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Government Protests the Five Afghan Prisoners Weren't Released Unconditionally
Afghanistan objects to the conditions on the swap of Taliban prisoners for a U.S. soldier, how his release may be a danger to Americans, streaming music deals unlikely to threaten Sirius XM and a look at global markets and stocks to watch. Photo: AP
KABUL—Afghanistan raised objections over the swap of five high-profile Taliban detainees for a U.S. soldier, saying the Afghan prisoners should have been freed without conditions.
American officials said the five released from U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be required to remain in the Gulf emirate of Qatar, which brokered the deal, for at least a year to ensure they don't return to Afghanistan and resume fighting.
Does U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release set a dangerous precedent and a risk to other Americans? Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton joins the News Hub to discuss the issues. Photo: Twitter/zabihullahmujahid
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, en route to Afghanistan on Sunday, said Washington kept Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the dark about the trade that freed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Secretary of State John Kerry informed Mr. Karzai after the fact.
"This was an operation, I think as everyone recognizes, that had to be very closely held," Mr. Hagel said. "Only very, very few people knew about this operation. We didn't want to jeopardize any leaks."
According to secret assessments of all five detainees by the Pentagon in 2008, the men were considered "high risk, as [they] may pose a threat to the U.S., its interests and allies." Those assessments were made public by WikiLeaks.
The Afghan foreign ministry said the transfer of Afghan citizens from Guantanamo to Qatar contravened a previous agreement between governments. But it didn't make clear which agreement was in question.
The two contenders for the Afghan presidential runoff election, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, haven't commented on the prisoner swap.
The secrecy surrounding the deal raised new questions about the direction of peace talks, officials and analysts in Kabul say.
For years, Afghan and U.S. officials had tried to kick-start peace talks with the Taliban, and officials described the prisoner exchange as a crucial trust-building measure.
Shukria Barakzai, a prominent Afghan lawmaker, said the deal also denied the Afghan government a bargaining chip.
"The [Afghan] government could have used this tool to move forward peace talks, or used it as a condition for the Taliban to decrease attacks on civilians or public areas like restaurants and schools," she said.
"This is a scary thing. When the [Afghan] authorities, officials and institutions are not in the picture about this exchange between the U.S. and Taliban, it is a big question mark in the public opinion: Why?"
Afghan soldiers stand guard at their graduation ceremony at a military training center in the capital Kabul on Sunday as the government vents frustration over the prisoner swap. Associated Press
One year ago, the peace process appeared to be in serious jeopardy. Last June, the U.S. backed a plan for the Taliban to open a negotiating office in Qatar to facilitate peace talks, creating a potential avenue to encourage the Taliban to hand over Sgt. Bergdahl.
But days after the announcement of the plan, the Qatar office was closed.
Mr. Karzai, outraged that the Taliban office had the trappings of a government-in-waiting, suspended participation in the nascent peace effort.
Taliban representatives remained in Qatar after the closure, however, and low-level discussions continued.
Tumult within the Taliban's ranks may have helped create an opening for a potential deal.
Earlier this year, Agha Jan Mutasim, the head of a breakaway faction of the Afghan Taliban, hosted high-profile meetings in the United Arab Emirates with the aim of promoting what he called a peaceful end to the war in Afghanistan.
More recently, Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir, the hard-line Taliban military chief opposed to talks with the Kabul government, stepped down, possibly signaling more willingness by the Taliban senior leadership to explore peace talks.
Afghanistan objects to the conditions on the swap of Taliban prisoners for a U.S. soldier, how his release may be a danger to Americans, streaming music deals unlikely to threaten Sirius XM and a look at global markets and stocks to watch. Photo: AP
KABUL—Afghanistan raised objections over the swap of five high-profile Taliban detainees for a U.S. soldier, saying the Afghan prisoners should have been freed without conditions.
American officials said the five released from U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be required to remain in the Gulf emirate of Qatar, which brokered the deal, for at least a year to ensure they don't return to Afghanistan and resume fighting.
Does U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release set a dangerous precedent and a risk to other Americans? Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton joins the News Hub to discuss the issues. Photo: Twitter/zabihullahmujahid
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, en route to Afghanistan on Sunday, said Washington kept Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the dark about the trade that freed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Secretary of State John Kerry informed Mr. Karzai after the fact.
"This was an operation, I think as everyone recognizes, that had to be very closely held," Mr. Hagel said. "Only very, very few people knew about this operation. We didn't want to jeopardize any leaks."
According to secret assessments of all five detainees by the Pentagon in 2008, the men were considered "high risk, as [they] may pose a threat to the U.S., its interests and allies." Those assessments were made public by WikiLeaks.
The Afghan foreign ministry said the transfer of Afghan citizens from Guantanamo to Qatar contravened a previous agreement between governments. But it didn't make clear which agreement was in question.
The two contenders for the Afghan presidential runoff election, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, haven't commented on the prisoner swap.
The secrecy surrounding the deal raised new questions about the direction of peace talks, officials and analysts in Kabul say.
For years, Afghan and U.S. officials had tried to kick-start peace talks with the Taliban, and officials described the prisoner exchange as a crucial trust-building measure.
Shukria Barakzai, a prominent Afghan lawmaker, said the deal also denied the Afghan government a bargaining chip.
"The [Afghan] government could have used this tool to move forward peace talks, or used it as a condition for the Taliban to decrease attacks on civilians or public areas like restaurants and schools," she said.
"This is a scary thing. When the [Afghan] authorities, officials and institutions are not in the picture about this exchange between the U.S. and Taliban, it is a big question mark in the public opinion: Why?"
Afghan soldiers stand guard at their graduation ceremony at a military training center in the capital Kabul on Sunday as the government vents frustration over the prisoner swap. Associated Press
One year ago, the peace process appeared to be in serious jeopardy. Last June, the U.S. backed a plan for the Taliban to open a negotiating office in Qatar to facilitate peace talks, creating a potential avenue to encourage the Taliban to hand over Sgt. Bergdahl.
But days after the announcement of the plan, the Qatar office was closed.
Mr. Karzai, outraged that the Taliban office had the trappings of a government-in-waiting, suspended participation in the nascent peace effort.
Taliban representatives remained in Qatar after the closure, however, and low-level discussions continued.
Tumult within the Taliban's ranks may have helped create an opening for a potential deal.
Earlier this year, Agha Jan Mutasim, the head of a breakaway faction of the Afghan Taliban, hosted high-profile meetings in the United Arab Emirates with the aim of promoting what he called a peaceful end to the war in Afghanistan.
More recently, Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir, the hard-line Taliban military chief opposed to talks with the Kabul government, stepped down, possibly signaling more willingness by the Taliban senior leadership to explore peace talks.
