WASHINGTON — The Army charges against Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl reignited criticism from Capitol Hill lawmakers of the Taliban prisoner swap that freed him from enemy captivity.
Republicans in Congress said the Obama administration broke the law and made a mistake by trading five high-level enemy fighters at Guantanamo Bay for the soldier, who wandered away from his unit in Afghanistan in 2009.
The Obama administration said last year it made an “imperfect” wartime decision to go ahead with the swap without notifying Congress of the Guantanamo transfers, as required by law. Prior deals with the Taliban in Afghanistan to get Bergdahl back had fallen through and officials were worried it would not get another chance, according to testimony by former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
“At the heart of this whole situation, there’s still the decision to trade five Taliban detainees for a deserter, when there were in fact other options on the table,” Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a Marine veteran, said in a written statement. “We’re aware of those options and frankly, the White House made a big mistake.” His spokesman declined to discuss the other options, saying they are classified.
Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., who sits on the House Armed Services Committee with Hunter, said the released Taliban prisoners are likely to return to the fight against U.S. troops.
“I find it unconscionable that this administration was willing to release five sworn enemies of this country and potentially place more American lives at risk when these terrorists inevitably resume their war against the United States,” Forbes said in a released statement. “That more American military personnel will likely be in jeopardy because of this prisoner exchange is simply a tragedy.”
Bergdahl has not been convicted of any crime, but the charges announced Wednesday carry serious punishments. The Army leveled one count of Article 85 and one count of Article 99 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which come with the possibilities of dishonorable discharge and life in prison.
The charges lit up social media with angry messages claiming Bergdahl is a traitor and urging the public to remember that servicemembers died in the search for him in Afghanistan.
Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said the soldier’s guilt or innocence must be determined by the court martial.
“This case has been made more difficult by the [Obama] administration’s failure to follow the law surrounding the release of the Taliban 5,” Thornberry said in a released statement. “But, Sgt. Bergdahl’s conduct should be considered under the Uniform Code of Military Justice as would any other servicemember’s, and I trust it will be.”
Others also urged restraint as the case moves ahead, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“This is an important step in the military justice process towards determining the accountability of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl,” McCain said. “I am confident that the Department of the Army will continue to ensure this process is conducted with the utmost integrity under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the swap for Bergdahl was politically calculated move by President Barack Obama to empty the detention facility in Cuba and it undermined the U.S. effort to stabilize Afghanistan.
“No military member, up to and including a Medal of Honor recipient, should expect our country to release hardened terrorists to secure their release,” Graham said. “There is a general understanding that the mission and national interest come ahead of any individual.”
tritten.travis@stripes.com
Twitter: @Travis_Tritten
No comments:
Post a Comment