The decision to release five prisoners from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is a “break with U.S. policy,” Rep. Mike Rogers said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
“The No. 1 way that Al Qaeda raises money is by ransom – kidnapping and ransom. We have now set a price,” said the Michigan Republican, Politico reported.
Mr. Bergdahl, 28, was captured by Afghan insurgents nearly five years ago and was handed over to American Special Operations as part of a trade Saturday morning. Five suspected terrorists were released to the Qatari government, where they will be subject to a one-year travel ban.
“If you negotiate here, you’ve sent a message to every Al Qaeda group in the world – by the way, some who are holding U.S. hostages today – that there is some value now in that hostage in a way that they didn’t have before,” Mr. Rogers said. “That is dangerous.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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