Poll: Voters split on Taliban prisoner swap

Voters are split over the Obama administration’s swap of five Taliban prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay for the release of Army. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

According to a Fox News poll released Wednesday night, 47 percent disapprove of the trade that took place over the weekend. Another 45 percent approve, while 8 percent do not know.

{mosads}The exchange has been blasted by members of both parties in Congress for fears the high-ranking Taliban members will eventually return to the battlefield and harm national security.

On top of that, congressional leaders are irked they were not given a 30-day warning of the release of prisoners from the Guantánamo detention facility, as required by law. 

Democrats are the only group in which a majority, 59 percent, approve of the trade. Another 32 percent of Democrats disapprove.

Sixty-two percent of Republicans disapprove, while 31 percent approve.

Among independents, 49 percent disapprove, and 41 percent approve. 

The vast majority of every group, however, believes that “negotiating with terrorist groups” will encourage those groups to hold more soldiers hostage in the future.  

The United States released the prisoners to the country of Qatar, which acted as an intermediary between the U.S. and the Taliban in the negotiations.

Overall, 84 percent of voters are concerned that the negotiation could lead to more hostages being taken. Only 15 percent are not concerned. 

Ninety-three percent of Republicans and 83 percent of independents expressed concern. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats felt the same. 

The poll surveyed 1,006 registered voters from July 1-3 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.