As part of deal to free US Sergeant Bowe Berghdahl from his captivity with the Taliban, Washington agreed to a prisoner exchange. Under the deal, five members of the Taliban were freed and sent to Qatar and had a travel ban imposed on them for a year. Now that the year is up, US officials are discussing with Qatari authorities the possibility of extending the travel ban on the five. Ironically, over the past year, Berghdahl has been charged with desertion of his post in Afghanistan and faces a military court.
There is a duplicity in Washington’s dealing with Qatar that is not acceptable. The deal was done a year ago, the terms were set, and the five Taliban accused were released to Qatar. It’s laughable that the US should now complain about the five former detainees being free to travel — like closing the stable door after the horses have bolted and then complaining loudly about it.
But the US has always been duplicitous when it comes to the entire issue of Guantanamo in the first instance. The prison was set up offshore so as to drive the detainees there without due judicial process and to enable the US to abuse and torture those men without consequence and far away from prying eyes. Some 120 still remain there — most held without charge since 2002. So much for promises to close the jail.
