Republicans questioned whether the deal that freed U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Taliban militants amounted to a negotiation with terrorists that would ultimately hurt U.S. counterterrorism efforts. The debate continued as Army Sergeant Bergdahl was flown out of Afghanistan to a military hospital in Germany on Sunday, Reuters reported. Bergdahl, held for nearly five years in Afghanistan, was freed Saturday in a deal with the Taliban brokered by the Qatari government. In exchange, five Taliban militants were released from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and flown to Qatar. While Bergdahl's release was celebrated by his family and his hometown, Republicans questioned whether the administration had acted properly in releasing the militants. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI) said that the White House made a mistake by deciding to “negotiate with terrorists” for the release of prisoners. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) said his panel will hold hearings on the prisoner exchange. Obama Administration officials defended the action, saying that it did not negotiate with the Taliban, but dealt only with the Qatari government.
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