Secretary of State John Kerry Defends Bowe Bergdahl Transfer for 5 Taliban Prisoners, Lawmakers Criticize White House's Management
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is defending the White House's decision to trade five Taliban prisoners for U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl while lawmakers from the both major political parties question the administration's management of the case.
According to Kerry, the information he knows about Bergdahl "is the same" as President Barack Obama.
"[It] would've been offensive and incomprehensible to consciously leave an American behind, no matter what," said Kerry in an interview with CNN. "To leave an American behind in the hands of people who [could] had tortured him, cut off his head, do any number of things, and we would consciously choose to do that, that is the other side of this equation. I don't think anybody would think that's the appropriate thing to do."
Kerry added the administration has "the ability" to deal with people that threaten either Americans or the U.S.
Senate Intelligence Chairwoman, and fellow Democrat, Dianne Feinstein has been at odds with White House officials regarding Bergdahl's release. Reports had circulated the Taliban would have killed the army sergeant if details of the transfer was leaked to the media before the deal was finalized. While Feinstein stated there was no "credible threat" to Bergdahl's life had a leak occurred, the congresswoman noted she had no idea about the transfer. White House officials told lawmakers they couldn't give Congress an advance notice about the transfer due to the Taliban's alleged threat to kill Bergdahl. Feinstein did reveal White House Deputy National Security Adviser Tony Blinken apologized to her for the lack of information.
Feinstein has even accused President Obama of violating the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, which states that Congress should be aware of a prisoner exchange approximately 30 days before the transfer.
"It's hard to be comfortable when you really haven't been briefed on the intricacies of carrying out this agreement," said Feinstein during CBS' "Face the Nation," adding, "I think this whole sort of deal has been one that the administration has kept very close, and in the eyes of many of us, too close."
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, R-Calif., and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., have also criticized the White House for not being informed about the Bergdahl transfer. Rogers stated he hasn't been briefed about Bergdahl from White House officials since 2011, and he's "absolutely convinced" some of the transferred Taliban prisoners will return to fight against the U.S.
Bergdahl, currently at a U.S. medical facility in Germany, has reportedly told doctors and officials he was tortured by the Taliban. Bergdahl allegedly said he was kept in a cage for attempting to escape from his captors.
A U.S. official close to the matter said Bergdahl has declined to speak to his family. A transfer is "eventually" scheduled to a San Antonio medical center, where he may be reunited with his family.
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