Obama Compares His Actions to Washington, Lincoln, FDR

[flowers]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/03/obama-says-absolutely-risk-in-freeing-taliban-inmates-but-defends-bergdahl-swap/

President Obama, in his first public comments on the controversial trade of five Taliban prisoners for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl since the deal was announced, acknowledged Tuesday there's "absolutely" a risk that the former Guantanamo inmates will try to return to the battlefield -- but nevertheless defended the deal as in America's interest.

"I wouldn't be doing it if I thought that it was contrary to American national security," Obama said.

The president is facing heavy criticism from Congress for negotiating the release of the "Taliban Dream Team" and for proceeding with the prisoner swap without telling lawmakers in advance. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in an interview with Fox News on Monday, said the prisoners -- high-ranking Taliban leaders -- are "hell-bent on killing Americans."

Speaking in Poland at the first stop of a European tour, Obama did not deny that the prisoners could try again to target Americans.

[mystery-ak]

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/obama-compares-his-actions-washington-lincoln-fdr

Obama Compares His Actions to Washington, Lincoln, FDR
June 3, 2014 - 7:07 AM
By Susan Jones

(CNSNews.com) - "This is what happens at the end of wars," President Barack Obama said Tuesday when he was asked about swapping American Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban terrorists.

"That was true for George Washington, that was true for Abraham Lincoln, that was true for FDR. That's been true of every combat situation, that at some point, you  make sure that you try to get your folks back. And that's the right thing to do."

Speaking in Poland, Obama said it doesn't matter how Bergdahl ended up with the Taliban:

"But let me just make a very simple point here, and that is -- regardless of the circumstances -- whatever those circumstances may turn out to be -- we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity -- period, full stop. We don't condition that. And that's what every mom and dad who sees a son or daughter sent over into war theater should expect from, not just their commander in chief, but the United States of America.

Obama said "absolutely," it's possible that some of the freed Taliban prisoners may rejoin the fight against the U.S.

"In terms of potential threats, the release of the Taliban who were being held in Guantanamo was conditioned on the Qataris keeping eyes on them and creating a structure in which we can monitor their activities. We will be keeping eyes on them.

"Is there the possibility of some of them trying to return to activities that are detrimental to us?  Absolutely. That's been true of all the prisoners that were released from Guantanamo. There's a certain recidivism rate that takes place.

"I wouldn't be doing it if I thought that it was contrary to American national security," Obama continued. "And we have confidence that we will be in a position to go after them if in fact they are engaging in activities that threaten our defense. But this is what happens at the end of wars.

"That was true for George Washington, that was true for Abraham Lincoln, that was true for FDR. That's been true of every combat situation, that at some point, you  make sure that you try to get your folks back. And that's the right thing to do."

Obama said his people have "consulted with Congress for quite some time" about the possibility of a prisoner exchange to bring Bergdahl home.

"We seized that opportunity," he said. "And the process was  truncated because we wanted to be sure we did not miss that window."

Obama said Bergdahl is recovering from five years of captivity, and "we obviously have not been interrogating Sgt. Bergdahl."

[flowers]

Please someone make it stop!!!!!!

[mountaineer]

The president is facing heavy criticism from Congress for negotiating the release of the "Taliban Dream Team" and for proceeding with the prisoner swap without telling lawmakers in advance.

The Lying POS POTUS says he did consult with Congress!   

Obama: Congress consulted on prisoner exchange

Associated Press via Yahoo News

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — President Barack Obama on Tuesday defended his decision to release five Afghan detainees from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for freeing an American soldier, saying his administration had consulted with Congress about that possibility "for some time."

Obama also brushed aside questions about the circumstances surrounding Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's capture by insurgents in 2009. The United States, he said, has a "sacred" obligation to not leave men and women in uniform behind.

"Regardless of the circumstances, whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity," Obama said during a news conference in Poland. "We don't condition that."

There have long been questions about how Bergdahl disappeared from his unit nearly five years ago. The Pentagon concluded in 2010 that Bergdahl walked away, and, after an initial flurry of searching, the military curbed any high-risk rescue plans.

Despite the Pentagon's conclusions, Obama said the government was not currently seeking to punish Bergdahl as a deserter.

"Our main priority is making sure the transition that he's undergoing after five years in captivity is successful," he said.

Days after his rescue, Bergdahl, 28, of Hailey, Idaho, was in stable condition at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. He is yet to be reunited with his parents, Bob and Jani Bergdahl, also of Hailey, Idaho, who waged a tireless campaign to keep their son's story in the spotlight.

Questions were also mounting in the U.S. over the way Bergdahl's freedom was secured: Five high-level members of the Taliban were released from the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and sent to Qatar. The five, who will have to stay in Qatar for a year before going back to Afghanistan, include former ministers in the Taliban government, commanders and one man who had direct ties to the late al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.

Republicans in Congress criticized the agreement and complained about not having been consulted, citing a law that requires Congress to be given 30 days' notice before a prisoner is released from Guantanamo. Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee said the Pentagon notified the panel by phone on Saturday that the exchange was occurring in the next five hours.

Obama suggested Tuesday that lawmakers were aware of the prospect that the U.S. could agree to a prisoner swap with the Taliban. And he defended how his administration handled the formal notifications, saying that when the opportunity to free Bergdahl presented itself, "We seized that opportunity."

Officials said delaying Bergdahl's transfer in order to comply with the congressional notification rules would have interfered with two of the president's constitutional authorities: protecting the lives of Americans abroad and protecting U.S. soldiers.

"Because such interference would significantly alter the balance between Congress and the president, and could even raise constitutional concerns, we believe it is fair to conclude that Congress did not intend that the administration would be barred from taking the action it did in these circumstances," White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement released shortly after Obama's news conference.

Obama has previously expressed concern about the congressional notification requirement, which was passed as part of the 2014 defense bill. In a statement that accompanied his signing of that legislation, Obama said the executive branch must have flexibility "to act swiftly in conducting negotiations with foreign countries regarding the circumstances of detainee transfers."

The U.S. and the Taliban negotiated the prisoner exchange indirectly, with the government of Qatar serving as an intermediary. The U.S. and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding governing the conditions of their release, though beyond the travel ban, the exact stipulations are unknown.

Obama acknowledged that there is always a chance that the released Afghans could rejoin the Taliban or other groups seeking to harm the U.S. But he warned that the U.S. will be closely tracking their activity.

"We will be keeping eyes on them," he said. "We have confidence that we will be in a position to go after them if in fact they are engaging in activities that threaten our defenses."

[massadvj]

He seems curiously concerned about the "leave no one behind" doctrine when it comes to deserters and Taliban sympathizers, but when it came to soldiers actually under fire in Benghazi, no one (except maybe Reggie Love) seems to know where the POTUS was.  He's all back asswards in terms of his priorities, and I am beginning to wonder whether some of the "manchurian candidate" conspiracy theories out there might have some merit. 

He cared deeply about Bergdahl, but felt nothing at all for Stevens and his military defenders.  Why?  Could it be that he sees Bergdahl, the Muslim sympathizer, as "simpatico" whereas most of the US military is seen as despicable imperialist crusaders?  Both Benghazi and the VA scandal speak volumes about the man's priorities.  And yet, the American public seems too immersed in their technology to care much about any of it.

[flowers]

Obama said it doesn't matter how Bergdahl ended up with the Taliban:

hmmm interesting comment right there. i wonder if they are really feeling the heat from this?

[flowers]

He seems curiously concerned about the "leave no one behind" doctrine when it comes to deserters and Taliban sympathizers, but when it came to soldiers actually under fire in Benghazi, no one (except maybe Reggie Love) seems to know where the POTUS was.  He's all back asswards in terms of his priorities, and I am beginning to wonder whether some of the "manchurian candidate" conspiracy theories out there might have some merit. 

He cared deeply about Bergdahl, but felt nothing at all for Stevens and his military defenders.  Why?  Could it be that he sees Bergdahl, the Muslim sympathizer, as "simpatico" whereas most of the US military is seen as despicable imperialist crusaders?  Both Benghazi and the VA scandal speak volumes about the man's priorities.  And yet, the American public seems too immersed in their technology to care much about any of it.

it could just be his need and want to close gitmo comes in way ahead of 4 men in Benghazi. he used bergdahl to aid in is quest and didn't need stevens and his men for anything. thus didn't help them

[musiclady]

Please someone make it stop!!!!!!

I know it's probably not too spiritual of me to say this, but perhaps a lightning bolt from heaven????

[flowers]

Washington wasn't prez during the revolutionary war.  FDR wasn't alive at the end of that war was he.  more of obama history for liv's i guess

[flowers]

I know it's probably not too spiritual of me to say this, but perhaps a lightning bolt from heaven????

[Chieftain]

Here's the take away from this.  Prisoners in Gitmo are more of a security threat than releasing the Taliban Dream Team.  The goal is to close Gitmo by any means possible, and Susan Rice is the source for all of this talk of national security.

If you think Lurch is a disaster as SecState, imagine what Susan Rice would have been like.  The only reason she is not SecState is because after her comments on Benghazi she never would have survived a Senate confirmation hearing.  Instead, Obama made her his NSA which does not require confirmation. 

The Administration is going to try and stick to this story line no matter what the criticism.  This was a stupid thing to do and they know it but that will not prevent them from compounding it by admitting the mistake and getting it behind them.  Look for rancid details to drip out about just how dishonorable Bowie al-Ameriki's actions were, and the continuing spin from the White House will only make it worse.  Remember, Nixon did not resign over a third rate burglary in a DC Hotel.  He resigned over the coverup of a third rate burglary.  At some point we will get to the bottom of this, and the end result is that when Obama finally leaves office he will take along with him the last vestiges of the Democratic Party that elected him.

 

[musiclady]

Washington wasn't prez during the revolutionary war.  FDR wasn't alive at the end of that war was he.  more of obama history for liv's i guess

Lincoln also died within a week of the surrender at Appomattox, so he also wasn't President for the policy that followed the war.

Obama counts on the illiteracy of the majority of Americans.

And, unfortunately, he gets exactly that.

[truth_seeker]

Prisoner exchange during wars:

"Prisoner exchanges[edit]

The extensive period of conflict during the American Revolutionary War and Napoleonic Wars (1793–1815), followed by the Anglo-American War of 1812, led to the emergence of a cartel system for the exchange of prisoners, even while the belligerents were at war. A cartel was usually arranged by the respective armed service for the exchange of like-ranked personnel. The aim was to achieve a reduction in the number of prisoners held, while at the same time alleviating shortages of skilled personnel in the home country."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_war#Prisoner_exchanges

Civil War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dix%E2%80%93Hill_Cartel#Operation_of_the_cartel

http://www.nps.gov/ande/historyculture/grant-and-the-prisoner-exchange.htm

WW II

http://ww2today.com/19th-october-1943-disabled-pows-repatriated-in-prisoner-exchange

POW in general

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/05/why-there-are-so-few-pows-from-todays-wars/371951/

[kevindavis007]

As I recall Washington shot deserters who was caught...... However what Obama said was bullsh*t.

[olde north church]

As I recall Washington shot deserters who was caught...... However what Obama said was bullsh*t.

I've also read Lincoln had a man who fell asleep on guard duty shot.

[mountaineer]

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