The day after White House spokesman Eric Schultz confirmed that the Taliban are indeed not terrorists, three U.S. contractors were killed at Kabul Airport by an Afghan in a military uniform. The non-terrorist Taliban have claimed responsibility:
The attack killed 3 American terrorists and wounded 4 others before the infiltrator was martyred by return fire #Khaibar #Kabul #Afghanistan
— Abdulqahar Balkhi (@ABalkhi) January 30, 2015
“The Taliban is an armed insurgency. ISIL is a terrorist group. So we don’t make concessions to terrorist groups,” Schultz said Wednesday while defending the Bowe Bergdahl swap for five Taliban commanders.
More information about the contractors hasn’t been released. A fourth American was wounded.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Thursday he couldn’t confirm or deny reports that one of the Taliban 5 swapped for Bergdahl has returned to a life of jihad.
“However, the overall problem of GITMO detainees returning to the battlefield constitutes a growing threat to the United States, our allies, our interests, and our citizens,” Nunes said. “If President Obama continues to release these dangerous terrorists, there will be a steep price to pay – very likely in lost American lives.”
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) called the report “troubling, but wholly predictable.”
“After the Obama administration released five top Taliban leaders, we were assured that these terrorists would be sidelined for at least a year. This lousy deal seems to have fallen apart,” Royce said. “Reportedly, at least one of them couldn’t wait even that long to start stirring up militant activity. The dangerous deal the White House cut has real consequences for the safety of Americans. Congress and the American people deserve a full explanation.”
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