Dem Sen Feinstein Raises Questions About Obama's Bergdahl Deal
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, contradicted on Sunday several claims of the Obama administration about the prisoner swap for Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, who was recently freed from five years in captivity at the hands of the Taliban.
The administration failed to give advance notice to Congress before releasing detainees from Guantanamo Bay, as required by the National Defense Authorization Act, Feinstein suggested during an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," refuting the argument that the soldier might have been killed if the deal was made leaked.
"Well, that isn't necessarily true," she said. "We have been briefed; the chairman and the ranking member. Senator (Saxby) Chambliss (Republican from Georgia) and I have been briefed on operations underway. We understand the security of that. We have never violated that. But at least you have some knowledge, and you can make some comment. That's never been the case with this particular situation. So it hits us as a real surprise."
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Feinstein said she only heard rumors about the details of the deal. "With respect to escape, no information but rumors. With respect to being tortured, this is the first I've heard of that."
The release of Bergdahl in exchange for the release of five Taliban detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base was announced last week.
Feinstein questioned the claims that there was evidence indicating a threat to Bergdahl's life. "I've heard of none. I'll put it that way," she said.
She also said she doubts if Bergdahl's health was rapidly declining, pointing out that his fast recovery at a U.S. military facility in Germany tells a different story. "I think his rapid recovery, which seems to be happening, which I'm grateful (for), indicates that perhaps he wasn't close to death."
Feinstein also refuted claims that the release of five prisoners to Qatar will have no security implications.
"There is no house arrest," she said. "They have the country, which is very small, to be about in. Secretary [of State John] Kerry made a very strong statement this morning, saying, 'Oh, we have ways, and we will see that they do not defect, move, speak, whatever.' And we'll see."
Asked if she is not as comfortable about that as Kerry is, Feinstein said, "Well it's hard to be comfortable when you haven't been briefed on the intricacies of carrying out this agreement."
In the same show, Chambliss indicated he doubts Bergdahl's version of what happened during his time in captivity. "There are going to be a lot of things that Bergdahl tells the Army and the medical folks that he's talking to now that...is going to be very difficult to validate," Chambliss said. "But that's not to say they're not absolutely true. But we weren't there."
Bergdahl has said he was repeatedly tortured and was kept in a cage for extended periods after he tried to escape twice.
"This whole sort of deal has been one that the administration has kept very close, and, in the eyes of many of us, too close," Feinstein said.
Members of Congress, Bergdahl's former platoon mates and other critics have alleged that the soldier was captured after walking away from his post. Some have also claimed that at least six soldiers died as part of efforts to save him.
Bergdahl grew up with parents and older sister in Idaho. He and his sister were homeschooled. He was deployed to Afghanistan in February 2009, and was involved in the humanitarian aspect of the job, passing out food and medical supplies.
