Author Topic: Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap  (Read 291 times)

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Offline mystery-ak

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Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap
« on: June 01, 2014, 01:42:31 pm »
http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/?hp=

 By ERIC BRADNER |
6/1/14 9:27 AM EDT

National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Sunday defended the Obama administration’s decision to swap five Taliban-affiliated terrorism suspects in U.S. custody for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, saying it won’t lead to more kidnappings of American soldiers.

Asked CNN host Candy Crowley if the deal struck through the Qatari government to trade the five suspects who were being held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for Bergdahl means the United States can now no longer claim that it won’t negotiate with terrorists, Rice said on “State of the Union” that she “wouldn’t put it that way.”

“We felt that as the war is winding down, it was our sacred obligation, given the opportunity to get him back, that we do so,” Rice said. “And we did so in a way that has brought him back safely into American hands. We did so in a way that resulted in the Taliban prisoners being monitored and kept in a secure way in Qatar.”

Bergdahl’s failing health and his status as the last American soldier held captive in Afghanistan, Rice said, left the administration believing that “time was not something we could play with – we needed to act when we had the opportunity.”

Rice also underscored the administration’s desire to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. “The existence of Guantanamo Bay is itself a detriment to our national security, which is why the president’s prioritized closing it and why we intend to get that done,” she said.
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Offline mystery-ak

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Re: Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2014, 02:17:57 pm »
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/207846-rice-fires-back-on-bergdahl-criticism

Rice fires back on Bergdahl criticism

By Kevin Cirilli - 06/01/14 10:00 AM EDT

U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice pushed back on Sunday against GOP claims that the administration negotiated with terrorists by transferring five Taliban prisoners in Guantanamo Bay to Qatar in exchange for the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl on Saturday.

"I wouldn't put it that way," Rice said on CNN's "State of the Union" when asked if the exchange means that U.S. officials can no longer say they don't negotiate with terrorists.

"Why didn't you notify Congress?" Crowley asked, referencing the law that requires the president to alert Congress in 30 days before transferring any prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.

Rice said that Bergdahl's health was "growing more fragile" and that "we were very concerned that time was not something that we could play with."

"The Department of Defense consulted with the Department of Justice and given the acute urgency of the health condition of Sgt. Bergdahl and given the president's Constitutional responsibilities,  it was determined that it was necessary and appropriate not to adhere to the 30-day notification requirements because it would have potentially meant that the opportunity to get Sgt. Bergdahl would have been lost," Rice said.

Rice said the administration had previously notified members of Congress about the potential for such an exchange.

"We had briefed Congress in the past about this potential," Rice said.

"In the past," Crowley interrupted. "But when you knew that you were going [to act]?"

"When the deal was done and Sgt. Bergdahl was in U.S. custody was when we began making notifications to Congress."

"But the deal had already been made and the prisoners from Guantanamo Bay were already en route to the plane to go to Qatar?" Crowley asked.

"No, actually Congress began to be notified when Sgt. Bergdahl was in American hands which was actually before the prisoners had left," Rice said.
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Offline flowers

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Re: Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2014, 03:03:40 pm »
Bullshitte.  This was merely a way to get 5 gitmo prisoners out and take the VA story off the front page.  Had Bergdahl been a Christian he would have been killed by the Taliban years ago.


Offline SouthTexas

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Re: Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2014, 04:21:34 pm »
Rice: 'Sacred obligation' led to Bergdahl swap

Sacred to who, the Muslims?