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Subscribe to RSSWASHINGTON -- The United States has been secretly releasing detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, the Washington Post reported in its Monday editions.
The "strategic release" program has allowed American officials over the past several years to use prisoners as bargaining chips to reduce violence in restive provinces, it said, citing U.S. officials who it said spoke on condition of anonymity.
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The freed detainees are often fighters who would not be released under the legal system for military prisoners in Afghanistan. They must promise to give up violence, the report said.
Rahmat Gul / AP
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
Officials would not say whether those who have been released have later returned to attack U.S. and Afghan troops, the Post said.
Releases have come amid efforts to end the war through negotiation, which is central to the Obama administration's strategy for exiting Afghanistan, the report said.
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Those efforts have yielded little to no progress in recent years. In part, they have been stymied by the unwillingness of the United States to release five prisoners from Guantanamo Bay — a gesture insurgent leaders have said they see as a precondition for peace talks, the report said.
Unlike at Guantanamo, releasing prisoners from the Parwan detention center does not require congressional approval and can be done secretly, the Post said.
After chaotic start, long fight predicted in Gitmo 9/11 case
The program's goal is to quell violence in areas where NATO is unable to ensure security. Releases are intended to produce tactical gains, the Post said.
On the one-year anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden, President Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan and said his goal "to defeat al-Qaida and deny it a chance to rebuild is now within our reach." NBC's Atia Abawi reports.
'Outside of normal protocol'
U.S. officials would not say how many detainees have been released under the program, though they said such cases are relatively rare. The program has existed for several years.
"The Afghans have come to us with information that might strengthen the reconciliation process," the newspaper quoted U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker as saying. "Many times we do act on it."
Releases through the secret program from Parwan must be approved by the top U.S. military commander and military lawyer, and are the only exceptions to the prison's judicial review board, the Post said.
The strategic partnership forged between the U.S. and Afghanistan commits a war-weary American public to at least another 12 years in the country. Tony Blinken, national security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, discusses.
It quoted one official as saying the procedure was "outside of our normal protocol," the paper said.
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But they are clearly misunderstood, if only Eric Holder could bring them to the USSA, put them on welfare and food stamps and show them how we are a 'fair" society then they could go back to Afghan and tell all of their other insuregnts and I am sure they would stop their stoning of women and killing our troops. After all they are insurgents and not terrorists. Clearly an example of them being misunderstood, right? Not
Famous last words "But, you promised!" Gees.
When are you a**H****s going to stop blaming Bush evryone knows it is Woodrow Wilson's fault. It is three years into BO's term and you still blame Bush. I read one idiot go back as far as Reagan. I thought Biden was the biggest idiot but I see they are all cut from the same cloth. They believe the terrorists who promise to be good boys well then my tax check is in the mail.
Okay your no differerent than everyone else on this page.. How do you know they were terrorists? It said insurgents.. They probably live in a shack in Afghanistan in a very isolated tribal region.. What threat do these people realistically have to us.. Probably not much.. They are fighting because we are in their COUNTRY. Okay 3 years into Obama's term.. What is your point? Did you really expect the economy to come soaring back after that disaster.. A disaster mind you that happened while George Bush was president.. Not that I am blaming him, but he did weaking financial regulations during his time in office. Reagan was a good president in some ways.. His war on drugs has been a complete disaster, while the DARE program has only succeeded in educating youth about drugs, not keeping them from using. Realistically, Obama is very moderate. The conservatives just make him out to be a socialist.
I will have a fun time, if Romney gets elected, watching Republicans try to get something done.. It's not easy when Republicans fillibuster every bill proposed by Congress.
Jeff-2859099 : DUH what do you think an insurgent is? Now we see first hand the typical obama supporter and all of your Deep thought that went into voting a Leader to run this Great Nation. Like I stated earlier somehow the Uneducated, the Welfare people, the Scum of this country got out and voted this past election and look what happened. It's time for the Poor Little Ghetto Boy to get a job he can handle and it's not President!!!
John, You seem to be quite the racist. I bet you ten bucks that the uneducated, welfare scum of this country came from some lop-sided white supremacy chant. In fact, I'm sure that's exactly where it came from. I have met a few racists in my day and seems to me the common description of the people they all hate. I.E. Black people, is EXACTLY what you wrote. This country wont truly be a great nation until it is rid of the backwoods thinking coming from folks like you. Just sayin. Jesus loves you, everyone else thinks your an a@#hole. :)
John I emplore you to research the definition of insurgent and terrorist. They are different.. Terrorists perform atrocities and acts of terrorism with no political agenda in mind.. Insurgents, usually fight with a political motive in mind.. In this case, they want us out of their country, they have something to fight for.. The only thing our presence in these countries is doing, is breeding the next generation of terrorists who will then attack us at home. I would agree that you are somewhat racist though.. You can disagree with a president, but to resort to/rely on racial adjectives is wrong.. If you were grown up. You would understand this.
Implore woops thought I would fix that or you might just use that as another reason for me being stupid..Instead of talking about the issue at hand. Sorry if I offended you but things are not as black and white as they seem.. We are on the same side, in the same country and we need to work together with reasonable discourse.
But what is the better option.. Detain them at taxpayer expense? Kill them? That will only make things worse.
I am not saying that I know these released insurgents will not do more harm.. but the point is. Either do you.. and its worth making an effort for peace instead of war.
I agree. Release all of them. In body bags.
"The freed detainees are often fighters who would not be released under the legal system for military prisoners in Afghanistan. They must promise to give up violence, the report said."
Ah more brilliance from the Obama regime, what a genius concept!! Perhaps we can try this at home, convicted killers, just promise to give up violence and you can go back home, sex offenders you too, go back to your house next door to the grade school, just promise you'll stop abducting children. I'm sure this (like all the other stupid failures from The Obama) will work flawlessly (until they find these people blowing themselves up and killing innocent people....again).
Good. These people will likely be released when we leave so if releasing them now gets us out of Afghanistan more quickly, good.
and you sir, are a pinhead ! Nothing like spitting on the memories of every American fighting man and woman who sacrificed to make the world a safer place. You love 'em so much? I vote we deport YOUR a$$ there.
...and you promise to keep the peace as much as possible, until after November....right?
Shame, shame, shame on our present government! Which side is Obama really on? Other "insurgents" (read: "terrorists") have been released and gone back to business--killing American troops.
Aid is given to the "Arab Spring" (read: "campaign to bring fundamentalist Islam into power") and Pakistan and Afghanistan while our troops suffer equipment shortages and horrible conditions.
If one of these kills an American, let's try all those responsible for reckless homicide--and go all the way to the top.
And these hardcore millitants now fighting against US & PAKISTAN, BECAUSE of thses milltants pakistan lost 4000 soliders in the batlle feild .&around 90000 pakistan army all over this 1500 miles long harsh border. its just asalute to theefforts by thses poor guys ,silently defending their small country since 1979 (irussian accupation 14 year war )to the today decade old war aginst thses terrorists.
This is an easy one! We have been releasing prisoners for years and we are still fighting them. That alone should tell you something about trusting them to keep their word.
I understand releasing prisoners, but it's the REASON we are releasing them that makes ZERO sense....but then again this administration ran out of sence along time ago.
Rachel this is just like Holder letting those guns walk across the border into Mexico.
I believe this incumbent whackjob president deserves a second term..... in PRISON, charged with the offfense of HIGH TREASON.
I am not a Military expert, nor am I privy to all US intelligence...Not too many people have the inside information to make this kind of decision, so I am not too sure how I feel about it. I really don't think it will work out well in the long run, but I think that statement is a bit over the top...
Treason = giving comfort and aid to the enemy. 'nuff said.
WTF is an insurgent? After being locked up in jail, who is stupid enough to say that they promised not be violent again? They are just going to go home and open up a fruit cart?
Don't we all know by now that this president and his state department thinks that by giving money to terrorist groups (Afghans, Patistan, Egypt and the Palistinians) they will be friendly and help us - BS to that. Now we're going to let prisoners go even before they have agreed to anything in writing or have stopped their killing of their own people and our troops...how stupid is that, but then this seems to be a common trait of this government.
Everyone brands them as terrorists.. but really is that what they are.. They are in afghanistan fighting an invading army.. They probably have no idea why we are there still? Because I sure don't know why.. People are so easy to judge...Do you think this terrorist problem sprung out of nowhere? Sure the guys that come to our country trying to blow @!$%# up are terrorists, but they released a few prisoners.. Big @!$%#ing woop..Would you rather we keep them and prolong violence.. Give some respect to the military for their decisions on trying to get us out of Afghanistan..
We are in Afghanastan because that was the headquarters for Al Quida. Remember, they are the guys that took out the twin towers? Since going into Afghanastan, we all but wiped them out. We should always have a presence in that part of the world.
A little reality check Proud,
The money to finance 9/11 came from Saudi Arabia, as did the money handlers. The travel arrangements, flight school & even some housing was handlds by Saudi Arabians. Except for a few token representatives from other countries, Al Qaida is almost entirely Saudi Arabian. The Bin Laden clan lives in Saudi Arabia, & Osama came from Saudi Arabia, & he organized Al Qaida in Saudi Arabia. 15 of the 19 9/11 highjackers came from Saudi Arabia.
How many times to I have to repeat the name before you understand we invaded the wrong country?
We can't invade Saudi Arabia, much as I wish we would. They were funded out of Saudi Arabia but their home is Afghanastan.
You left out the Sudan. But invasion isn't necessary. Just close the Sraights of Hormuz. The MIddle East terrorists will all starve to death in a year, 18 months max.
Ah, but then you would have to make sacrifices. Can you?
Proud I do agree with you in that we went there for a reason.. but we have now been there for 11 years. That is the longest war the United States has ever been involved in. LONGEST and for what? We have made no real progress over there (unless you count U.S. presence in Korea).. When we leave things will probably be the same
LOL, this one is just too rich. Release insurgents in exchange for peace promises. Too damn funny.
We are talking about radical Islamics here right? People who are taught to lie to deceive your enemies.
You just assume that though.. They are probably regular muslims in their home country fighting for a cause they believe is just, fighting an invading army.. The same results would ensue in any country you go to, but you don't usually call them terrorists.. Insurgency and terrorism are two different things. My point is that we don't know who they released, what threat they were or are, yet we all assume the worst.
Administration: "I'll trade you three insurgents for ....um.....one week of peace. How's that sound?"
"Negotiators": "No, you will trade us three insurgents for not killing you right here on the spot."
Administration: "UMMMM........DEAL.
I think I have come up with a new game. We'll call it "Insurgent Poker". "I call your three insurgents and raise you two virgins." Hello Vegas!!
Too Funny ! Sad but true.
And these hardcore militants now fighting
against US & PAKISTAN, BECAUSE of these militants Pakistan lost 4000 soldiers
in the battle field .&around 90000 Pakistan army all over this 1500 miles
long harsh border. its just a salute to their fforts by these poor guys
,silently defending their small country since 1979 (Russian occupation 14 year
war )to the today decade old war against these terrorists.
& mover over according to Asian development
Bank & world Bank Pakistan
lost around 3 trillion dollar losses in terms of infrastructures , economy &
many more.
If you think this is crazy, did you know Reagan actually wanted to trade arms for hostages. Arms to Iranians at that. What a great idea! Next time Iran needs a main battle tank, just grab some Americans & cut a deal.
Don't take my word for it, ask Ollie North. He ran the program.
Did you know that AG Eric Holder is covering up a gun running scheme on US soil? Imagine this a program to give Outlaws guns for nothing. This is so the outlaws can take more hostages and kill Border Patrol agents. Then when this happens the AG can push the president for justification of more gun control. After all its hard to control the minds of law abiding Americans, especially if they are armed.
Hey stoner, you need to fast-forward twenty years.....it's now 2012
Actually it's been more than 25 years. What's your point, has something changed?
Seems to me we are screwed either way. We are going to spend billions of tax payer money either fighting them or housing them.
Or .75 for a bullet
So the dems love to hate GWB. They love to hate everything he did, but then when Obama continues his horrible policies they always defend them by stating that they are actually GWB policies. Am I missing something here? Do dems secretly admire the GWB policies?
Its easy to blame your predecessor for failure, but when you lack the vision or solution to the problem, you are left with only blame. Obama ran on "Yes We Can" and "Hope and Change", but all I see is the same old political games. The "Move Forward" campaign will not work since its only more fluff for the mobs.
4 years ago much to BHO's advantage the people were angry at a failed Bush administrations policies, thus an inexperienced community organizer with no voting record was elected POTUS. 4 years later he actually does have a record as a big spender with 1 partisan accomplishment that will more than likely by struck down by the SCOTUS. The economy is still weak 3.5 years after he was inaugurated, and that will ultimately be his demise. As Bob Dole said, "You know it, I know it, and the American people know it.
"They must promise to give up violence" LOL
More silliness. After Saudia Arabia's guerrilla force, Al Qaida, attacked us on 09/11/01 (you may have heard about it), the president geared up & attacked the wrong country. Not only that, but the country he did invade was the biggest threat to Saudi Arabia.
I don't care how good a comedian you are, you couldn't make up this stuff.
Please stop with the Left's silliness that we attacked the wrong Country, like Bush thought Iraq was responsible for 9/11 and immediately attacked Iraq... I bet that many on the Left actually believe the lies. Here...just a quick outline. Do some real research. You might find more than Simplistic Left Wing bumper stickers...
After the 9/11 attacks, The United States identified members of the al-Qaeda movement based in Afghanistan as the perpetrators of the attacks.
On 20 September 2001, U.S. president George W. Bush addressed the United States Congress and demanded that the Taliban deliver Osama bin Laden and destroy bases of al Qaeda
On 7 October 2001, airstrikes were reported in the capital, Kabul
The 2003 Invasion of Iraq (19 March – 1 May 2003), was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War
Everyone says we shouldn't have released them.. But if they were determined to not be a real threat, then the army probably did a cost/benefit analysis.. Businesses do that @!$%# all the time.. Let me pose a question to all of you? What else would we do with them??? Pay for them to be in prison.. Detain them indefinitely.. The truth is none of you know anything about this story.. It is very muddled with holes, yet you all KNOW that it was the wrong decision.. Damn what has happened to our country.. No analytical thinking what so ever.. No wonder we are having a hard time filling jobs.. You see the problem is not that there are not enough jobs in the United States. It is that there are not enough qualified workers to fill the available jobs.. For instance in the Engineering Field, there is a ton of work.. and this demand is only projected to increase.. Increase at a rate far higher than the available pool of qualified aplicants.. You people need to look at these stories from more than one side, instead of blaming people..
Jeff-2859099 : You want Analytical Thinking? Here it is You are an IDIOT!!
From the Washington Post version of the story:
What benefits are those, making it look like Obama's strategy is working in Afghanistan long enough to get him reelected in Nov.? Or the benefit to the Taliban in being able to utilize the former detainees to train others , plot strategy for when the US leaves and to kill innocent people and our troops on the meantime.?