This is really f-ed up re: Afghanistan. Someone please make me feel better about this....

[jillan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/secret-us-program-releases-insurgents-peace-pledge_n_1492539.html#comments


Secret U.S. Program Releases High-level Insurgents In Exchange For Pledges Of Peace

KABUL — The United States has for several years been secretly releasing high-level detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, a bold effort to quell violence but one that U.S. officials acknowledge poses substantial risks.

more here...
As the United States has unsuccessfully pursued a peace deal with the Taliban, the “strategic release” program has quietly served as a live diplomatic channel, allowing American officials to use prisoners as bargaining chips in restive provinces where military power has reached its limits.

But the releases are an inherent gamble: The freed detainees are often notorious fighters who would not be released under the traditional legal system for military prisoners in Afghanistan. They must promise to give up violence — and U.S. officials warn them that if they are caught attacking American troops, they will be detained once again.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/secret-us-program-releases-high-level-insurgents-in-exchange-for-pledges-of-peace/2012/05/06/gIQAFfJn6T_story.html

[jillan]

1. No comments? This sounds insane to me.

[snappyturtle]

2. It sounds insane to me too so I'm certain it's happening.

Well, it's one way to keep us involved and the MIC happily engaged. imho

[sabrina 1]

3. We don't belong there. What are we doing imprisoning people fighting against invaders of their

country, which is exactly what we would do here if anyone were to invade this country. It's insane, war is insane, we never should have gone there. We've killed so many of their citizens and we can't 'win', people will fight for hundreds of years to kick invaders out of their country. History attests to that.

We need to leave all these countries we are currently killing people in, and stop acting all innocent when people fight back. Of course they fight back. And of course crazy things happen when you invade someone else's country.

You think releasing fighters from prison is crazy?? Sorry, but to me, what is crazy is the killing of men, women and children. The torture of human beings who have done nothing to us.

Dropping bombs, using remote controlled drones to rip people apart, including children, THAT is crazy. It's madness, it's insanity.

And a country that becomes desensitized to all that slaughter, in fact, even defends it, is a country that has lost its way.

It's all for profit, but not for the average person. Yet, average people, even here on DU, defend much of this madness, this insanity.

And I think that is what is crazy.

Sorry releasing prisoners may be the most sane thing I've heard so far regarding our infamous wars.

History will not treat this period of American history kindly.

[rug]

4. It's a desperate attempt to create a pause in the war so victory can be declared.