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Sunday, June 1, 2014

U.S. defends prisoner swap with Taliban

Accompanied by President Barack Obama, Jani Bergdahl, and Bob Bergdahl speak during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Saturday, May 31, 2014 about the release of their son, U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Bergdahl, 28, had been held prisoner by the Taliban since June 30, 2009. He was handed over to U.S. special forces by the Taliban in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees held by the United States. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) WASHINGTON - Five years a captive from the Afghanistan war, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is back in American hands, freed for five Guantanamo terrorism detainees in a swap stirring sharp debate in Washington over whether the U.S. should have negotiated with the Taliban over prisoners. U.S. officials said Sunday that Bergdahl's health and safety appeared in jeopardy, prompting rapid action to secure his release. Republicans said the deal could place U.S. troops in danger, especially if the freed detainees return to the fight — one called it "shocking." Another, Arizona Sen. John McCain, said of the five detainees: "These are the hardest of the hard core." Visiting troops in Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Hagel stepped forward at Bagram Air Field to thank the special operations forces that retrieved Bergdahl, who officials said was the only American prisoner of war still held by insurgents in that conflict.




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