'[T]hese five detainees do not and will not pose a significant threat to
the United States. And it was in the national security interests of the
United States to secure Sergeant Bergdahl’s release.'
- Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, 2 June 2014
That (meaning the documents referred to below) was then. This is now.
Via Stephen Hayes:
While some top Obama administration officials are downplaying threats posed the five senior Taliban officials released from Guantanamo in the prisoner exchange for Bowe Bergdahl, not long ago the administration went to court to prevent one of those men from going free. In a decision on May 31, 2011, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, ruled in favor of the government–and “Respondent Barack Obama”–in its effort to keep Khairulla Khairkhwa in detention. That decision, once classified “Secret,” has since been declassified and released.Today, with these Taliban leaders free in Qatar and already looking likely to rejoin the fight against America, top Obama administration officials are seeking to reassure Americans that the threats are minimal–or, in the words of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, “sufficiently mitigated.” But just three years ago, the same administration argued in court against Khairkhwa’s writ of habeas corpus because of his senior position with the Taliban, his close relationship with Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and his support for Taliban forces fighting against the United States.The case provides a window on the Obama administration’s concerns–concerns that many top intelligence and military officials continue to have. The court summarized the government’s case this way. “The government contends that the petitioner, a former senior Taliban official, is lawfully detained because he was part of Taliban forces and purposefully and materially supported such forces in hostilities against the United States,” the court wrote in the introduction to its opinion. [...]The court found persuasive the Obama administration’s argument that Khairkhwa helped lead Taliban fighters after the beginning of hostilities with the U.S. in the fall of 2001. Khairkhwa “had a “long history of involvement with the Taliban’s military affairs” and was a “prominent and influential leader within the Taliban.”Before he was released, the Obama administration argued that Khairkhwa’s long experience as a jihadist leader required his continued detention by the U.S. government. Now that Obama has chosen to transfer him to Qatar the administration would have the public believe that he and the other freed Taliban leaders do not constitute a threat to the United States.
Hmmm...I wonder what could have happened in the interim to change Obama's mind?
1) He was reelected and believes it is now safe to take off the mask and tell the country to 'Shut the fuck up and salute...or kiss the ground that I walked on.'
2) Benghazi, IRS, NSA, EPA, DOJ, etc.
3) Vets dying on wait lists secreted by the Veterans Administration and 79% of Americans hold Barack Obama - at least partially, if not entirely - PERSONALLY to blame.
4) He wanted to keep his campaign promise to close Gitmo and sacrificed another campaign promise by going around Congress.
'I taught constitutional law for 10 years. I take the Constitution
very seriously. The biggest problems that we’re facing right now
have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the
executive branch and not go through Congress at all. And that is what I intend to reverse when I become president of the United States.'
- Senator Barack Obama, at a campaign rally in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.,
31 March 2008
5. His party is facing a bloodbath in November and he wants to energize his base. (Of course, he didn't realise that only 24% of Americans believe that we have a duty to rescue deserters and that includes 40% of Democrats. Oops.) This is a real problem for him because he has told allies that losing the Senate to Republicans would make his last two years in office unbearable . . .
'I don’t really care to be president without the Senate.'
Of all so far, this would have been at the top of my 'Most Unlikely List', BUT, this is only true if you look at it through the eyes of Senate Democrats and Obama isn't exactly known for being 'that into' his fellow Democrats on The Hill. Rather, you have to look at it this way: As usual, Obama is making himself the issue. 'Well, if I can't get my flunkie Harry Reid to do whatever I want as Majority Leader, fuck the country. I will just pick up my toys and go home.'
But, if he wants to leave, I won't stop him.
6. As Obama, on numerous occasions, has placed himself in the Pathenon of Presidents right there besides Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan, he has already begun to transition to his 'post-presidency.' He is going to focus on doing whatever he wants with his phone and his pen in the remaining 2.5 years with an eye to how Doris Kearns Goodwin, David McCullough, Doug Brinkley, and the rest will write about him.
How he could imagine that this unmitigated clusterfuck of decisions, probably one of the worst trades in history, would cement his greatness is waaaaaay beyond me.
7. He is cocooned with inexperienced hacks giving him advice.
What did he think would happen when he hired people like Susan Rice (advised Bill Clinton not to take custody of Osama bin Laden and refused the request to increase security on the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in the months before Al Qaeda blew them up killing more than 200 people), Ben 'My brother runs CBS News, wink, wink' Rhodes (who wrote the talking points for both Benghazi and Bergdahl and then gave them to the dope, Susan Rice's ), and Tommy Vietor, whose first job for then-Senator Barack Obama was as the driver of the press van following the former on the campaign trail in 2008)?
'But, dude, that was like six years ago! I've learned soooo much. No, like, really.'
8. He is just bloody delusional, which often happens to narcissistic personalities.
What did he think would happen when he hired people like Susan Rice (advised Bill Clinton not to take custody of Osama bin Laden and refused the request to increase security on the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in the months before Al Qaeda blew them up killing more than 200 people), Ben 'My brother runs CBS News, wink, wink' Rhodes (who wrote the talking points for both Benghazi and Bergdahl and then gave them to the dope, Susan Rice's ), and Tommy Vietor, whose first job for then-Senator Barack Obama was as the driver of the press van following the former on the campaign trail in 2008)?
'But, dude, that was like six years ago! I've learned soooo much. No, like, really.'
8. He is just bloody delusional, which often happens to narcissistic personalities.
If Obama's ego ever sets foot on Guam, the whole island will tip over and capsize.
God love Hank Johnson!
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