Trading Places

President Obama is taking heat for agreeing to exchange Sgt. Bergdahl, an Afghanistan War POW held by the Taliban, for five high-ranking Talibs held as “detainees” at Guantanamo. Conservatives say he negotiated with terrorists (though the Taliban were the government of Afghanistan before being removed by a US invasion). More ridiculously, they worry that these five individuals might return to attack the U.S. – as if five people would make a difference in a war involving many thousands of fighters. I thought seeing this from the Afghan point of view would expose these lines of thinking for what they are.

Old McCain, Same as the New McCain

John McCain made a big fuss about opposing Bush on torture. But then Bush signed one of his infamous “signing statements” promising to ignore the law banning torture. McCain, victim of political expediency and sucking up to Bush, stayed mum.

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