The deal to free five Taliban commanders in exchange for captured Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has emboldened America's enemies to commit brazen new attacks like the killing of a U.S. general by a gunman dressed as an Afghan army soldier, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told
Newsmax TV on Tuesday.
Shaffer, senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, told "MidPoint" host Ed Berliner that President Barack Obama, who wanted Bergdahl home, bears responsibility for the latest deadly incident of so-called
"green on blue" violence, in which Afghan soldiers working with U.S. forces turn on their counterparts.
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"At least initially, it looks like President Obama has a role by the fact that the release of the Taliban has actually encouraged this sort of thing to occur," said Shaffer.
He said the attack, which also wounded more than a dozen people, took place amid a receding U.S. military presence, as Afghans trained by U.S. forces are required to take greater charge of their country's defense.
"We've been cutting back on our patrols in Afghanistan," said Shaffer. "We've been trying to limit our number of troops outside the wire, if you will, actually engaging in combat operations. So, this was a deliberate, offensive attack against our forces there, when we're trying to basically let the Afghans sort this out."