.

That leaves about 70. Of those, about 40 have been deemed "too dangerous to release", but there's insufficient evidence against them to prosecute in US courts. There's a "Periodic Review Board" that has re-opened many of these cases, and some are in the process of being moved to the transfer list.

That leave about 30 that are potential candidates for prosecution in US courts. So you're bitching about 30 out of less than 150 prisoners. And if the House and Senate can agree on an appropriate process for prosecuting them, it may happen.

Also, if there is a negotiated cessation of hostilities in Afghanistan, most of them - at least those that are not affiliated with Al Qaeda - would likely be released anyway.