Obama Takes Major Credit For Marineâs Release From Mexican Prison
Barack Obama took credit today for Mexicoâs release of US Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, ignoringÂ charges that his administration was slow to act in securing the former marineâs freedom. The President praised the Mexican governmentâs decision to drop the case against Tahmooressi, taken into custody last March 31 after accidentally crossing into TijuanaÂ with threeÂ weapons in the back of his truck, an event the marineÂ called anÂ innocent mistake.Â âI thankÂ the individuals assisting my negotiatingÂ team in our efforts to bring closure to this case,â said the President, speaking from the Rose Garden. âAll Americans should join the Tahmooressi family in celebrating his new found freedom,â he added. Tahmooressi was confinedÂ forÂ 214 days. Tahmooressiâs return to US soil comes after closed door congressional sessions, harshly critical of Obamaâs inaction, resulted in stepped-up diplomatic efforts led by US AmbassadorÂ Earl Anthony Wayne and Mexicoâs Attorney GeneralÂ JesÃºs Murillo Karam.Â Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Reps. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Matt Salmon (R-AZ) met with Mexicoâs AG and the US Ambassador to urge the Afghanistan War vetâsÂ release on humanitarian grounds. Also traveling with the entourage was talk show host Montel Williams â himself a former marine â and Tahmooressiâs mother Jill, who for months has spoken of her sonâsÂ mental stateÂ state during his incarceration. She recently appealed to the Mexican government on her sonâs behalf when her request for assistance from the Obama administration fell upon deaf ears. Tahmooressi served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a key issue presentedÂ by his defense attorney Fernando Benitez. TheÂ defense team rested their case over two weeks ago, with little movement on the Mexican governmentâs part to make final judgment. Many GOP leaders welcomed the news of the marineâs return, while remaining critical of the Presidentâs apparent lack of activeÂ involvement. Former Alaska Governor Sarah PalinÂ took to Twitter praising Tahmooressiâs return, while charging that Obama broke the âsacred commitment to never leave an American behind,âÂ a sentiment shared by many. Tahmooressi, flown from Mexico to San Diego, then Miami, returned to his home in Weston, Florida early Saturday morning. Apparently in good spirits, he looked forward to a steak dinner, according to Gov. Richardson. Treatment for his PTSD is expected to resume shortly, and the family is requesting privacy, said RichardsonÂ during a FOX News interview.