The parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier held hostage by the Taliban for three years; say the U.S. is moving too slow in trying to secure their son’s release. The soldier’s parents went public with attempts that were previously secret that tried to trade him for prisoners from the Taliban being held by the U.S.
The Bergdahl’s said they were concerned the government of the U.S. had not done all they could to secure the soldier’s release. Bergdahl is from Idaho and was captured in June of 2009. He is believed to be held by the Taliban known as Haqqani. The group is an insurgent group located somewhere within Pakistan. A possible prisoner swap has been discussed that would free Bergdahl in exchange for five of the Taliban prisoners that are held in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
The White House administration had the framework set up to have those five prisoners sent to Qatar, where they would remain under a form of minimal house arrest. In the mean time, Bergdahl was to be returned to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
The deal has been up in the air for a number of months and faces opposition in the U.S. Congress if it were to come to a vote. Talks in March were ended when the Taliban walked away saying that several promises by the U.S had been reneged upon.
The Bergdahl’s said they were hoping and praying for the safe release of their son and they hope he is released without putting any other U.S. military personnel in harm’s way.
