A GOOD DEAL? – AT 10:07 A.M. ET:  The big story this morning is the Taliban's release of the only known American POW in Afghanistan.  But the story is very, very complicated, and the joy at the release of the American is being countered by serious questions about what we gave up in exchange.  There are, sadly, also serious questions about the young man himself, something we write with great pain.  From The Weekly Standard: 

The Obama administration announced today that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held by the Taliban for several years, has been freed from his captors. Reading the stories of his newfound freedom it is impossible not to feel joy for Bergdahl and his family. NBC News reports that Bergdahl held up a sign once he was on board an American helicopter that read, “SF?” The operators quickly confirmed that they were in fact U.S. Special Forces: “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

“On behalf of the American people, I was honored to call his parents to express our joy that they can expect his safe return, mindful of their courage and sacrifice throughout this ordeal,” President Obama said in a statement. The president rightly noted: “Sergeant Bergdahl's recovery is a reminder of America's unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield.”

Unfortunately, America is not the only party in this war that is committed to leaving no man behind. So are the Taliban and other al Qaeda-linked groups. But the president did not say who America exchanged for Bergdahl: five of the most dangerous Taliban commanders in U.S. custody.

The Taliban has long demanded that the “Gitmo 5” be released in order for peace talks to begin in earnest. The Obama administration has desperately sought to engage the Taliban as American forces are drawn down in Afghanistan, but those talks have gone nowhere to this point. At first, the administration set preconditions for the talks, including that the Taliban break its relationship with al Qaeda. When it became clear that this was a non-starter, the administration decided to make the Taliban’s desired break with al Qaeda a goal, and no longer a precondition, for its diplomacy.

COMMENT:  The endless Obama concessions.  Get a deal, get any deal.  There is an uproar in Congress this morning over the release, to the Arab, Muslim nation of Qatar, of those five Taliban commanders held in Guantanamo.  They are sworn killers of Americans.  We are assured that Qatar will hold them under restriction.  Yeah, right.  A Muslim nation, with justified fears that terror can be used against it at any time, is going to do the USA a big favor.  These men will be back in action.  If only two become killers again, who will pay the price? 

At the same time, there are disturbing questions being raised on two other fronts.  First, according to the New York Post, the released American POW may – we stress may – be a case of desertion, not the capture of an American soldier.  Apparently, he began making anti-American statements in the weeks before he went missing.  We emphasize that this has to be verified, but the story appears very well sourced. 

Second, Obama was required under law to inform Congress of the release of any Guantanamo prisoner, and failed to do so.  There will be an uproar over this, another example of an administration that holds itself above the law.

There's something not right here.

June 1,  2014