Why Did The White House Not Pursue A Wider Agreement With The Taliban When They Released 5 Of Their Leaders?

Critics of P.O.W. Swap Question the Absence of a Wider Agreement -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — When the heads of the two major intelligence committees criticized the Obama administration on Sunday for swapping Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five members of the Taliban, they homed in on one part of the deal that the White House has struggled for a week, unsuccessfully, to explain. The question is why the five were released without any commitments to a larger agreement, under which the Taliban would renounce international terrorism, and begin a process of reconciliation with the government of Afghanistan.

That condition had been at the heart of the original discussions with the Taliban about a prisoner swap in 2011 and early 2012. It was abandoned last year, administration officials now say, because the Taliban were no longer interested in a broader deal — probably because the Taliban understood American forces were leaving. Now, both in Afghanistan and in Washington, there are questions about whether the release of the five men gives the Taliban legitimacy, and enhances their power over a weak government in Kabul.

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My Comment: The White House focus was never to work towards a wider agreement in Afghanistan .... which I personally doubt is even remotely possible. The focus from this White House has always been to close Guantanamo .... and the sooner the better.