The American Legion issued the following:
Legion: Sgt Bergdahl release is good, Gitmo releases are bad
The leader of the nation’s largest veterans service organization
raised some concerns about the circumstances surrounding the recent
release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by the Taliban.
“First, to Sgt. Bergdahl, I say, ‘welcome home,’” American Legion
National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger said today. “Your family has
waited far too long to see you and we are happy that your five year
nightmare has ended. To the administration, I say The American Legion
has some very serious concerns.”
Dellinger, who is visiting troops in Europe this week, asked, “Has
the United States changed its longheld policy of not negotiating with
terrorists? Will this provide incentives for terrorists to kidnap other
Americans? What assurances do we have that the five dangerous
detainees being released from Guantanamo will not return to the
battlefield?
“While Qatar will institute a travel ban on the released
detainees for 12 months, our troops won’t be leaving Afghanistan until
2016,” Dellinger added. “There are many troubling aspects about this
deal and the American people deserve some answers. Moreover, we hope the
Department of Defense does a complete investigation of the
circumstances surrounding Sgt. Bergdahl’s initial disappearance and take
whatever steps are warranted by the findings of that investigation.”
With a current membership of 2.4-million wartime veterans, The
American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong
national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs.
Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly
14,000 posts across the nation.
veterans
