As Liberty Unyielding colleague Renee Nal reported Saturday, five terror detainees were released from Guantanamo Bay to secure freedom for Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier held captive by the Taliban for five years. The administration, however, violated the law by not informing lawmakers 30 days prior to the transfer. What’s more, they’ve admitted it.
On Sunday, Examiner reported:
On Saturday, an unnamed senior administration official admitted the law was not followed in the release of five Guantanamo detainees, The Blaze reported. The prisoners were part of an exchange that secured the release of Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier held captive by the Taliban for five years.
According to a law signed by Barack Obama last year, lawmakers are supposed to be notified 30 days before any transfer of detainees. Obama, however, issued a signing statement claiming the notification requirement was an unconstitutional infringement on his powers as commander in chief and that he therefore could override it. In this case, lawmakers were not notified until after the transfer occurred.
“Due to a near-term opportunity to save Sergeant Bergdahl’s life, we moved as quickly as possible,” the official said, according to the Washington Post. “The administration determined that given these unique and exigent circumstances, such a transfer should go forward notwithstanding the notice requirement.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the detainees released by the administration are “hardened terrorists who have the blood of Americans and countless Afghans on their hands.”
Wonderful.
But it gets better. According to the Daily Beast, the five men are “bad guys” who happen to be top Taliban commanders the organization has tried to free for over a decade. A 2008 Pentagon dossier also said all five would likely launch attacks on the United States if released, the Daily Beast added. According to Eli Lake and Josh Rogan, the five men are “some of the worst outlaws in the U.S. war on terror.”
Two of the men, the Weekly Standard added, are wanted by the UN for war crimes.
Not only is the administration now willing to negotiate with terrorists, it appears they are willing to bypass Congress — and the law — to do so.
But will anything be done? Hardly, given the record so far.
Related:
- Obama administration admits violating law in release of Gitmo terrorists
- Obama bypasses Congress, orders waiver on ban of aid to Palestinians
- Obama bypasses Congress, rewrites welfare reform law with policy directive
- Obama bypasses Congress, makes recess appointment while Senate in session
- Obama threatens veto of defense bill if military health care fees not increased
- Retired Army officer calls for ‘American Spring’ to oust Obama, other leaders
