News

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today regarding the conditions of U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl’s release in a Taliban prisoner exchange:

“The release of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is welcome news. I join all Americans in celebrating his reunion with his family. However, I am concerned about the steps the Obama Administration took to secure his release.

“The release of five senior Taliban commanders to Qatar under unspecified conditions is very troubling and may endanger American lives. In the coming days the Congress must examine the circumstances under which Sergeant Bergdhal’s release was achieved, and what conditions, if any, the Administration secured to ensure these enemy combatants do not return to the battlefield.

“I fear that the Administration’s decision to negotiate with the Taliban for Sergeant Bergdahl’s release could encourage future terrorist kidnappings of Americans. I fear also that the Administration is endangering U.S. and coalition forces by releasing some of the most dangerous detainees captured in the War on Terrorism. As Americans, we never forget our brave men and women who are captured or missing in action. We also must ensure we are not further undermining U.S. national security by releasing motivated terrorists back to the battlefield.”