This morning I heard a commentator discussing the Administration’s release of five Taliban. His take was because America was winding down the war (interesting how one side can do that) and prisoner exchange is always done at the end of a war it was perfectly normal.
As far as any risk from these released terrorists was concerned, he noted that by the time the one year is up and they are free to move about, Americans will be gone from Afghanistan so it doesn’t matter.
Well it may matter quite a lot to the Afghanistan people. Thousands of Americans gave their lives for that place, thousands more suffered horrible injuries and traumatic disability. Does none of that matter?
Were these Americans sacrificed for nothing so that it doesn’t matter that the U.S. callously unleashes a greater threat of terror on Afghanistan? An American pullout does not mean the war is over for the Afghanistan people.
Exactly what does matter to the people running our Country?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Sorry Dick
They tell you it is always a good strategy to “cut your losses” or “don’t throw good money after bad”, or some other trite expression. Once the Taliban was removed from power in Afghanistan, we should have removed ourselves … let the UN weenies or others control the reconciliation or reconstruction process (as if we, they or anyone could).
But, that is not what we did. We stayed. And, make no mistake about it, we will still be there 10,000 strong in 2015, and 5,000 strong in 2016. So, while I have concerns about the Afghan people, I suspect that they will not be the prime target any more than our remaining troops when it comes to who the Taliban and these five returnees,
That is, sure, obtain/effect the return the troops (regardless or circumstance) once hostilities are ended, but, hostilities are apparently not going to end … at least from the perspective of the Taliban. Shades of Vietnam, where we declared peace was at hand in 1973, only to see a much different result by 1975/1976.
What a mess. What a mess. I ache for Mr. Bergdahl’s parents, for the parents of sons and daughters who apparently placed themselves in harm’s way to pursue Mr. Bergdahl while he was a captive, to those who are in harms way today and tomorrow, and, from my personal perspective, Sp4 V J. Pomante, of Westerville Ohio who attended school with my children, and his parents.
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You are quite right. Releasing the “terrorists” doesn’t matter. Afghanistan will regress quickly to civil war as soon as US forces are gone. Anyone with a sense of history knows that. I offer Iraq a a prime and obvious example. So the two wars started by Bush (the dummer) and war criminal Dick Cheney on false pretensions were a huge waste of American lives and treasure. Republicans will never understand, comprehend and/or admit that neither “National Building” in Muslim countries nor trickle down economics have never succeeded and never will. And Hillary would be correct: “What difference doe it make at this point. After 51 consecutive months of private sector job growth, the Democrats have regained all of the jobs lost in the Republican recession with no help at all from the obstructionist right wings idealogues. Vote blue on November, take back the House, retain the Senate and this proud nation will be in “all ahead full” mode for Hillary to strenghten to even greater glory in 2016.
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Well I’m glad to hear everything is fine and dandy in America. But as usual you miss the point of the post.
Dick Quinnscommentary.com
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One (Hillary) might ask “What difference does it make at this point?”
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