Rep. Mike Rogers, Michigan Republican and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he plans to conduct a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and that the move looks like a “political stunt.”
As part of the deal of Sgt. Bergdahl’s release as the last prisoner of war in Aghanistan, five former Guantanamo Bay detainees who were transferred to Qatar will reportedly be subject to a one-year travel ban as part of their security restrictions.
Mr. Rogers said that under President Obama’s proposed timeline for the withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan, “that means they get one more good year to get their whacks in on U.S. soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan.”
“And some notion that this band of characters, these terrorists, are not going to get [re-engaged] in the fight in some way is absolutely naive, and it’s dangerous, and every soldier who’s on the ground should be a little upset by this — I know I am,” Mr. Rogers said on “Fox and Friends.”
Mr. Rogers said he’s glad Sgt. Bergdahl’s family has him back, but that the move “certainly looks like a political stunt to me,” and there needs to be an understanding of what the broader implications are for the soldiers still on the ground and their families.
He pledged to conduct a “complete review” on how the transfer unfolded “and why, and what legal opinion they used to say that they didn’t have to follow the law of the United States in doing this.”
SEE ALSO: Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was a deserter, fellow soldiers say
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is supposed to give Congress at least 30 days of notice on such transfers of prisoners from Guantanamo. Mr. Hagel told reporters Sunday he believes Mr. Obama has the constitutional authority as commander in chief to act as he did, and that Sgt. Bergdahl’s health was deteriorating to the point where they needed to get him out to save his life.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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