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Monday, June 2, 2014

5 Hard Core Taliban for a Disgruntled Soldier: A Pyrrhic deal


There is a news item that the USA has exchanged a soldier for 5 hard core terrorists held at the detention center in Cuba. President Obama has hailed it as a welcome step. However I do not feel this is good news.. Not many know that the soldier Bowe Bergdahi was a disgruntled soldier. He was against the war in Afghanistan and had sent emails and messages to that effect. In fact he was not captured in battle or in an ambush but just melted away from his post thinking that the Taliban will help him, but they made him a prisoner. He was in captivity for 5 years and one thing is clear he is not a hero. In my view he violated the oath of loyalty of the soldier.

Bergdahi has suffered 5 years for his mistake. The USA has now released 5 hard core killers in exchange. One wonders what was the motive to release 5 hard core Taliban for a soldier who was against the war and deserted his post. Maybe the USA may have a heavy price to pay for this exchange. One should not forget the Indians exchanged terrorist Hafiz Sayied for hostages in 2001 and they are regretting it till today as this man masterminded the Mumbai carnage that killed 500 persons,

One thing that stands out is that Bowe Bergdahi the US soldier who was recently exchanged for 5 hard core terrorists was no hero. He just deserted his post and the US army authorities were unaware as to what happened. He had just walked into the arms of the Taliban as he was ‘fed up’ of the war and was a disgruntled soldier who saw no logic in fighting the Taliban. Many republicans have opposed this exchange and have criticized President Obama to have exchanged 5 hard core terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay. Mike Rogers chairman house Intelligence committee has opined that it was wrong to exchange 5 hard core terrorists for the soldier. It also went against the US policy of negotiating with terror groups.. He was of the view that more such captures could take place with a view to get more hard core terrorists released. It’s a law of diminishing returns.

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