By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
An empty chair on display at a Veterans Day ceremony in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Monday symbolized the costs military families face when loved ones have been killed or declared missing in action.
Beyond the sheer size and cachet that the Rolling Thunder rally now carries, there remains at the heart of the gathering a tight-knit community of veterans, family and friends of former POWs and those still missing.
The Pentagon's two top leaders said Thursday the Obama administration is working to secure the freedom of a U.S. soldier taken prisoner three years ago in Afghanistan, despite an impasse in talks to trade him for Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Direct U.S. talks with the Taliban had evolved to a substantive negotiation before Afghan officials, nervous that the secret and independent talks would undercut President Hamid Karzai, scuttled them, Afghan and U.S. officials told the Associated Press.
Secret U.S. talks with the Taliban were making progress before Afghan officials, nervous that the negotiations would undercut President Hamid Karzai, scuttled them, Afghan and U.S. officials have said.
"They released some of the prisoners that we have in Guantanamo Bay and gave them back. Well, why did we give them back if you're not giving our guy back?" he argued.
Featured prominently in the talks was the whereabouts and eventual release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, captured more than two years ago in eastern Afghanistan, said a senior Western diplomat in the region and a childhood friend of the Taliban negotiator, Tayyab Aga.
