As Michael notes, the Obama administration wants to open peace talks with the Taliban and reward them before they even come to the table by releasing senior Taliban leaders held at Guantanamo Bay. Fox News reports that a senior U.S. official has confirmed that “Mullah Mohammed Fazl is among the prisoners being considered for release.”
So who is this Mullah Mohammed Fazl?
Last year, WikiLeaks released a trove of documents it dubbed the “Gitmo Files” 
with assessments of hundreds of Guantanamo detainees—including Fazl. According to his official record, Fazl is a war criminal who has massacred thousands of people, has close relationships with al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, is involved in narcotics trafficking, and is so senior in the Taliban hierarchy that he once threatened the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Omar. He is considered to pose a “high risk” to American forces and our allies if released.
Here is the official U.S. government assessment of the man Barack Obama wants to put back on the streets (emphasis is mine):
Detainee is assessed to be a HIGH risk, as he is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests, and allies…. Detainee is an admitted senior official of the Taliban government and army and was last assigned to the position of Deputy Minister of Defense. Detainee also served as Chief of Staff of the Taliban Army and a commander of the 22nd Division. Detainee is wanted by the UN for possible war crimes including the murder of thousands of Shiites. Detainee had operational associations with significant al-Qaida and other extremist personnel. Detainee wielded considerable influence throughout the northern region of Afghanistan and his influence continued even after his capture. If released, detainee would likely rejoin the Taliban and establish ties with anti-Coalition militias (ACM) participating in hostilities against US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan….
Detainee is wanted by the UN for possible war crimes while serving as a Taliban Army Chief of Staff and was noted having a long record of human rights abuses. Detainee was implicated in the murder of thousands of Shiites in northern Afghanistan during the Taliban reign. When asked about the murders, detainee and [ANOTHER DETAINEE] did not express any regret and stated they did what they needed to do in their struggle to establish their ideal state.
Detainee protected a subordinate accused of mass murder. Detainee’s deputy commander, Mullah Dadullah Lang, aka (Commander Dadullah), was reportedly responsible for the murder of 500 Shia, Hazara, and Uzbek civilians, including men, women, and children, during the winter of 2000. Dadullah Lang’s troops seized the people near Sar-i-Pol, AF, trucked them to Baghlan Province, AF, killed them, and threw the bodies into gorges…. After Mullah Omar found out about the massacre, he ordered Dadullah Lang to be disarmed and brought to Kandahar to explain his actions. Detainee vouched for Dadullah Lang, reportedly telling Supreme Leader of the Taliban Mullah Muhammad Omar that if Dadullah Lang was disarmed, detainee would disarm Mullah Omar. (Analyst Note: Detainee was directly subordinate to Mullah Omar. Detainee’s threat directly against the Supreme Leader of the Taliban indicates he held great authority and power within the Taliban)….
Detainee was reportedly involved in Taliban narcotics trafficking activities….
[Another detainee] stated detainee has continued to spread anti-Afghan government and anti-US messages among detainees at JTF-GTMO [and] lists detainee among several detainees at JTF-GTMO who would likely pose a threat to the Afghan government it released….
Detainee was directly connected to several extremist organizations and facilitated programs supporting the Taliban, including al-Qaida and IMU…. Detainee has specific information relating to several extremist organizations that provide support to the Taliban. Detainee also probably has significant information on Taliban and al-Qaida personnel still active today.
This is the man the Obama administration wants to release—not in return for any concession on the part of the Taliban, mind you, but as a confidence building measure before any talks even begin. Based on this assessment, Mullah Mohammed Fazl is a mass murderer who should not be released under any circumstances. He should be tried by military commission and spend the rest of his life in custody at Guantanamo Bay.
So, what’s the big whoop if a mass murderer is released to rejoin the Taliban? It’s not like they’re our enemy ‘per se.’”
What rock have you been living under?
The day that America and the world turn a blind eye to mass murder and genocide and those who commit these atrocities is the end of humanity. We supply the means to the end of our time on this planet when we set these people loose on the world.
Now, don’t go pulling the greedy American card just after oil argument out either unless you’re ready to give up your wheels and comfortable American lifestyle made possible by that ready supply of oil that drives not just the US economy and conveniences but economies and conveniences world – wide.
What a slap in the face to all the Americans who’ve sacrificed their lives and time with loved ones to help contain these threats to world wide stability.
Chad – I took Les’ comment to be sarcasm. You are right in your statements for certain, but Les probably should not be a target of your ire.
Seriously, satire is beyond some people. For real though, people need to not be so scared of one dude making connections. He lives out in the desert. He’s been in fucking cages all this time. Motherfucker just wants to get home and get laid.
Chad,
Are you really this stupid? The comments from Les were in reference to Vice President Joe Biden who said “Look, the Taliban per se is not our enemy.”
To me it sounded like Les was mocking Biden, not making a serious suggestion to release a mass murderer.
Sorry if my sarcasm tags didn’t transmit. I quite agree with you, Chad.
I put “per se” in quotes in reference to a statement by Joe Biden in an interview published last month. He said, “Look, the Taliban per se is not our enemy. That’s critical.” Of course, the White House defended his comments.
For a more representative example of my wry wit, or arguable lack thereof, here’s my latest seasonal vid cartoon on the state of the election — The Waffle Song.
Really, Chad, really?
“The day that America and the world turn a blind eye to mass murder and genocide and those who commit these atrocities is the end of humanity.”
Then it’s all over, Chad. Your limited selection of
News outlets has left you very ignorant. Have someone help you search the Internet for “genocide” and “Africa.” I’m sure you would be shocked reading about the tens of millions of lives destroyed thru mass murder, genocide & atrocities while America turns a blind eye.
Chad,
Les is qouting our distingushed Vice-Presidnet from a few weeks back.
This administration is ensuring our loss in Afghanastan with their inflexible timeline,as they have ensured the loss of Iraq (by failing to seriously renegotiate the Status of Forces Agreeement, as all parties intended when the “first draft” was signed under W.).
OBlahblah has failed to back up protestors in Iran during the “Green Uprising”, but he threw our ally of 30 years under the bus in Egypt so the Muslim Brotherhood could take control of the country. He threw Kadafy (not a friend of ours, but an enemy of the islamists) under the bus so that the Islamists could take over libya.
America’s enemy holds the White House…..
“It’s not like they’re our enemy ‘per se.’”
Right…that’s exactly what Joe Biden said…they aren’t the enemy, per se’.
What a joke!
It’s a huge slap in the face of the brave Marines who have died to bring these assholes to justice. They are the enemy. Obama and his whole administration are enemies of the state, if you ask me.
Release him and then a Predator Drone about 10 seconds after.
Gary Kaltbaum is a pedophile.I know his wife and she told me that Gary Kaltbaum is molesting children in their house.
I say let him loose. Here’s my thinking on this. We can’t kill him in protective custody. When he is released he is a combatant…. Fair game for two in the chest and one in the fore head
unless he is considered a US asset , then he will be immune from everything, just what Obagger wants
One shot one kill
Release him somewhere in Helmand Province strapped to Hellfire. Adios muchacho.