Debate stirs over US-Taliban captive swap

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration faces mounting questions over the prisoner swap that won freedom for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl after five years in Taliban hands.

The release of five terrorist suspects from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is stirring a debate over whether the exchange will heighten the risk of other Americans being snatched as bargaining chips and whether the released detainees will find their way back to the fight.

U.S. officials say that Bergdahl’s health and safety appeared in jeopardy, prompting their quick action.

Republicans say the deal could set a troubling precedent. Arizona Sen. John McCain calls the five released Guantanamo detainees “the hardest of the hard core.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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