Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel told the BBC in Romania that he and Secretary of State John Kerry, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Attorney General Eric Holder all came to the same conclusion to give Congress a 30-day notification on the decision to swap U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five top Taliban commanders.
In reference to the legal requirement that the executive branch informs the legislative branch on prisoner exchange deals for a 30-day review period Hagel argued, “Can you imagine if we would have waited or taken the chance of leaks over a thirty day period?” adding “that would have seriously imperiled us ever getting him out”
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