President Obama

[emmie]

was he right to trade one American soldier for 5 terrorists,
there seems plenty of people who think he was wrong, as they are now out, and possibly going to commit further atrocities.

[emmie]

seems that there is a lot more to this story,
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/1/calculating-obama-plays-politics-american-soldiers/

[maggiebee]

Damned if you do, damned it you don't. Wouldn't like to be in his position.

[ChillDoubt]

Looking at the story behind his 'capture' and the lives subsequently lost in the search for him it appears that yet again the terrorists have succeeded in a major coup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowe_Bergdahl

I'm wondering how long Bergdahl will remain in the US of his own free will.

[emmie]

going on the news just now, one soldier said that he had walked off his post, i didn't get any more of that part, but would be interested to find out more

[emmie]

lots of interest, shame that they have had to release people to get him back

[rockyracoon]

I suppose in the grand scheme of things he should never had agreed to it, but if it was my son I'd be more grateful than I could ever say.

[emmie]

there is much more to this story, not just propaganda from the terrorists.

[ladybirder]

If my memory serves me correctly I heard that as well em and also that 6 soldiers died trying to 'rescue' him. Read he was a deserter or thought to be by some.

[andy-hughes]

I would suggest that quantifying the value of the lives of prisoners is a pretty difficult wire to walk.

Do you swap one-for-one, or, as in the case, do you negotiate what would appear to be the best option to free your citizen?

Where would Obama have been if he had refused to do the deal, and the solder had been executed and the film placed on YouTube?

Impossible decisions have to be made, and time will tell if this was a correct one.

[anotheoldgit]

ladybirder

/// If my memory serves me correctly I heard that as well em and also that 6 soldiers died trying to 'rescue' him. ///

A loss of life in an attempt to rescue someone although extremely sad is not unusual.

[naomi24]

Channel 4's 'Homeland' springs to mind.

[jackthehat]

Obama declared his intention to close down Guantanamo Bay 5 years ago......and yet.....

These 5 Taliban detainees have been held for 12 years without trial. If they were ambivalent to the Americans 12 years ago, they certainly won't be now.

In swapping them for a US soldier, he may well have proceeded further with his desire to empty Gitmo and at the same time, gone some way to placating the more moderate Taliban.....as well as silencing some of his critics. Of course, there will now be a whole host of 'new' critics for him to deal with...

[Prudie]

Naomi, that's exactly what I was going to say :-)
The return of the US soldier is not filled with the tears and hugs from family that a film/TV would require though.

[youngmafbog]

In saving one life it's pretty odds on certain he has condemmed many others to death.

Negotiating with terrorists is a no-no.

[soxmis_sid]

Negotiating with terrorista a no-no?
British government and the IRA springs to mind!

[jno]

the Israelis have always been happy to swap millions of detainees for one Israeli captive. Works for them.

[brionon]

Depends-we they secretly fitted with a chip ?

[naomi24]

Prudie, ;o)

[keyplus90]

Americans are always right and also has a (w)right to do what they believe is right. Dare not question that as "either you are with us or against us".

[sandyRoe]

If the five manage to make their way back to Afghanistan they'll be too busy trying to reestablish Taliban rule there to bother with international terrorism.