The five Taliban prisoners in the proposed exchange are from top left: Mohammad Nabi Omari, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mullah Norullah Noori, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa. (NY Times)
The five top Taliban leaders released by Obama last year in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl will be set free by Qatar on June 1st.
Breitbart.com reported:
The five senior Taliban Commanders released from Guantanamo (GITMO) in exchange for the return of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl are set to be freed from their “luxurious” confinement in Qatar effective June 1. These five hard-core terrorists are Mullah Norullah Noori, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Khairullah Khairkhwa and Mohammend Nabi Omari. They were classified as some of the most dangerous Taliban commanders held at GITMO, according to Thomas Joscelyn of The Long War Journal.
There is little doubt that these five Taliban commanders will return to the Afghanistan battlefield. The real issue that should not be overlooked is why these five hardcore terrorists were traded for the return of Bergdahl, a deserter, according to his platoon mates. Bergdahl left his guard post and walked away from his base in Afghanistan on June 30, 2009. He took off his body armor and left his weapon behind.
An AP report of March 2, 2014, states that Bergdahl willingly walked away from his post while deployed in Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan. The article further refers to aRolling Stone article that quoted e-mails from Bergdahl to his parents saying that he was disillusioned and had lost faith in the US Army mission, and that he was considering desertion. He told his parents that he was “ashamed to even be American.” Prior to deserting his position, he mailed home boxes containing his uniform and books. The AP could not verify the e-mails.
Afghan officials worried the Taliban leaders released by Barack Obama will rejoin the battle against the government.
One former Gitmo prisoner, Taliban leader Noorullah Noori, promised to return to Afghanistan and fight the Americans after his arrival in Qatar.
