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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Defence Secretary Hagel defends deal over Bowe Bergdahl | Defence Secretary Hagel defends deal over Bowe Bergdahl |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says the decision to strike a deal with the Taliban for the release of a US soldier was unanimous in the White House. | US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says the decision to strike a deal with the Taliban for the release of a US soldier was unanimous in the White House. |
| Mr Hagel told the BBC the agreement was made because it was believed Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's life was "in peril". | Mr Hagel told the BBC the agreement was made because it was believed Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's life was "in peril". |
| Barack Obama's administration had to act quickly and without first consulting Congress, he added. | Barack Obama's administration had to act quickly and without first consulting Congress, he added. |
| Sgt Bergdahl was freed after five years in captivity, in exchange for five Taliban figures from Guantanamo Bay. | Sgt Bergdahl was freed after five years in captivity, in exchange for five Taliban figures from Guantanamo Bay. |
| 'Made a judgement' | |
| The White House is required to notify Congress 30 days before transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay but decided that waiting was too risky. | |
| "It was our judgement based on the information that we had that his life, his health were in peril," Mr Hagel told the BBC. | "It was our judgement based on the information that we had that his life, his health were in peril," Mr Hagel told the BBC. |
| "Can you imagine if we would have waited or taken the chance of leaks over a 30 day period? | "Can you imagine if we would have waited or taken the chance of leaks over a 30 day period? |
| "I will tell you what I know and I made a judgement on this too - that would have seriously imperilled us ever getting him out." | "I will tell you what I know and I made a judgement on this too - that would have seriously imperilled us ever getting him out." |
| Mr Hagel was speaking the day after a welcoming party in Sgt Bergdahl's home town of Hailey, Idaho, was cancelled, and amid suspicions that he deserted his post. | Mr Hagel was speaking the day after a welcoming party in Sgt Bergdahl's home town of Hailey, Idaho, was cancelled, and amid suspicions that he deserted his post. |
| Organisers said the event was called off because of a large increase in the number of expected attendees. | Organisers said the event was called off because of a large increase in the number of expected attendees. |
| Several commentators and soldiers have branded Sgt Bergdahl a deserter and called for him to be punished. | |
| Mr Hagel defended the deal for his release and said the US Army would be investigating the circumstances surrounding Sgt Bergdahl's capture. | |
| "This was the right decision for the right reasons," he said. "We don't leave our people behind." | |
| "Why the disappearance - the army has already addressed that, and we'll get to that." | |
| Critics of the deal have alleged that six US soldiers were killed in the initial efforts to locate the missing man. | |
| The US military's top-ranking officer, Gen Martin Dempsey, said on Tuesday that the Army would not ignore misconduct but that the 28-year-old was "innocent until proven guilty". | |
| Sgt Bergdahl is currently in a military hospital in Germany undergoing rehabilitation. It is not yet known when he will return to the US. |