Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Afghanistan plans to release 65 Taliban prisoners

Kabul is planning to go ahead and release 65 "dangerous" Taliban prisoners despite American objections. Original plans had called for the release of 72 inmates but after reviewing evidence they have decided to release "just" 65.

Our bravest and best young men have fought and died for over 12 years in Afghanistan now trying to protect a government that is bound and determined to undo all the work they have done. It is time to bring the rest of the soldiers home. Our own government have made them targets but changing the rules of engagement and now the Kabul government is going to release 65 prisoners that American believe are a danger to protecting the Afghan people.

The Obama regime is still in talks on a security pact that would allow Americans to stay beyond the 2014 pullout. When the Afghanistan authorities go against the wishes of the Americans by releasing these prisoners they show a lack of willingness for the fight for their own future. They want us gone and the president that ran on a campaign promise of ending all wars we were involved in has plans to keep us in a place where we are unwanted by the government. However,the soldiers I have talked to on their return say they are welcome there and are wanted.

The Pentagon, if they want our soldiers to remain there, must relax the rules of engagement and let them defend themselves. Why do they insist on making our men take a knife to a gun fight? I will stand behind our troops as I always have but they deserve a chance to do their jobs and return home.

Afghanistan to release 65 'dangerous' Taliban prisoners

KABUL: Afghanistan on Tuesday said it would press ahead with the release of scores of alleged Taliban fighters from jail despite US objections that the men were a threat to Nato and Afghan forces.

Kabul announced on January 9 that a total of 72 detainees held at Bagram jail near the capital would be freed due to lack of evidence, sparking strong condemnation from the United States.

Afghan authorities “concluded that the there is no evidence against 72 out of 88 prisoners. We reviewed their cases again after objections by the US forces, and for now we will release 65 prisoners,” Abdul Shukur Dadras from the Afghan government body reviewing detainees at Bagram said on Tuesday.