Taliban leader was freed from Guantanamo in 2014 swap by Obama
Category: News & Politics
Via: vic-eldred • 3 years ago • 76 commentsBy: Paul Sperry (New York Post)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
When then-President Barack Obama released five Taliban commanders from the Guantanamo Bay prison in exchange for an American deserter in 2014, he assured a wary public the dangerous enemy combatants would be transferred to Qatar and kept from causing any trouble in Afghanistan.
In fact, they were left free to engineer Sunday's sacking of Kabul.
Soon after gaining their freedom, some of the notorious Taliban Five pledged to return to fight Americans in Afghanistan and made contacts with active Taliban militants there. But the Obama-Biden administration turned a blind eye to the disturbing intelligence reports, and it wasn't long before the freed detainees used Qatar as a base to form a regime in exile.
Eventually, they were recognized by Western diplomats as official representatives of the Taliban during recent "peace" talks.
Earlier this year, one of them, Khairullah Khairkhwa, actually sat across the table from President Biden's envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, in Moscow, where Khairkhwa was part of the official Taliban delegation that negotiated the final terms of the US withdrawal. The retreat cleared a path for the Taliban to retake power after 20 years.
"I started jihad to remove foreign forces from my country and establish an Islamic government, and jihad will continue until we reach that goal through a political agreement," Khairkhwa said at the summit.
After raiding the presidential palace in Kabul, a group of armed Taliban fighters told Al Jazeera that they were arranging to bring back their Gitmo-paroled leadership from Qatar upon securing the capital. One unidentified fighter, who blasted America for "oppressing our people for 20 years," claimed he had also been locked up at the Guantanamo Bay facility. It's more evidence Gitmo catch-and-release policies facilitated the fall of Afghanistan to the enemy Washington vowed to crush after 9/11.
The mastermind of the regime change is former detainee Khairkhwa, the Taliban mullah whom Obama released from Gitmo even though the Pentagon classified him as too dangerous to release.
Earlier this year, Khairkhwa assured the administration that the Taliban would not launch a spring military offensive if Biden committed to removing all remaining American troops. He also promised not to retaliate against any Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. But Khairkhwa showed no signs of remorse or rehabilitation inside Gitmo — if anything, he's probably more embittered to the United States. Why would they believe him?
Reports coming out of Kandahar and Kabul indicate the extremists have already broken their word. Taliban thugs have started a reign of terror against people who cooperated with Westerners. Guided by a "kill list," they are going door-to-door to punish their enemies.
Special envoy Khalilzad convinced the White House the US-backed government would not collapse and the Taliban would not take over — even though Khairkhwa made it clear he and his fellow mullahs sought to reestablish strict Islamic rule without outside meddling.
Mullah Khairkhwa previously served as the Taliban's minister of interior in Afghanistan, where he oversaw enforcement of brutal Islamist punishments, including beheadings and stonings. After 9/11, he was arrested in Pakistan and sent to Gitmo in 2002. The Pentagon accused him of closely associating with Osama bin Laden and bin Laden's al Qaeda henchmen.
Twelve years later, Obama sprung Khairkhwa from jail along with four other top Taliban leaders in exchange for the Taliban releasing US Army Sgt. Robert "Bowe" Bergdahl, who was captured after deserting his post in Afghanistan. Khairkhwa and his fellow parolees, who were immediately flown to Qatar, were the only "forever prisoners" released without being cleared by the Gitmo parole board.
Former President Barack Obama celebrating the return of the "POW" Bergdahl with his parents at the White House.AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Upon his return, Obama celebrated Bergdahl as a heroic "POW," a designation the Pentagon never gave him. At the bizarre Rose Garden ceremony, during which Bergdahl's father praised Allah, Obama asserted: "We're committed to winding down the war in Afghanistan and closing Gitmo."
But public opinion rapidly turned against Bergdahl as the facts of his disappearance and capture became known. He ultimately was court-martialed and pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. In 2017, he was sentenced to a dishonorable discharge. Last year, the US military's top appeals court upheld the conviction against him.
Several of his fellow soldiers were seriously injured during search-and-rescue missions launched to find him in Afghanistan. During Bergdahl's five-year Taliban captivity, the Taliban became more accurate and deadly targeting US convoys and troops.
It's not clear if then-Vice President Biden was fully on board with Obama's controversial prisoner exchange. But in a reversal of Trump administration policy, Biden has restarted Obama's program to release Gitmo detainees as part of a renewed push to close the prison.
Last month, the president released his first prisoner — accused terrorist Abdul Latif Nasser — leaving the number of remaining detainees at 39. Ten others have been cleared for release, while still others have appealed to Biden through their pro-bono defense lawyers to ensure their release, despite the risk of them returning to militant activities like the Taliban Five.
If Obama and Biden had left the five Taliban thugs to rot in Cuba, Kabul more than likely would not be back in the clutches of the Taliban right now. And maybe Americans wouldn't have sacrificed more than 2,400 troops and $1 trillion in vain.
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"Earlier this year, Khairkhwa assured the administration that the Taliban would not launch a spring military offensive if Biden committed to removing all remaining American troops. He also promised not to retaliate against any Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. But Khairkhwa showed no signs of remorse or rehabilitation inside Gitmo — if anything, he's probably more embittered to the United States. Why would they believe him?"
It is strange to see who Biden trusts.
In the history books, yet to be written, the stink of our second Saigon will hang over Mr. Biden’s "legacy."
The "stink" will hang over many including those who choose to play the blame game. [deleted]
No need to play a game. It's simply that Biden noted that "the buck stops with me". HE ACCEPTED ALL THE BLAME.
Vic and the rest of them think Biden is a worse president than Donald Trump. What else is there to say?
The true damage Trump did to the American nation and American society is almost beyond calculation. He caused tens of millions of Americans to lose their damn minds and join his "cult" , which continues to today. This will be the dominant historical conclusion of this era, not Joe Biden's "senility".
Partisans always need to play the blame game, it is what sustains them ... they would be lost without it.
Mr. Russell, we don't "think Biden is worse", we know is is much, much worse. He will go down in history as the most incompetent abysmal failure America has ever seen.
There is no need to play a game. Biden personally made the announcement in his "speech" yesterday. It really is that simple. HE SAID IT HIMSELF.
And here you are doing your best to be a ravenous beast.
When they lay out a feast in front of me, I'll take advantage of the free eats.
Well, damn, JR, did Trump release Gitmo prisoners who later led the takeover in Afghanistan?
Trump's "legacy" will be one that will last a very long time based on how many yahoos have contracted TDS.
Sad little creatures--their lives ruled by a man they hate!
Right after he blamed Donald Trump, Ghani, the Afghan army and the American people.
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Only the TDS driven believe that. Yes Trump did cause millions of Americans to lose their damn minds and forgo the Constitution, rule of law, and all common decency. Trump is still living rent free in their heads to this very day. They cannot think, act, or operate w/o their daily dose of anti Trump media garbage. Whether it is real or not doesn't matter. Reality checked out for them long ago. In fact you would think Trump is still in charge the way they act; and how much coverage their media drones give him.
It's possible. Even the major outlets are questioning handling.
here's the new leader of afghanistan with his bff in the last administration, about 2 years after trump got him sprung from prison in pakistan, with an army of 5000 waiting for him that trump also got sprung from prison.
and Biden wants to let the rest of them go
We got a deserter and traitor and they got the equivalent of the secretary of defense. That only sounds intelligent and logical in the minds of the demented progressives of the left.
Speaking of, where is AOC and company? I guess they might be out dancing in the street again watching the debacle unfolding and seeing America humiliated on the world stage like never before.
What took you so long to trot her out?
I finally realized what the deafening silence was. No blathering squad members making nonsensical background noise.
That sounds like an opening for 'whataboutism'. I'll leave it be ... we wouldn't want to raise the seeder's ire.
Maybe it is just the shock that her and her little squad of misfits haven't been crowing about the great victory of the Taliban for the "people".
Obama another dumb fuck.
When comes to Afghanistan or Iraq, America has had 20 years of dumb fucks.
So what is one more? Good grief the excuses people make for their idols.
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Four bulls go into a chinashop and smash the place, all 4 get the blame, not just the last to leave ... it's lazy thinking and an abnegation of history to only pick one and thereby dooming it to repetition.
No one said Obama was the only one to blame for the conflict in Afghanistan, but Obama is the only one to blame for that asshole being free...another dumb fuck.
Bringing up past mistakes doesn't make those that follow acceptable. If you want to discuss the last 20 years, you should start another seed.
Other than trainers and embassy staff, Canada pulled out in 2014. Yesterday 5 planes carrying staff and Afghan citizens landed in Toronto, many more are to come.
As an aside, my nephew served in Kandahar province and was medaled for carrying a wounded American lieutenant to safety under fire.
And it was with the help of Canada and their Embassy personnel that we were able to extricate Americans from Iran in 1976, and we did and do thank Canadians for that.
But you also need to remember that if it were not for the American warriors on the ground in Kabul, none of those planes would have been able to depart since Sunday. As it is, the airport was even closed to military aircraft for the conditions on the ground.
Thank your nephew for his service to Canada and his warrior compatriots from the world over.
Sunshine, is Donald Trump a "dumb fuck"? Yes or no.
JR, is Trump President now or is he responsible for the shit show Biden is engaged in?
yes or no.
I've never blamed Trump for anything about Afghanistan.
As far as him being a dumb fuck, that would be the case if Afghanistan didnt even exist.
Nice way to completely avoid answering what you were asked.
Typical.
Deflection.
I answered the question, which you tried to phrase in a way so that only Biden would be to blame.
You do understand that is EXACTLY what you did with the question I asked Sunshine, dont you?
JR, is Trump the topic of this article?
Yes or no.
You asked him, not me.
If you want to bitch that he didn't answer your "question" satisfactorily to you, bitch to him.
Is there anything you discuss that you don't turn into a bitchfest about your past President?
Any fucking topic at ALL????
Are you capable of discussing anything else on earth?
him who? I thought Sunshine was female? That's who John asked the question to about trmp being a dumb fuck
All you are good for is trying to muddy up the waters. Everyone here knows that which is why they criticize you for it.
If I told you the truth about your inept efforts here I would get a full COC violation.
Not interested in what you "thought".
just can't admit when you fucked up, can ya?
Whether one is make or female isn't that big of a deal to me personally.
But if it makes you feel better, I didn't know, but now I do!
Of course, that was never really the point of my comment anyways, so there is that to consider.
Your choice to make one way or the other.
That can work two ways, you should know.
Trump, another dumb fuck. This clusterfuck can be blamed on everybody, both parties. Trump actually negotiated with the Taliban and excluded the Afghan gov't to release this guy and 5000 other Taliban And why did he and the gop delete their pages on exactly this yesterday? This is a tragedy and it makes me sick. But nobody escapes blame here, including republicans.
No, this clusterfuck belongs to Biden. It was his plan or lack thereof that put thousands of American citizens in serious danger.
We can only hope that they make it out unharmed.
I find it disturbing that both of you women have disregarded Biden's stated ownership of this mess. Is it a shit show? Goddamn right it is, but it would have been a shit show if trmp would have tried to keep this promise. Only I don't see trmp owning this mess if he had withdrawn the troops. Do you?
Answer honestly
Stated ownership? Where? And I think yes although Trump would have done much the same as Mr. Biden.
And there is this from Chuck Todd................
Chuck Todd is a tool. Always has been. He's been trmp's mouthpiece on MSN forever. Forgive me if I dismiss an opinion piece written by Chucky
I've been trying to find a transcript of Biden's speech. I found it on the NY Times but it was difficult to copy and paste
See that's the difference between you and me, Kathleen! I can admit when my man fucks things up BIGLY! That's what responsible, mature adults do, It has been shit show for the last 20 goddamn years. What else was he supposed to do? C'mon, on there Colonel Armchair...tell us what he should have done?
uh...I think he did admit it. You are so enamored with your hatred of Biden that you can't see the forest for the trees.