Un-freaking-believable: American POW left to languish while Obama gives away Taliban prisoners

Monday, May 07, 2012

Doug Ross:

An American POW has has been held by a Taliban-affiliated terror group for almost three years. And he is never mentioned while Barack Obama releases high-level Taliban detainees from Gitmo in exchange for... their promises not to commit more acts of terrorism.

...The United States has for several years been secretly releasing high-level detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, a bold effort to quell violence but one that U.S. officials acknowledge poses substantial risks...

...As the United States has unsuccessfully pursued a peace deal with the Taliban, the “strategic release” program has quietly served as a live diplomatic channel, allowing American officials to use prisoners as bargaining chips in restive provinces where military power has reached its limits.

...On June 30, 2009, almost three years ago, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl of Idaho was kidnapped by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network. He is the only prisoner of war currently held by the Taliban and recent video releases seem to indicate that he is being kept alive for ransom by the group.

...In December, The Daily Beast was the only outlet to report on a heroic escape attempt by the sergeant. After working for over two years to gain the trust of his captors, Bergdahl jumped out of a first-story window, running into the wilderness [and evading capture for] three days without food or water—hiding in a shallow trench he had dug with his own hands and covered with leaves.

...Even [after he was discovered], he put up a ferocious fight. The two gunmen who found him first were unable to subdue him. “He fought like a boxer,” Hanif was told. It took five more militants to overpower him. Now back in custody, he is kept shackled at night, and his jailers are taking no chances.

This is the caliber of soldier that the United States and its military produces, the American that the president seems to have forgotten about for almost three years.

...In 2008 it was Barack Obama’s policy not to engage with terrorists under any circumstances. In 2009, his administration was comfortable exchanging American prisoners for British hostages. In 2012, it has become clear it was the long-standing policy of the administration to release American-held terrorist prisoners while asking for nothing in exchange, not even an American POW.

Keep Sergeant Bergdahl in your prayers.

And contact the House Foreign Affairs Committee at (202) 225-5021 to express your outrage.

Hat tip: Bethany. Also see: Ten burning questions for Obama’s secret terrorist release program