Obama trades one, for five Gitmo

[Subyman]

What happened to waiting for all the facts. The guy hasn't even been interviewed yet nor has a trial been set. Why would someone form such a firm opinion yet? Stop playing to the radical US media which is so damn polarizing.

 

[Strk]

We have always negotiated with terrorists.

Also, what makes you think the Taliban are terrorists?

If you think it's a bad deal or that we shouldn't have done it, explain why. Don't just emotionally rant.

Yeah, it always makes me laugh that people actually believe the tagline "we don't negotiate with terrorists!" The truth is, we do it all the time.

 

[QuantumPion]

This wasn't negotiating. This was Obama being swindled worse than an old lady on the home shopping channel lol.

 

[QuantumPion]

Tweet by Berdahl's father swearing to Allah to free all Gitmo prisoners... BEFORE the deal was made and Berdahl was returned: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...gdahls-apparent-tweet-to-the-taliban/?hpid=z2

Article from 2010 claiming Berdahl was teaching Taliban how to make bombs, ambush American troops: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...der-teaching-fighters-bomb-making-skills.html

 

[fskimospy]

Apparently the guy they traded for is not only a deserter, but may in fact have helped the enemy kill American troops. And 6 American troops have died in the original search for him. He has been quoted openly bashing the US, and his father is praising Allah and whatnot. Wonder if this guy was a plant or what.

Oh, and this prisoner swap was done by Obama without the legal authority to do so, Congressional authority is required to release Gitmo prisoners. Not only that, but Obama just stated not 6 months ago that we would not negotiate with terrorists and he would go through congress for any Gitmo prisoner concerns. This story is like 10 scandals in one. Wow.

That's an amazing amount of wrong information for one paragraph.

1.) congressional authority is most certainly not required to release gitmo prisoners. You are probably mistaking the battle over funding to move gitmo prisoners to US soil, which this is not.

2.) the Taliban are not terrorists. They were the recognized government of Afghanistan. While they might be horrible people, that's not the same thing.

3.) gitmo prisoner concerns what? This is probably a failure of understanding related to point 1.

I would agree it is like ten 'scandals' in one. You guys are lunatics.

 

[PokerGuy]

So, we trade 5 terrorists to get back one apparent traitor/deserter who has been alleged to have helped kill other Americans. At the same time, we can do nothing to bring back a US Marine imprisoned and regularly assaulted in mexico for taking a wrong turn. Wonderful. <cynic>I'm sure it will prove to be a very effective way to divert attention from the VA scandal though </cynic>

More fail from the bummer, par for the course.

 

[QuantumPion]

That's an amazing amount of wrong information for one paragraph.

1.) congressional authority is most certainly not required to release gitmo prisoners. You are probably mistaking the battle over funding to move gitmo prisoners to US soil, which this is not.

Clarification: the law states that 30 days notice must be given to Congress before Gitmo prisoners are released, this was violated. Note - Obama signed that law himself just last year.

 

[PokerGuy]

Clarification: the law states that 30 days notice must be given to Congress before Gitmo prisoners are released, this was violated. Note - Obama signed that law himself just last year.

The law does not apply to the dear leader, only to subjects. Who's going to investigate it, Holder?? :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[dank69]

Let me guess, you are simultaneously annoyed that veterans are not receiving the care they should be AND annoyed that Obama helped get this veteran home.

Obama doesn't help veterans = fuck Obama
Obama helps a veteran = fuck Obama

I bet you wish Obama was dead but if he actually died you would find some way to complain about it.

 

[QuantumPion]

Let me guess, you are simultaneously annoyed that veterans are not receiving the care they should be AND annoyed that Obama helped get this veteran home.

Obama doesn't help veterans = fuck Obama
Obama helps a veteran = fuck Obama

I bet you wish Obama was dead but if he actually died you would find some way to complain about it.

If you can't behave you need to go back to the kids table. We are not complaining that Obama "helped get a veteran home". We are complaining that Obama helped get this particular veteran home.

 

[dank69]

If you can't behave you need to go back to the kids table. We are not complaining that Obama "helped get a veteran home". We are complaining that Obama helped get this particular veteran home.

Maybe you should read the OP before making wise-ass comments.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

 

[himkhan]

Clarification: the law states that 30 days notice must be given to Congress before Gitmo prisoners are released, this was violated. Note - Obama signed that law himself just last year.

Clarification: Obama has previously expressed concern about the congressional notification requirement, which was passed as part of the 2014 defense bill. In a statement that accompanied his signing of that legislation, Obama said the executive branch must have flexibility "to act swiftly in conducting negotiations with foreign countries regarding the circumstances of detainee transfers."

Fact: Congress what notified much longer than 30 days in advance that detainees for this American Soldiers freedom swap was a possibility. Another very important fact, guys like you don't get to be judge, jury, and executioner for this soldier. :whiste:

 

[CitizenKain]

So, we trade 5 terrorists to get back one apparent traitor/deserter who has been alleged to have helped kill other Americans. At the same time, we can do nothing to bring back a US Marine imprisoned and regularly assaulted in mexico for taking a wrong turn. Wonderful. <cynic>I'm sure it will prove to be a very effective way to divert attention from the VA scandal though </cynic>

More fail from the bummer, par for the course.

You believe someone just wandered in mexico by accident? You people believe everything don't you.

 

[TerryMathews]

Let me guess, you are simultaneously annoyed that veterans are not receiving the care they should be AND annoyed that Obama helped get this veteran home.

Obama doesn't help veterans = fuck Obama
Obama helps a veteran = fuck Obama

If this guy is a deserter as his compatriots claim then he is not a veteran, or at least he is not eligible for benefits other veterans are due to the "character of their service."

http://www.va.gov/vetapp03/files/0301204.txt

 

[fskimospy]

Clarification: the law states that 30 days notice must be given to Congress before Gitmo prisoners are released, this was violated. Note - Obama signed that law himself just last year.

There's a pretty serious question as to whether or not that requirement is unconstitutional as a usurpation of the president's role as commander in chief, and Obama said as much when he signed it.

That being said, reserving the right to later ignore parts of legislation he finds unconstitutional is one of the things that Obama criticized Bush for. Whether or not he actually violated the law is suspect, but he is certainly acting hypocritically in this regard.

 

[fskimospy]

If this guy is a deserter as his compatriots claim then he is not a veteran, or at least he is not eligible for benefits other veterans are due to the "character of their service."

http://www.va.gov/vetapp03/files/0301204.txt

That is simply not how veteran is defined. US statutory definition is:

(d) Veteran means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.1

This guy is not a veteran because he his still part of the active military. It is unlikely that he will receive a dishonorable discharge, however, so he will be a veteran someday soon.

 

[QuantumPion]

That being said, reserving the right to later ignore parts of legislation he finds unconstitutional is one of the things that Obama criticized Bush for. Whether or not he actually violated the law is suspect, but he is certainly acting hypocritically in this regard.

Somebody better let eskimospy know his account has been hijacked.

 

[FerrelGeek]

There's a pretty serious question as to whether or not that requirement is unconstitutional as a usurpation of the president's role as commander in chief, and Obama said as much when he signed it.

That being said, reserving the right to later ignore parts of legislation he finds unconstitutional is one of the things that Obama criticized Bush for. Whether or not he actually violated the law is suspect, but he is certainly acting hypocritically in this regard.

Hypocrisy has been the hallmark of the Obama administration. It's nice to see that some are finally getting sick of it.

 

[fskimospy]

Hypocrisy has been the hallmark of the Obama administration. It's nice to see that some are finally getting sick of it.

Pointless partisan babbling.

 

[TerryMathews]

It is unlikely that he will receive a dishonorable discharge, however, so he will be a veteran someday soon.

If he was a deserter, its very likely he will get a double D.

 

[FerrelGeek]

Pointless? I was agreeing with you. It it has nothing to do with party. It has everything to do with a legitimate criticism about our sitting president. Just because he's part of your party, does that mean you're the only one that's allowed to criticize him? I criticized Bush for certain things when he was in office, so I'm being quite fair, dear boy. The list of Obama's hypocrisy is fairly lengthy and you bloody well know it. I have no love for either party, tyvm. Both are greedy, power hungry, willing to screw with this country for their own sake, pretty well feckless.

 

[fskimospy]

Pointless? I was agreeing with you. It it has nothing to do with party. It has everything to do with a legitimate criticism about our sitting president. Just because he's part of your party, does that mean you're the only one that's allowed to criticize him? I criticized Bush for certain things when he was in office, so I'm being quite fair, dear boy. The list of Obama's hypocrisy is fairly lengthy and you bloody well know it. I have no love for either party, tyvm. Both are greedy, power hungry, willing to screw with this country for their own sake, pretty well feckless.

No, it means that it was somehow a defining characteristic of his presidency is silliness. Obama has not been particularly hypocritical as compared to any other president, and the idea that it's some realization that people needed to come to is absurd.

 

[fskimospy]

If he was a deserter, its very likely he will get a double D.

No, definitely not. First, it's not even clear that he could legally be considered a deserter as the government has to prove intent to never return, which could be problematic as he was abducted very quickly after going off base.

Second, dishonorable discharges may only be handed down by a general court martial, something that a very small percentage of deserters actually face. While desertion in Afghanistan is of course a much more serious issue than desertion in the continental US, it is much more likely that he will get either an OTH or a bad conduct discharge.

I saw quite a few people desert while in the Navy, including one that departed the ship in Singapore while we were on the way to Iraq for the invasion. I'm not aware of a single one that was dishonorably discharged.

 

[hal2kilo]

This is a politics and news site, so I'm looking at this with political gogles on. I just don't get it. Was the timing of this to showcase that the war in Afganistan is over? Is this Obama showing what a great humanitarian he is?

Sure seems strange to go out of the way to inflame the righties with little political benefit for his own side.

Who was this soldier really?

The whole thing is odd.