Senators Troubled Following Closed Door Meeting with Obama Administration
(Washington Examiner / Worthy News)– A closed-door briefing with White House officials late Wednesday did little to assure senators that President Obama’s decision to swap Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders was the right move.
Republicans who emerged from the all-Senate meeting at the Capitol were particularly troubled, with many saying the move will compromise national security, poses risks for Americans abroad and was possibly illegal.
“The mood was, I think, for Republicans, definitely no sale on this deal,” said Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said suggestions the administration gave up the Guantanamo prisoners as way to reconcile with the Taliban and foster peace in Afghanistan was “a complete disconnect” from reality.
“I found that to be the most offensive theory of all, that they’ve been pursuing this release for a couple of years to enhance reconciliation,” said Graham, who has called for public hearing on the matter.
“The price we paid is — we’ve empowered terrorists, we have undercut our efforts to secure Afghanistan, we have unleashed forces that will make it more likely that Americans will be kidnapped in the future, and we sent the worst possible signal to those that have been trying to change Afghanistan for the better.”