Following the deal that saw the release of five Taliban leaders from Gitmo in return for Bowe Bergdahl, outgoing White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked if the Taliban is considered a terrorist group. Carney wouldn’t go that far:
Asked if the US regards the Taliban as a terrorist group, @PressSec says Taliban regarded as an "enemy combatant" in conflict with the US.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 2, 2014
WH Jay Carney: Bergdahl wasn’t a “hostage” he was a “prisoner” of the Taliban. The Taliban aren’t “terrorists” they’re “enemy combatants.”
— Kerry Picket (@KerryPicket) June 2, 2014
Maybe Carney figures if he simply doesn’t refer to the Taliban as terrorists the administration can deny accusations they negotiated with terrorists, right?
@markknoller @PressSec So word play a way to say we didn't negotiate w/ terrorists?
— Neil Kille (@NeilKille) June 2, 2014
These games are getting tiring, not to mention dangerous:
https://twitter.com/JimmyTusheets/status/473523735245623296
https://twitter.com/PostmasterBen/status/473524405063397376
https://twitter.com/exsacerdotal/status/473524548646998016
https://twitter.com/MurricaFuckYeah/status/473524556687085568
. @markknoller @DLoesch @PressSec the fact the question had to be asked pretty much says it all
— Dan Andros (@DanAndros) June 2, 2014
https://twitter.com/RianAlden/status/473525311204634624
@KatiePavlich @ColorMeRed If they aren't terrorists then why did these outstanding citizens hold a US soldier for 5 years? #DoubleTalkAgain
— RoyBoy (@TheQuestman) June 2, 2014
This would have been a great follow-up question:
@KatiePavlich Let's see, Afghanistan "War on Terror" after 9/11 – if Taliban "not a terrorist group," why have we been fighting for 13 yrs?
— wakethesheeple (@wakethesheeple1) June 2, 2014
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to remove a tweet that claimed that Taliban in Afghanistan are considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.
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