Senator says Obama has set a precedent that will encourage US enemies to target American men and women in uniform
US senators were shown an emotional “proof-of-life” video by White House officials late on Wednesday in an effort to stem growing criticism of the administration’s decision to negotiate the release of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity.
The clip showed Bergdahl in poor health and faltering over his words, according to several of those who saw it, and was used to try to explain why President Obama felt he had to act quickly to secure the US soldier’s release.
The previously unseen video was demanded by the administration in advance of negotiations beginning with the Taliban and, although it was unclear exactly when it was filmed, it referenced the death of Nelson Mandela in December in an effort to prove Bergdahl was still alive.
Nevertheless, the screening appeared to have little impact on growing scepticism about the deal in Washington and senators reportedly pressed the administration on the risks posed by five Taliban prisoners released in return.
Some also questioned why the White House had not followed laws requiring it to warn Congress of Guantánamo releases, although this proved less of an issue than had been expected ahead of the meeting.
Most of the half dozen senators talking to reporters after the classified briefing were sceptical about the reasons given for the swap, including several Democrats.
Even Senate majority whip Dick Durbin gave only a lukewarm defence of the White House decision.
“I think it was a very hard decision,” he told reporters outside the meeting. “If I had been challenged to make it myself I might have come to the same conclusion under the pressure of the moment, but now that you can step back and reflect on it more, it is easy to pick it apart and criticise it.”
Republicans were predictably more scathing, but said the real issue was not whether Bergdhal had been a deserter or whether Obama had broken the law but whether the US was now at greater risk as a result.
“The president has now set a precedent that will encourage enemies of the United States to target American men and women in uniform,” said Senator Marco Rubio.
“In my opinion there is no question the president violated the law by not notifying Congress but the most pressing challenge is that the president has now released five of the most, if not the most, dangerous individuals in Guantanamo.”
Senator Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican, said those in the meeting were reassured by some of what they had heard but received no guarantees from Obama official Tony Blinken about whether the released Taliban prisoners posed a future risk.
“This thing totally collapses if a single American loses their life because of these guys getting out,” he said.
Kirk, a former reserve intelligence officer in the US Navy, was also critical of Bergdhal’s apparent behaviour before his capture by the Taliban.
“As a reservist who served in Afghanistan, walking yourself out of a FOB(forward operating base) is a pretty big no no,” said senator Kirk.
