Beltway Confidential

Why did Obama administration hurry to trade for Bowe Bergdahl?

By Becket Adams

Published June 3, 2014 11:46am ET

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Why did Obama administration hurry to trade for Bowe Bergdahl? — Signs celebrating U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release hang on the front of Zaney's coffee shop in Hailey, Idaho, his hometown, on Saturday. Bergdahl, 28, had been held prisoner by the Taliban since June 30, 2009. (AP/The Idaho Statesman, Kyle Green) | Kyle Green

After mulling over the issue for several years, the Obama administration decided last month to act without Congress and released five Taliban leaders in exchange for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

The official reason for the White House’s urgency on the issue: Bergdahl’s “nutritional needs” had reportedly become a matter of life and death, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said this week.

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Afghanistan Army Taliban