Soldier held by Taliban released

Xan, for the vast majority of Americans, the less they hear the word Afghanistan, the better. Any howls will be just so much background noise. One has to wonder if the professional howlers ever heard that fable about the boy and crying wolf.

 

Of course you're right, Mike.

But it's not the country we live in.

 

Michael Hastings did a piece about this guy in 2012 for Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/americas-last-prisoner-of-war-20120607?print=true

 

"It is war in which they kill us and we kill them, but we did whatever we could to make him happy and return with good memories," said a senior Taliban commander.

I want to see video of them making s'mores over a campfire and watching Scooby Doo as Bowe explains the special relationship between Scooby and Shaggy, and what Roger wearing that scarf really means.

Jeremy Renner plays Bowe in the movie. Chloe Grace Moretz will play his love interest.

 

Again, they'll belabor the fuck out of inanity to stir up passions and emotions that stoke the flames of anger.

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CNN's Candy Crowley put national security adviser Susan Rice on defense on Sunday over the U.S. negotiation for the release of Bowe Bergdahl, who was released from the Taliban as a prisoner of war in Afghanistan on Saturday.

In exchange for the Bergdahl's release, the U.S. authorized the release of five Guatanamo detainees, which has some Republican lawmakers questioning the administration's decision to negotiate for Bergdahl's release.

Crowley quizzed Rice on "State of the Union" about whether the U.S. negotiated with terrorists.

"Point blank, did the U.S. negotiate with terrorists for his release?" Crowley asked.

"Candy, what we did was ensure that, as always, the United States doesn’t leave a man or a woman on the battlefield," Rice responded. "And in order to do this — it’s very important for folks to understand — if we got into a situation where we said, ‘Because of who has captured an American soldier on the battlefield, we will leave that person behind,’ we would be in a whole new era for the safety of our personnel and for the nature of our commitment to our men and women in uniform."

Crowley continued to press Rice.

"I think the question now is, and you point to the kinds of warfare we’re having now, but no longer can it be said that the U.S. doesn’t negotiate with terrorists," Crowley said.

** **

Pure idiocy, Candy.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cnn-susan-rice-prisoner-swap

 

When you look at the people that were released from Gitmo (without congressional notice) I can see why people are a little up in arms.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/taliban-five-guantanamo_736892.html

 

Who cares. The last American POW came home. Who cares who they released.

You either get the POW or you don't get the POW. And if you choose "don't get" because of some deranged sensibility toward letting 5 Taliban go then you deserve any and all scorn heaped your way.

Who gives a shit which 5 they traded. Bergdahl came home.

But that's not good enough for the schmucks of America.

 

They should have at least asked for a couple of Terrorists To Be Name Later in this deal.

 

I don't know, man. The Wins Above Replacement Prisoners of some of those Taliban was pretty strong.

 

Xan, do you care that we could have done this deal in 2012, but didn't because the WH was afraid of a "Willie Horton moment"?

If you're thrilled with this deal, then you should be horrified we didn't do it at the earliest opportunity.

As for the "value' of the trade, and the guys we let go, I think we have to wait and see. If they end up planning or taking part in attacks that kill American's isn't it fair to question this deal?

 

You either get the POW or you don't.

 

Furthermore, a "Willie Horton moment" ... ?

Are you really concerned about that, YF? There are hundreds of thousands of haters plotting the ruination of America. Putting 5 more back into the mix ain't changing the equation.