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babylonsister

(171,079 posts)
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:26 PM May 2014

GOP Lawmakers: Obama Broke The Law With Prisoner Exchange

You knew it was coming...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/republicans-obama-broke-law-prisoner-exchange-bowe-bergdahl

GOP Lawmakers: Obama Broke The Law With Prisoner Exchange
DARLENE SUPERVILLE – May 31, 2014, 6:51 PM EDT


WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Republican lawmakers on Saturday accused President Barack Obama of breaking the law by approving the release of five Afghan detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in exchange for a U.S. soldier believed held by Islamist insurgents for five years.

The White House agreed that actions were taken in spite of legal requirements and cited "unique and exigent circumstances" as justification.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 28, of Hailey, Idaho, was handed over to U.S. special operations forces by the Taliban. In return, five Afghans who were held at a U.S. detention facility in Cuba were released to the custody of the government of Qatar, which served as a go-between in negotiations for the trade.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma said in a statement that Obama is required by law to notify Congress 30 days before any terrorists are transferred from the U.S. facility. They said Obama also is required to explain how the threat posed by such terrorists has been substantially mitigated.

McKeon is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Inhofe is the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In response, the White House said it moved as quickly as possible given the opportunity that arose to secure Bergdahl's release. Citing "these unique and exigent circumstances," the White House said a decision was made to go ahead with the transfer despite the legal requirement of 30 days advance notice to Congress.

more...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/republicans-obama-broke-law-prisoner-exchange-bowe-bergdahl

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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GOP Lawmakers: Obama Broke The Law With Prisoner Exchange (Original Post) babylonsister May 2014 OP
Just try making a big deal out of this, assholes. Just try it. nt msanthrope May 2014 #1
The reports I've read suggest that Bergdahl's health has deteriorated. The Velveteen Ocelot May 2014 #5
Are they actually working? I imagine it would take 30 days just to locate them. Frustratedlady May 2014 #8
No shit. If they think they can make hay out of this, they're politically tone neverforget May 2014 #7
Bush broke the law, ours and international law, by invading Iraq. nt kelliekat44 May 2014 #24
Okay,what do you two losers Wellstone ruled May 2014 #2
Benghazi! Kingofalldems May 2014 #3
Oh sh*t, here it comes. elleng May 2014 #4
Yup Egnever May 2014 #15
Bring it on...I'm betting Obama notified the Gang of 8. And if he didn't, then I'm msanthrope May 2014 #25
Aw geeeez... DonViejo May 2014 #6
Yeah, because whining about a soldier coming home after 5 years in captivity will Cha May 2014 #11
Bring it on GOP WHINERS! Cha May 2014 #9
Didn't one of Inhofe's sons in a plane crash last year malaise May 2014 #10
Not enuff smackfaces for this. Benton D Struckcheon May 2014 #12
please go ahead make my day a impeach the President, and we will see a huge backlash against these lostincalifornia May 2014 #13
Let the GOP whine, this is what they do best. Thinkingabout May 2014 #14
dear gop 'lawmakers' shove it up your asses. spanone May 2014 #16
Proceed, Congressmen. Kber May 2014 #17
Indeed alcibiades_mystery May 2014 #28
They should make an issue out of this. NutmegYankee May 2014 #18
Perhasp if we sent weapons in exchage they'd be okay with it... Historic NY May 2014 #19
All these successes is going to give pause to the GOP base brainwashed into thinking Obama is a Fred Sanders May 2014 #20
Oh for fuck's sake Blue Owl May 2014 #21
They're just worried that all the guy's back pay will bust the budget... Wounded Bear May 2014 #22
Hasn't anyone got the memo yet? The GOP only respects dead soldiers as they don't talk back. freshwest May 2014 #23
The repubs would prefer Turbineguy May 2014 #26
Please please please please attempt to impeach Obama on this basis alcibiades_mystery May 2014 #27
As an Idaho resident Zambero Jun 2014 #36
ROFL, as if the GOP was a party known for its integrity or honesty. antiGOPin294 May 2014 #29
taking bets GusBob May 2014 #30
30 days notice so the fools can spout their nonsense on fox, what bullshit. mountain grammy May 2014 #31
Look on the bright side. JeffHead May 2014 #32
Sounds like a good way to close down Gitmo. BlueStreak May 2014 #33
Good luck with that. MannyGoldstein Jun 2014 #34
Oh puh-leeeeze Zambero Jun 2014 #35

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,829 posts)
5. The reports I've read suggest that Bergdahl's health has deteriorated.
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:34 PM
May 2014

But the GOPers would rather have him wait another 30 days and get sicker (or worse) just so they could have their legal "notification"? Or do they just want something to complain about?

Every time I think their assholery has reached an insurmountable level, they do something worse. I hope every last one of them fries in hell.

Frustratedlady

(16,254 posts)
8. Are they actually working? I imagine it would take 30 days just to locate them.
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:39 PM
May 2014

They never seem to be at work.

I've seen comments that he shouldn't have been rescued since he (supposedly) walked off and was AWOL. I'm not familiar with the details, but I should think it might do them well to learn the truth before they shoot off their mouths.

neverforget

(9,436 posts)
7. No shit. If they think they can make hay out of this, they're politically tone
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:36 PM
May 2014

deaf and blinded by zeal to get Obama.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
2. Okay,what do you two losers
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:32 PM
May 2014

think was a better method. Geese,you would think these Politicians knew what the hell they were talking about. If you have a chance to get a nice kid from a Red State in exchange for 5 guys, whom probably were turned in by some tribal war lord for a bounty,you just go for it. Inhofe is such a twit. Go figger.

 

msanthrope

(37,549 posts)
25. Bring it on...I'm betting Obama notified the Gang of 8. And if he didn't, then I'm
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:01 PM
May 2014

betting Boehner doesn't want to touch with a 10 foot pole.

Cha

(297,574 posts)
11. Yeah, because whining about a soldier coming home after 5 years in captivity will
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:45 PM
May 2014

so boost their stature with the US military. I say bring it!

Cha

(297,574 posts)
9. Bring it on GOP WHINERS!
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:43 PM
May 2014


Statement by Bob and Jani Bergdahl, parents of Bowe:

“We were so joyful and relieved when President Obama called us today to give us the news that Bowe is finally coming home! We cannot wait to wrap our arms around our only son. We want to thank Bowe’s many supporters in Idaho, around the nation and around the world. We thank the Amir of Qatar for his efforts. And of course, we want to take this opportunity to thank all those in the many U.S. Government agencies who never gave up. Today, we are ecstatic!”

MOre..
TOD

mahalo babylonsistah

lostincalifornia

(3,639 posts)
13. please go ahead make my day a impeach the President, and we will see a huge backlash against these
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:58 PM
May 2014

repuke thugs

Thinkingabout

(30,058 posts)
14. Let the GOP whine, this is what they do best.
Sat May 31, 2014, 07:59 PM
May 2014

If Obama went to Congress it would ha e taken years, this soldier deserves to come home. Hope he will see thankfulness for his service. Welcome home, HERO!

NutmegYankee

(16,201 posts)
18. They should make an issue out of this.
Sat May 31, 2014, 08:48 PM
May 2014

And I hope they do. It will highlight just how much contempt they have for our service men and women. And it will highlight just how evil they can be in their pursuit to attack the President for getting a US soldier out of 5 years of captivity.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
20. All these successes is going to give pause to the GOP base brainwashed into thinking Obama is a
Sat May 31, 2014, 10:15 PM
May 2014

failure. Billions of dollars and millions of media minutes are invested in that simple thread.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
23. Hasn't anyone got the memo yet? The GOP only respects dead soldiers as they don't talk back.
Sat May 31, 2014, 10:30 PM
May 2014

Convenient for them to use as mouthpieces. The GOP are beyond depraved in their willingness to send men and women to war, keep them there until physically or mentally destroyed or dead, but unwilling to fund their care or end the wars because of profits either way. I'm sure they don't want to pay for this young man's care. And I'll stop now before I say what I really think.


Zambero

(8,965 posts)
36. As an Idaho resident
Sun Jun 1, 2014, 01:21 AM
Jun 2014

pursuing impeachment over freeing Bergdahl would be the one thing that might possibly turn my state blue!

 

antiGOPin294

(53 posts)
29. ROFL, as if the GOP was a party known for its integrity or honesty.
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:13 PM
May 2014

Hey Repubs, remember Ronnie Raygun and the Iran-Contra affair? Didn't that involve negotiating with the "terrorists"? Yet you guys never said a word about that. Oh, and your boy Dubya is STILL a war criminal who is being protected by your party. So shove it.

GusBob

(7,286 posts)
30. taking bets
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:18 PM
May 2014

The fox narrative tomorrow will be: the 5 detainees knew the "truth behind benghazi and were ready to reveal it

mountain grammy

(26,644 posts)
31. 30 days notice so the fools can spout their nonsense on fox, what bullshit.
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:30 PM
May 2014

I like how President Obama is just taking charge of these situations and doing the right thing.

JeffHead

(1,186 posts)
32. Look on the bright side.
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:33 PM
May 2014

That's 1 more American soldier that comes home safe and sound to his family, and 5 less human skeletons we have to force feed to keep alive. Seems like everybody wins.

 

BlueStreak

(8,377 posts)
33. Sounds like a good way to close down Gitmo.
Sat May 31, 2014, 11:33 PM
May 2014

I'll give Obama credit for creativity. I don't always like the fact that he walks away from fights, but how many times have we seen him come back with a sneak attack?

When the other side obstructs everything, they should not be surprised when Obama does an end-around.

Zambero

(8,965 posts)
35. Oh puh-leeeeze
Sun Jun 1, 2014, 01:17 AM
Jun 2014

Congress as of late would be more able to f**k up a wet dream, and the wingnut crazy members noted above are certainly not of the temperament or ideological mindset to see this thing through. On the other hand they would have had no problem scuttling any deal given 30 days to do so. It was far better to go ahead than risk failure courtesy of sabotaging partisans who would rather see this soldier remain in the hands of the Taliban so as to blame Obama. This is another prime example of the right wing attacking a successful outcome.

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