We don't get to hold people for ever and ever if we end the war with that side.

Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Reagan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union by training, arming, equipping, and funding Islamist mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. Reagan funneled billions of dollars, along with top-secret intelligence and sophisticated weaponry to these fighters through the Pakistani intelligence service. The Talbian and Osama Bin Laden - a prominent mujahidin commander - emerged from these mujahidin groups Reagan helped create, and U.S. policy towards Pakistan remains strained because of the intelligence services' close relations to these fighters. In fact, Reagan's decision to continue the proxy war after the Soviets were willing to retreat played a direct role in Bin Laden's ascendancy.

In mid-May, 2001, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced a $43 million grant to Afghanistan in addition to the humanitarian aid the United States had long been providing to agencies assisting Afghan refugees. Given Callahan's comment, there was little doubt that the new stipend was a reward for Kabul's anti-drug efforts. That $43 million grant needs to be placed in context. Afghanistan's estimated gross domestic product was a mere $2 billion. The equivalent financial impact on the U.S. economy would have required an infusion of $215 billion. In other words, $43 million was very serious money to Afghanistan's theocratic masters.

bulldg4life: We don't get to hold people for ever and ever if we end the war with that side.

But they aren't prisoners of war! They are just common criminals, who happen to be so powerful we can't afford to risk giving them a trial, nor put them in a normal prison!

Jake Havechek: Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Reagan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union by training, arming, equipping, and funding Islamist mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. Reagan funneled billions of dollars, along with top-secret intelligence and sophisticated weaponry to these fighters through the Pakistani intelligence service. The Talbian and Osama Bin Laden - a prominent mujahidin commander - emerged from these mujahidin groups Reagan helped create, and U.S. policy towards Pakistan remains strained because of the intelligence services' close relations to these fighters. In fact, Reagan's decision to continue the proxy war after the Soviets were willing to retreat played a direct role in Bin Laden's ascendancy.

Thanks a lot, Obama!

Bush negotiated the end date of the war not Obama.

Wait, the U.S. is at war? I thought it was a kinetic military action? Subby, you think those are prisoners of war? They're detainees or enemy combatants or some shiat, I can't keep up. Wait, subby, you think the people at Gitmo are guilty of some crime? You think they should be put to trial?

What exactly do you think we should do with the people at Gitmo, subby? You seem upset that they released 5 prisoners. Hey, I am too. But I bet you and I are upset for very different reasons. I think 5 isn't enough. You probably think it's 5 too many.

yeah... well, we already knew Barrack Hussein N0bama isn't the brightest.

Lurking Fear: Ok faux news retards, here's a simple fact:

Taliban does NOT = al qaeda

prisoner swaps are a customary step in winding down a war.

The article doesn't equate the two.

Well, he is a seekrit muslim socialist communist usurper who is grand wizard of the liberal media conspiracy headed by the new world order reverse vampires... so pretty much no surprise to a guy like me who is not brainwashed.

Mugato: I'm sure they're part of the 10% of detainees who were actually terrorists.

But keep that up, Fox News. I'm sure all your viewers are all outraged.

/and think of the children

FTFA:

As part of the Senate hearing, the head of the national counter-terrorism center, Matt Olsen, confirmed that 48 detainees were deemed too dangerous to release during the administration's 2009 review of the Guantanamo Detention camps. The five Taliban detainees are among them.

Anonymous sourcing from a Congressional aide (likely Republican) without direct knowledge of the situation? Check.

No comment from the administration on the issue? Check

Same rumor that Fox has been pushing for a month now? Check.

This is another of those "please don't throw me into the briar patch moments" for the Obama Administration. Let's be clear: We WISH we could get rid of most of the people in Gitmo - but nobody will take them.

We can't move these farks, and we can't put them on trial thanks to congress. This way, it looks like we're giving the Taliban something they want. We've already gotten all the info we can out of these guys. If they've held out this long, they'll hold out forever. Instead, we get to drop them off somewhere in Afganistan -- and what do you think the odds are that we'll lose track of them when we know exactly where they are? Hell, at least one of them can probably be convinced to spy for us.

Finally, here's something the republicans should be able to get behind: Once they're back in the field we can legally kill them with a predator drone strike. And if you think Obama won't do it, you haven't been paying attention. I just wish we could give ALL the gitmo detainees to the Taliban (not intended to be a factual statement, but you can see how it would be beneficial to the administration).

And if Obama hadn't released those prisoners, Fox News would be crying about how he's a fascist who puts and keeps people in secret prisons for fun.


/insofar as Gitmo can be considered a "secret" prison

this is the surrenderingest president i have ever seen.

lennavan: Wait, the U.S. is at war? I thought it was a kinetic military action? Subby, you think those are prisoners of war? They're detainees or enemy combatants or some shiat, I can't keep up. Wait, subby, you think the people at Gitmo are guilty of some crime? You think they should be put to trial?

What exactly do you think we should do with the people at Gitmo, subby? You seem upset that they released 5 prisoners. Hey, I am too. But I bet you and I are upset for very different reasons. I think 5 isn't enough. You probably think it's 5 too many.

Well personally I think we should stage an "accident" at Gitmo that kills everyone there. A little hard on the soldiers families, but we have to make it look good.

CitizensUnited: yeah... well, we already knew Barrack Hussein N0bama isn't the brightest.

Compared to what?

Why oh why won't Dictatorbama listen to his military advisors? Or even better than that, Fox News.

Lurking Fear: Ok faux news retards, here's a simple fact:

Taliban does NOT = al qaeda

prisoner swaps are a customary step in winding down a war.

Besides, getting rid of them saves money, if they go back to being annoying a flying robot can tie up the loose ends for a few grand. It's a win-win, or a win-win-win. Given the impotence of the taliban, et al, it's a virtually risk free move with substantial benefits across the board. No wonder republicans object to it.

Conservatives haaaaaaate that this guy is going to end both of their holy wars.

jbc: Petit_Merdeux: Fox News aficionados think Cat Stevens is al Qaeda.

Fox News aficionados think Cat Stevens is an Italian dish of breaded chicken and pasta covered with marinara.



Mmmmmm... Cat Stevens

Petit_Merdeux: Lurking Fear: Ok faux news retards, here's a simple fact:

Fox News aficionados think Cat Stevens is al Qaeda.

Fox news aficionados think Cat Stevens was Muhammed Ali's name before he became a terrorist.

FTA: "The Taliban asked for them specifically," the senior congressional official said. "These are serious players in their organization. We believe they all have U.S. blood on their hands. And the IC (intelligence community) has determined that all five were too dangerous to be released. The IC did not make that determination based on this exchange. They based it on -- don't give them back ever! "

...and this is why the IC needs oversight.

He only killed bin Laden...ya know, that guy Bush tried to kill for 7 years but couldn't.

bulldg4life: We don't get to hold people for ever and ever if we end the war with that side.



Hopefully there's no Taliban Chuck Norris.

bulldg4life: We don't get to hold people for ever and ever if we end the war with that side.

Oh really?
Link (new window)

There are still POWs in Russia from WWII....never mind Korea, Viet Nam...

Jake Havechek: Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Reagan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union by training, arming, equipping, and funding Islamist mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. Reagan funneled billions of dollars, along with top-secret intelligence and sophisticated weaponry to these fighters through the Pakistani intelligence service. The Talbian and Osama Bin Laden - a prominent mujahidin commander - emerged from these mujahidin groups Reagan helped create, and U.S. policy towards Pakistan remains strained because of the intelligence services' close relations to these fighters. In fact, Reagan's decision to continue the proxy war after the Soviets were willing to retreat played a direct role in Bin Laden's ascendancy.

You fool, Revisionist Reagan did no such things. All he did was cut taxes, saved America from Carter's socialist economy tanking policies and tore down the Berlin wall.

Al Qaeda 2.0? What the shiat.

Well they didn't stop fighting since we captured the 5 leaders, so giving them back really isn't going to make a difference. What we should do is capture them again and re-release them, the "we can get you when ever we want" threat.

brad111: Bush negotiated the end date of the war not Obama.

And if McCain were elected the wars would have continued.

Point: Obama.

SixPaperJoint: jbc: Petit_Merdeux: Fox News aficionados think Cat Stevens is al Qaeda.

Fox News aficionados think Cat Stevens is an Italian dish of breaded chicken and pasta covered with marinara.

[farm7.static.flickr.com image 500x375]

Mmmmmm... Cat Stevens

Indeed.

Quote button's borked so sorry for the ghetto quoting here:

velvet_fog: He only killed bin Laden...ya know, that guy Bush tried to kill for 7 years months (at most) but couldn't, so he proceeded with plan A and invaded Iraq.

Fixed that for truth.

/"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

"I am truly not that concerned about him."
- G.W. Bush, responding to a question about bin Laden's whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)

kbronsito: Lurking Fear: Ok faux news retards, here's a simple fact:

Taliban does NOT = al qaeda

prisoner swaps are a customary step in winding down a war.

[www.bagsnob.com image 230x230]

fools. they don't even know we replaced the taliban prisoners with actors.

A farking actor?

FOXNEWS success depends entirely upon the ignorance of its audience.

WE DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH THE TALIBAN!





Oh wait......

Lurking Fear: Ok faux news retards, here's a simple fact:

Taliban does NOT = al qaeda



okay farktard, where did the headline or the article say anything about al qaeda?

also Taliban does NOT = The cast of Glee.

WTF is your point?