Prisoner Exchange: Bergdalh for 5 Taliban Commanders

[Losty]

Without knowing much about the situation I guess all I can say is that I'm glad we saved this guy from the Taliban even if he may not have deserved it. I don't know that I love my country enough to ever risk my life for it, most likely not. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be at war. I assume that if I ever killed someone, or had to watch someone I consider a brother/sister die I would go crazy and leave too.
I only hope that we now have eyes all over the 5 that were released. And I really don't know why Guantanamo is still open.

[Dragonetti]

Lets just say, I was watching some TV. It was a crazy event in the office, and not many people knew what was going on.

Cool story bro.

I plead the fifth on anything being associated on any events during the day.

[Heywood]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/02/us/bowe-be...?hpt=hp_t1

CNN and Rollingstone are hardly right wing sources. While US officials are remaining silent, the people this man worked with are not.

I don't know what to make of the guy yet. I'm still undecided. But to exchange five high level Taliban terrorists....there was no other way? It's obvious from some emails that he sent his parents that he had denounced America, the country he swore to serve.

I don't know what to make of the guy either. He may have had some sort of psychotic break. I read somewhere that villagers reported seeing him crawling around on his bellie. If he didn't loose it mentally then at best he was derelict of his duties, at worst he is a deserter.

Now as far as trading 5 Taliban commanders? I don't like it. I am okay with swapping prisoners, especially since we have announced we are leaving the theater. I read(on a right winged site) that two of these guys are wanted by the UN for war crimes. If that's true...those two should not have been released. Regarding the other 3, well...maybe...if the Taliban seemed to be genuinely moving toward a direction of ceasing hostilities.....as a sign of good will. I don't think this is the case however.

Trading 5 goons I would find a lot more tolerable given the circumstances as I understand them.

---

Without knowing much about the situation I guess all I can say is that I'm glad we saved this guy from the Taliban even if he may not have deserved it. I don't know that I love my country enough to ever risk my life for it, most likely not. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be at war. I assume that if I ever killed someone, or had to watch someone I consider a brother/sister die I would go crazy and leave too.
I only hope that we now have eyes all over the 5 that were released. And I really don't know why Guantanamo is still open.

Gitmo is still open because we don't know what to do with the people that are there. We don't want to release them

[Autumnlicious]

Nor do we want to try them.

[Losty]

Nor do we want to try them.

Why not?

[Heywood]

Nor do we want to try them.

Why not?

Because if they are found innocent, we'd probably have to let them go. If they are found guilty, they might get a sentence of time served and be released. I have no problems keeping them locked up as long as hostilities exist. If they want to get out, have them write letters to their comrades and get them to lay down their arms and sue for peace.

[Autumnlicious]

Nor do we want to try them.

Why not?

Because Congress won't.

They were supposed to be tried in regular courts, but Congress threw a shit fit.

They'd rather do what Heywood wants -- keep them like some kind of poker chip that may never ever be useful.

As far as they're concerned, if the detainees die before being tried, that is fine, because in their minds, the detainees are already guilty.

It's a hideous display of American's finest bullshit. Guilty enough to keep locked indefinitely, but not enough to actually try and sentence legitimately.

[A Theist]

I don't know what to make of the guy yet. I'm still undecided. But to exchange five high level Taliban terrorists....there was no other way? It's obvious from some emails that he sent his parents that he had denounced America, the country he swore to serve.

I don't know what to make of the guy either. He may have had some sort of psychotic break. I read somewhere that villagers reported seeing him crawling around on his bellie. If he didn't loose it mentally then at best he was derelict of his duties, at worst he is a deserter.

Now as far as trading 5 Taliban commanders? I don't like it. I am okay with swapping prisoners, especially since we have announced we are leaving the theater. I read(on a right winged site) that two of these guys are wanted by the UN for war crimes. If that's true...those two should not have been released. Regarding the other 3, well...maybe...if the Taliban seemed to be genuinely moving toward a direction of ceasing hostilities.....as a sign of good will. I don't think this is the case however.

Trading 5 goons I would find a lot more tolerable given the circumstances as I understand them.

I was just watching more on the news. Two soldiers who served with Bergdahl say he deserted. There were also six soldiers who were killed while searching for him. It's also being suggested that Bergdahl may have collaborated (joined) the Taliban. The controversey's really starting to grow on this. Trading five dangerous terrorists for one supposed deserter just doesn't sit well. I think there's more to come on this.

[Heywood]

Why not?

Because Congress won't.

They were supposed to be tried in regular courts, but Congress threw a shit fit.

They'd rather do what Heywood wants -- keep them like some kind of poker chip that may never ever be useful.

As far as they're concerned, if the detainees die before being tried, that is fine, because in their minds, the detainees are already guilty.

It's a hideous display of American's finest bullshit. Guilty enough to keep locked indefinitely, but not enough to actually try and sentence legitimately.

These guys are combatants. Combatants do not get trials(except for war crimes) but rather are released on cessation of hostilities. We did release some of them and more than a quarter returned to the fight. Now remember the ones released are the ones we thought would not return to the fight. If we release the ones we think are more likely going to return to the fight...chances are they will.

It is just stupid to release these guys when hostilities are still on going. Only a full retard would advocate it.

---

I don't know what to make of the guy either. He may have had some sort of psychotic break. I read somewhere that villagers reported seeing him crawling around on his bellie. If he didn't loose it mentally then at best he was derelict of his duties, at worst he is a deserter.

Now as far as trading 5 Taliban commanders? I don't like it. I am okay with swapping prisoners, especially since we have announced we are leaving the theater. I read(on a right winged site) that two of these guys are wanted by the UN for war crimes. If that's true...those two should not have been released. Regarding the other 3, well...maybe...if the Taliban seemed to be genuinely moving toward a direction of ceasing hostilities.....as a sign of good will. I don't think this is the case however.

Trading 5 goons I would find a lot more tolerable given the circumstances as I understand them.

I was just watching more on the news. Two soldiers who served with Bergdahl say he deserted. There were also six soldiers who were killed while searching for him. It's also being suggested that Bergdahl may have collaborated (joined) the Taliban. The controversey's really starting to grow on this. Trading five dangerous terrorists for one supposed deserter just doesn't sit well. I think there's more to come on this.

2 of the released are wanted by the UN for war crimes....and we just let them walk. How do people supporting this prisoner exchange justify that?

"Detainee aas the Taliban Deputy Minister of Defense during Operation Enduring Freedom and is an admitted senior commander who served as Chief of Staff of the Taliban Army and as a commander of the 22nd Division. Detainee is wanted by the UN for possible War crimes including the murder of thousands of Shiites. Detainee was associated with terrorist groups currently opposing US and Coalition forces."

- bold is added by me for emphasis.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014...soner-swap

[Autumnlicious]

These guys are combatants. Combatants do not get trials(except for war crimes) but rather are released on cessation of hostilities.

Cessation of hostilities with whom?

There is no one Al Qaeda -- there are multiple franchises. There is no one Taliban since the initial invasion -- they're fractious warlords now.

Due to that slippery definition of whom, these detainees can never be released.

We did release some of them and more than a quarter returned to the fight.

Where did the other third/half go?

Now remember the ones released are the ones we thought would not return to the fight.

A significant amount did not, as per your statement. What was different between them and the ones who returned?

If we release the ones we think are more likely going to return to the fight...chances are they will.

"Idle hands are the devil's playthings."