Obama Released 4 More From GITMO; 1LT Clint Lorance Still

by Allen West: It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, if you’re a detainee. Come on everyone, sing along!

In yet another violation of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 — President Barack Obama has released four more GITMO detainees — what a nice Christmas gesture.

Just in case you haven’t been paying attention, some five GITMO Islamic terrorists were released to Uruguay and are living la vida loca in that South American country.

Just last week, three Cuban spies, who have the blood of Americans on their hands, were released back to Cuba in a prisoner swap. Don’t forget, the five senior Taliban leaders will be eligible to return to Afghanistan next year from their heavenly exile to Qatar. And just where is ol’ Army SGT Bowe Bergdahl? The full report on his case was completed about three months ago. Obviously the Pentagon has it and the Secretary of the Army knows the findings – why won’t anyone share?

As Obama whisked off to Hawaii vacay, four more GITMO detainees had their Christmas wishes granted. As reported by CNS News, “The Pentagon said Saturday that four Afghans from the Guantanamo Bay detention center have been returned to their home country in what U.S. officials are citing as a sign of their confidence in new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Obama administration officials said they worked quickly to fulfill the request from Ghani, in office just three months, to return the four — long cleared for release — as a kind of reconciliation and mark of improved U.S.-Afghan relations.”

Well, stupid me, here I thought all the American lives lost and severely wounded and maimed would serve as a mark of good relations, especially since there wouldn’t have been free elections otherwise. So who came up with the misguided idea that we needed to release four Afghans who took up arms against our men and women in that country as a sign of “friendship?”

And get this gem, “There is no requirement that the Afghan government further detain the men, identified as Mohammed Zahir, Shawali Khan, Abdul Ghani and Khi Ali Gul. Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, a government-appointed group, confirmed the transfer, but did not identify the men, saying that the four “will be reunited soon with their families.”

“Although these four Afghans have long been approved for transfer, the move sparked debate in Washington. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel did not immediately sign off after Gen. John F. Campbell, the top American commander in Afghanistan, raised concerns they could pose a danger to troops in the country. Administration officials say Campbell and all military leaders on the ground have now screened the move.”

In other words, General Campbell and those combat leaders in Afghanistan were told by the administration to “Sierra-Tango-Hotel-Uniform.”

Okay, so let me pose the obvious question — when does Obama release U.S. Army 1LT Clint Lorance, whose story we reported on here? How about caring for the goodwill and reunion of LT Lorance with his family? Here is a young man who volunteered to answer his nation’s call after 9-11 and enlisted into the Army — and then sought greater responsibility after attending college earning his degree and commission as an officer.

So, if Mssrs. Zahir, Khan, Ghani, and Gul are deserving freedom, how can this administration be so dismissive and obstinate as to imprison – wrongly, I may add — one of our own? How is it that this Obama administration cares so much about these Islamic terrorists that our men and women fought hard to get off the battlefield — yet cared little for twice-deployed U.S Marine SGT Andrew Tahmooressi?

Simply put, I ain’t buying any of this. Is a political promise to shut down GITMO more important that our own warriors? Apparently so. Or perhaps the real goal of Obama’s olive branch for Cuba is to turn the GITMO territory back to Cuba before exiting the White House and proclaim he has forever shut down the U.S. Base at Guantanamo Bay.

As CNS writes, “Administration officials, speaking on a condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, say more transfers are expected in the coming weeks. Matter of fact, the Afghanistan High Peace Council has also requested the repatriation of the eight Afghans who are among the 132 detainees remaining at Guantanamo.”

You see, in the minds of the progressive socialist left and the Obama camp, this is how you fight against Islamic terrorism. You condemn your own nation for “enhanced interrogation techniques” and release those captured — not within the executive branch’s enumerated power — as a sign of good will.

The lesson the enemy learns is that we are benevolent suckers. When in the history of warfare have prisoners — in this case unlawful enemy combatants — ever been released before combat hostilities have concluded, with documents signed by both parties, normally the loser?

We are rewarding the belligerence of the enemy with kindness, and even more disconcerting, the Obama administration has vowed to leave some 10,800 troops in Afghanistan — for what? Perhaps they can go by and tuck in these released terrorists every night and give them warm goats milk and cookies.

And we ask why the morale of our military is at an incredible low. Obama issued a statement last Friday objecting to congressional restrictions on closing Guantanamo — you know, they shouldn’t exert their Constitutionally-granted enumerated powers.

He said shutting down the detention facility was a “national imperative” (actually a partisan political imperative for Obama). He also noted that the U.S. recently ended its operations of prisons for suspected terrorists in Afghanistan by releasing the final three detainees from the Parwan Detention Center — I suppose if Obama declares combat operations are over, then there’s no enemy. So who are the folks who just killed two American troops a week ago in an attack on a convoy?

And how does the Obama administration justify all of this? Simple, you dismiss the enemy, “One administration official involved in the review said most, if not all, the terrorism accusations against the men had been discarded and each is considered a low-level operative at best.”

So my understanding is that if you’re just an Islamic terrorist private you’re ok — regardless if you were on the battlefield shooting at Americans. This is without a doubt one of the most insidious policy decisions and classifications of the enemy.

Folks, I must confide that after these final two years of the Obama presidency, America will need a warrior statesman — not another politician. After Sir Neville Chamberlain there came a Winston Churchill — so there is always hope.
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Allen West (LtCol-Ret., USA) served in several combat zones including Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as a civilian military adviser to the Afghan army (2007-2007). In 2010, he was elected to the United States Congress (R-FL-22). He is a Fox News Contributor, a Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research.

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Tags: Allen West, President Obama, Afghanistan, Clint Lorance, GITMO, SGT Bowe Bergdahl To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!