"Candy, what we did was ensure that, as always, the United States doesn't leave a man or a woman on the battlefield," Rice replied. "And in order to do this, it's very important for folks to understand, if we got into a situation where we said, because of who has captured an American soldier on the battlefield, we will leave that person behind, we would be in a whole new era for the safety of our personnel and for the nature of our commitment to our men and women in uniform. "So, because it was the Taliban that had him did not mean that we had any less of an obligation to bring him back."
Crowley tried again, telling Rice, "You had to negotiate with terrorists to secure the release of the sergeant." "We actually negotiated with the government of Qatar, to whom we owe a great debt," Rice said. "But the point is, he was being held by the Taliban. We had the opportunity to bring him back. He's back safely in the hands of the United States. And that's a great thing." "Yes, and I don't think anyone argues," Crowley said. "I think the question now is...that no longer can it be said that the U.S. doesn't negotiate with terrorists?" "I wouldn't put it that way, Candy. I wouldn't say that at all." "How would you put it?" Crowley asked Rice. "Well, when we are in battles with terrorists and terrorists take an American prisoner, that prisoner still is a U.S. serviceman or woman. We still have a sacred obligation to bring that person back. We did so, and that's what's to be celebrated."
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, "We didn't negotiate with terrorists." According to Hagel, "The transaction really was done by the Qatar government and the emir's commitment to getting that accomplished. We facilitated that in different ways, but in the interest of our own intelligence and procedures, I don't want to go much further than that." Rice said the prisoner swap -- Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Taliban fighters -- announced Saturday by President Obama "evolved over a period of time." "In fact, going back some years, we have had intermittent conversations through the government of Qatar about trying to obtain the release of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl,"
Rice told Crowley. "So, it began over a period of months, back in -- this latest round began back in the end of last year, when we had the opportunity." She said the deal came together over the last several days. In February, the Taliban said it was suspending talks with the U.S. over a possible prisoner exchange. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that secret talks over a prisoner swap have been underway in the United Arab Emirates. The announcement that those secret talks were being suspended came five days after the White House denied that active negotiations were taking place. The process will remain suspended without the exchange of the prisoners until our decision to resume, the Taliban spokesman said at the time.
Did the U.S. Negotiate With Terrorists? Susan Rice Dodges | CNS News