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Today's Question Blog
Michael Olson

Did President Obama make the right call in the Bowe Bergdahl release?

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Obama, Bergdahl's
President Obama, Jani Bergdahl and Bob Bergdahl speak during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on May 31 about the release of their son, U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. AP

President Obama today [Tuesday] defended the deal under which Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was freed in exchange for high-level Taliban prisoners, saying his administration had consulted with Congress over a possible trade. And, he dismissed questions about how Bergdahl was captured by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan in June 2009.

"Regardless of the circumstances, whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity," President Obama said at a news conference. "We don't condition that."

He said the U.S. has a "sacred" obligation to not leave service members behind.

While Bergdahl's family, his hometown of Hailey, Idaho, and POW/MIA groups have welcomed the release, there have been questions raised by congressional lawmakers about the cost of the exchange. And many service members consider Bergdahl to be a deserter. [More on this story from NPR's Krishnadev Calamur]

Today's Question: Did President Obama make the right call in the Bowe Bergdahl release?