President Obama admitted during a press conference in Warsaw on Tuesday that the five Taliban members he ordered to be released from Guantanamo Bay could very well turn around and harm Americans — but apparently, that it was a chance he was willing to take.
“Is there a possibility of some of them trying to return to activities that are detrimental to us? Absolutely,” he said, the New York Daily News reported. “That’s been true of all the prisoners that were released from Guantanamo. There’s a certain recidivism rate that takes place.”
His statements came on the heels of widespread outrage that his trade of five Taliban members for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was not the smartest move, in part because it placed too much trust on the government of Qatar to keep close watch on the freed men and ensure they didn’t return to terrorism.
Mr. Obama’s remarks also come as one Taliban commander in Afghanistan, Mullah Salem Khan, announced that the freed five had already started prepping to do battle, the New York Daily News reported.
“As soon as they arrived in Qatar, they rejoined the Taliban,” he told The Daily Beast, “We don’t care about U.S. conditions and obstacles.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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