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Taliban Prisoner Swap Frees U.S. Soldier Held Nearly 5 Years Taliban Prisoner Swap Frees U.S. Soldier Held Nearly 5 Years
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — The lone American prisoner of war from the Afghan conflict, captured by insurgents nearly five years ago, has been released to American forces in exchange for five Taliban prisoners held at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility, Obama administration officials said Saturday.WASHINGTON — The lone American prisoner of war from the Afghan conflict, captured by insurgents nearly five years ago, has been released to American forces in exchange for five Taliban prisoners held at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility, Obama administration officials said Saturday.
The soldier, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, was handed over to American Special Operations forces inside Afghanistan about 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a group of 18 Taliban, officials said.The soldier, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, was handed over to American Special Operations forces inside Afghanistan about 10:30 a.m. Saturday by a group of 18 Taliban, officials said.
American officials said that Sergeant Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk.American officials said that Sergeant Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk.
The five Taliban prisoners at Guantánamo were being transferred into the custody of officials from Qatar, who will accompany them back to that Persian Gulf state, where they will be subject to security restrictions, including a one-year travel ban.The five Taliban prisoners at Guantánamo were being transferred into the custody of officials from Qatar, who will accompany them back to that Persian Gulf state, where they will be subject to security restrictions, including a one-year travel ban.
Talks on the exchange resumed in earnest about a week ago with Qatari officials who were acting as intermediaries for the Taliban.Talks on the exchange resumed in earnest about a week ago with Qatari officials who were acting as intermediaries for the Taliban.
President Obama personally telephoned the soldier’s parents on Saturday, shortly after Sergeant Bergdahl was transferred to the American military; the Bergdahl family was in Washington after a visit here for Memorial Day, officials said.President Obama personally telephoned the soldier’s parents on Saturday, shortly after Sergeant Bergdahl was transferred to the American military; the Bergdahl family was in Washington after a visit here for Memorial Day, officials said.
“Sergeant Bergdahl’s recovery is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield,” President Obama said in a statement.“Sergeant Bergdahl’s recovery is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield,” President Obama said in a statement.
The sergeant’s parents, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, said in a statement: “We were so joyful and relieved when President Obama called us today to give us the news that Bowe is finally coming home! We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son.”
Sergeant Bergdahl is believed to have been held by the militant Haqqani network in the tribal area of Pakistan’s northwest frontier, on the Afghan border. He was captured in Paktika Province in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009.Sergeant Bergdahl is believed to have been held by the militant Haqqani network in the tribal area of Pakistan’s northwest frontier, on the Afghan border. He was captured in Paktika Province in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009.
The circumstances of how he was separated from his unit and captured have remained a mystery.The circumstances of how he was separated from his unit and captured have remained a mystery.
The latest evidence indicating that Sergeant Bergdahl, who was promoted twice while held prisoner, was still alive came in January, when a video was obtained by the American military showing him alert but also apparently in declining health.The latest evidence indicating that Sergeant Bergdahl, who was promoted twice while held prisoner, was still alive came in January, when a video was obtained by the American military showing him alert but also apparently in declining health.
One Defense Department official said that once Sergeant Bergdahl was safely aboard the American military helicopter flown to the rendezvous, he wrote on a paper plate with a pen — because it was so loud — “S.F.?” seeking to find out if his rescuers were American Special Forces.One Defense Department official said that once Sergeant Bergdahl was safely aboard the American military helicopter flown to the rendezvous, he wrote on a paper plate with a pen — because it was so loud — “S.F.?” seeking to find out if his rescuers were American Special Forces.
One soldier yelled back, “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time,” at which point, the Pentagon official said, Sergeant Bergdahl broke down crying.One soldier yelled back, “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time,” at which point, the Pentagon official said, Sergeant Bergdahl broke down crying.
Negotiations and internal deliberations over a potential swap have waxed and waned for several years, but intensified in the past several weeks ared to be a reality, according to an official familiar with the matter.
Among other complications, there was a potential legal obstacle: Congress has imposed
statutory restrictions on the transfer of detainees out of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They say
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel must determine that a transfer is in the national security interest and
that steps have been taken to substantially mitigate a future threat by a released detainee, and that he
must notify Congress 30 days before any transfer of his determination.
In this case, the administration did not notify Congress ahead of time, officials said. They noted
that President Obama has claimed that the transfer restrictions are a potentially unconstitutional
intrusion on his powers as the commander-in-chief. Last December, when he signed the most recent
version into law, he issued a signing statement claiming that he could lawfully override them.
“In the event that the restrictions on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees” in the National Defense
Authorization Act, or NDAA, “operate in a manner that violates constitutional separation of powers principles, my
administration will implement them in a manner that avoids the constitutional conflict,” he wrote.
An administration official said the circumstances of a fast-moving prisoner exchange deal made it
appropriate to act outside the statutory framework for transfers.
“Due to a near-term opportunity to save Sergeant Bergdahl’s life, we moved as quickly as possible,”
the official said. “The administration determined that given these unique and exigent circumstances, such a
transfer should go forward notwithstanding the notice requirement of the NDAA.”
The transfer reduces the detainee population at Guantanamo to 149. They include 12 Afghan
nationals – each of whom were deemed far less important and dangerous than the five who have now left. Of
those, four are low-level detainees who been recommended for transfer if security conditions could be met, but
military officials are said to have been reluctant to approve their repatriation while American combat troops are
still in Afghanistan.