The United States has paid an unknown price to temporarily avert a propaganda and potential tactical disaster arising from the release of accused deserter Bowe Bergdahl.  Faced with a chorus of concern that the five senior Taliban leaders exchanged for Bergdahl are now free to travel and return to the battlefield as inspiring heroes, the Obama administration has persuaded Qatar to temporarily extend the travel ban that expired May 31.  The AP reports:

… a senior U.S. official said on Sunday…the ban would remain in place until diplomatic talks for a longer-term solution are completed. The restrictions had been due to expire on Monday under a May 2014 exchange for Bergdahl. U.S. officials said Friday the Obama administration was closing in on an agreement with Qatar to extend the restrictions for six months that could be announced this weekend. It was not immediately clear why that agreement had not been finalized.

The official said the U.S. remains in "close contact" with Qatari authorities "to make sure these individuals do not pose a threat to the United States." As a result of the talks to date, Qatar "has agreed to maintain the current restrictive conditions on these individuals as we continue these discussions," the official said

Nothing is free in this world when it comes to nations persuading other nations to do their bidding.  Qatar will exact a series of prices for each step it takes in the handling of these ex-detainees.  Note that the bargaining will continue, since Qatar has not agreed to anything permanent.

The entire exercise was unnecessary, except for President Obama’s desire to be seen as returning a former prisoner (however sleazy the circumstances of his apprehension by the Taliban) and emptying Gitmo of some of its most denagerous inmates under the cover of liberating a prisoner.

The time limit to their detention in Qatar (living in the lap of luxury) was handing the Qataris a series of bargaining chips to use against the United States.  That emirate has various factions to its ruling family so that on the one hand, it hosts extensive U.S. military facilities, and on the other, it funds Islamists, including, it is believed, ISIS.  As the worst negotiator in the history of the world, President Obama has handed the devious Qataris a whole handful of bargaining chips to use against us.