DANGEROUS TALIBAN COMMANDERS IN U.S. CUSTODY EXCHANGED FOR AMERICAN CAPTIVE

[bonnie]

ROUS TALIBAN COMMANDERS IN U.S. CUSTODY EXCHANGED FOR AMERICAN CAPTIVE

THE BLOG

Five of the Most Dangerous Taliban Commanders in U.S. Custody Exchanged for American Captive

3:42 PM, MAY 31, 2014 • BY THOMAS JOSCELYN

The Obama administration announced today that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who has been held by the Taliban for several years, has been freed from his captors. Reading the stories of his newfound freedom it is impossible not to feel joy for Bergdahl and his family. NBC News reports that Bergdahl held up a sign once he was on board an American helicopter that read, “SF?” The operators quickly confirmed that they were in fact U.S. Special Forces: “Yes, we’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Gitmo

“On behalf of the American people, I was honored to call his parents to express our joy that they can expect his safe return, mindful of their courage and sacrifice throughout this ordeal,” President Obama said in a statement. The president rightly noted: “Sergeant Bergdahl's recovery is a reminder of America's unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield.”

Unfortunately, America is not the only party in this war that is committed to leaving no man behind. So are the Taliban and other al Qaeda-linked groups. But the president did not say who America exchanged for Bergdahl: five of the most dangerous Taliban commanders in U.S. custody.

CIA Knew Al Qaeda Involved in Benghazi from 'Get-go'

The Taliban has long demanded that the “Gitmo 5” be released in order for peace talks to begin in earnest. The Obama administration has desperately sought to engage the Taliban as American forces are drawn down in Afghanistan, but those talks have gone nowhere to this point. At first, the administration set preconditions for the talks, including that the Taliban break its relationship with al Qaeda. When it became clear that this was a non-starter, the administration decided to make the Taliban’s desired break with al Qaeda a goal, and no longer a precondition, for its diplomacy.

There is little hope that the peace talks will be more successful now. But the president seems to believe that Bergdahl’s exchange for the Gitmo 5 (who are reportedly being transferred to Qatar) may break the ice. “While we are mindful of the challenges, it is our hope Sergeant Bergdahl’s recovery could potentially open the door for broader discussions among Afghans about the future of their country by building confidence that it is possible for all sides to find common ground,” Obama said in his statement.

The Obama administration says that security measures have been put into place to make sure that the Gitmo 5 do not pose a threat to American national security. Let’s hope that is true; it certainly has not been the case with many ex-Gitmo detainees in the past.

There are good reasons why the Taliban has long wanted the five freed from Gitmo. All five are among the Taliban’s top commanders in U.S. custody and are still revered in jihadist circles.

Two of the five have been wanted by the UN for war crimes. And because of their prowess, Joint Task Force-Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO) deemed all five of them “high” risks to the U.S. and its allies.

The Obama administration wants to convince the Taliban to abandon its longstanding alliance with al Qaeda. But these men contributed to the formation of that relationship in the first place. All five had close ties to al Qaeda well before the 9/11 attacks. Therefore, it is difficult to see how their freedom would help the Obama administration achieve one of its principal goals for the hoped-for talks.

Here are short bios for each of the five Taliban commanders. All quotes are drawn from declassified and leaked documents prepared at Guantanamo.

[bonnie]

Mullah Mohammad Fazl (Taliban army chief of staff): Fazl is “wanted by the UN for possible war crimes including the murder of thousands of Shiites.” Fazl “was associated with terrorist groups currently opposing U.S. and Coalition forces including al Qaeda, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), and an Anti-Coalition Militia group known as Harakat-i-Inqilab-i-Islami.” In addition to being one of the Taliban’s most experienced military commanders, Fazl worked closely with a top al Qaeda commander named Abdul Hadi al Iraqi, who headed al Qaeda’s main fighting unit in Afghanistan prior to 9/11 and is currently detained at Guantanamo.

Mullah Norullah Noori (senior Taliban military commander): Like Fazl, Noori is “wanted by the United Nations (UN) for possible war crimes including the murder of thousands of Shiite Muslims.” Beginning in the mid-1990s, Noori “fought alongside al Qaeda as a Taliban military general, against the Northern alliance.” He continued to work closely with al Qaeda in the years that followed.

Abdul Haq Wasiq (Taliban deputy minister of intelligence): Wasiq arranged for al Qaeda members to provide crucial intelligence training prior to 9/11. The training was headed by Hamza Zubayr, an al Qaeda instructor who was killed during the same September 2002 raid that netted Ramzi Binalshibh, the point man for the 9/11 operation. Wasiq “was central to the Taliban's efforts to form alliances with other Islamic fundamentalist groups to fight alongside the Taliban against U.S. and Coalition forces after the 11 September 2001 attacks,” according to a leaked JTF-GTMO threat assessment.

CIA Knew Al Qaeda Involved in Benghazi from 'Get-go'

Khairullah Khairkhwa (Taliban governor of the Herat province and former interior minister): Khairkhwa was the governor of Afghanistan’s westernmost province prior to 9/11. In that capacity, he executed sensitive missions for Mullah Omar, including helping to broker a secret deal with the Iranians. For much of the pre-9/11 period, Iran and the Taliban were bitter foes. But a Taliban delegation that included Kharikhwa helped secure Iran’s support for the Taliban’s efforts against the American-led coalition in late 2001. JTF-GTMO found that Khairkhwa was likely a major drug trafficker and deeply in bed with al Qaeda. He allegedly oversaw one of Osama bin Laden’s training facilities in Herat.

Mohammed Nabi (senior Taliban figure and security official): Nabi “was a senior Taliban official who served in multiple leadership roles.” Nabi “had strong operational ties to Anti-Coalition Militia (ACM) groups including al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), some of whom remain active in ACM activities.” Intelligence cited in the JTF-GTMO files indicates that Nabi held weekly meetings with al Qaeda operatives to coordinate attacks against U.S.-led forces.

[lazarus]

Obama is just following the example set by the fondling fathers. Good job.

[bonnie]

Obama is just following the example set by the fondling fathers. Good job.

More of your tiresome bitterness towards the founding fathers.

I wonder what kind of a man you would have been at that time period? Would you have been so different? Maybe reason with 20 or 21st century mind set?

Would you have found yourself and family on the slave auction block or been part of Africans that captured and sold for profit other Africans?

Regardless of your repeated jabs they were far ahead of their time in the founding principals of this country. Far from perfect,crating imperfect,yet far ahead of their time, documents to found this country.

Perhaps had you lived in that time,steeped in that culture for generations you would have been the one perfect individual to found a nation and prevent all wrongs.

[lazarus]

Wow you surpassed yourself with your bile. Your throat must be sore. You always have to go personal. It can't be fun to be around you.

I was referring to prisoner swaps. Early American presidents did them you know.

[bonnie]

Wow you surpassed yourself with your bile. Your throat must be sore. You always have to go personal. It can't be fun to be around you.

I was referring to prisoner swaps. Early American presidents did them you know.

Nope,my throat is just fine. I took you at your word,sniping anytime the founding fathers,the constitution or the revolution is brought up.Generally as now,you don't even need that as an excuse.

You are right however,I would not find it fun or enjoyable to be around you,waiting for your bitterness towards the US to be front and center again

Early american presidents were many generations ago. Non negotiable in matters like this have been the rule for 150+ years.

Obama admits that this may very likely put other americans and soldiers at risk.He thumbed his nose at congress once again.Releasing high risk prisoners for a man that disappeared under very questionable circumstances.He sounds more like a traitor than a hero in need of rescue

[lazarus]

Sadly you can't see that your cold hand of negativity killed the politics forum and your migration to Townhall is having the same effect. People just don't want to be around the sewage you spew.

[bonnie]

Sadly you can't see that your cold hand of negativity killed the politics forum and your migration to Townhall is having the same effect. People just don't want to be around the sewage you spew.

Strange isn't it? You are the one that inserts race ,slavery,founding fathers or any sins of the past where ever you can.You have said you plan on doing just that whenever certain phrases or words are used.When you are taken at your word ,then it is someone else being negative.

Your rather childish insistence on using the word "fondling' doesn't indicate that you meant anything different with this.

The actions of past presidents are not relevant to this.Obama knows and acknowledges the risk he placed other soldiers and Americans,then runs another little fib and says neglecting to go to Congress was just a little oversight.Releasing those he knows presents a very real danger with a little "I forgot" to congress

doesn't say much for Obama and his behavior as president. You think that is negative,so be it.

I think your attitude about anything US absolutely qualifies for negative

[lazarus]

I would like to know who or what you are REALLY made at.

[bonnie]

I would like to know who or what you are REALLY made at.

Interesting that I have wondered the same concerning you.

I will give you credit tho,you have proven to be as good as your word with your negative comments. If you did not want or weren't fishing for a negative response you would not have given your usual remarks.

This topic didn't have anything to do with the founding fathers.

But the best defense that can be offered for Obama is "Well,remember.....

What Washington,Lincoln or any other president did years ago really doesn't matter.

His empty assurrance that men of this caliber will be monitored by the US or that he simply forgot to notify congress is more of his lies. Obama and Obama alone are responsible for his actions.

Whether a man that is as questionable as this soldier should be

left behind is a difficult question to answer.

His new found hero status by some is really offensive to those that died trying to find or save someone that is a traitor.

He should be tried and all the truth come out about his so-called capture