This morning, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel took questions from members of the House Armed Services Committee on the release of five Taliban leaders for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) asked Hagel if an assessment was made of  how many American lives were lost capturing the detainees, and how many more would  be put at risk to stop them if they return to the battlefield.

Hagel indicated that no assessments were made, while asserting that there are threats to American lives every day, anyway.

Comparing the prisoner exchange to the equivalent of releasing deputy secretaries of defense, intelligence and interior, a governor and a commander, the congressman asked, “Mr. Secretary, you have said it here that if they rejoin the fight, they do it at their own peril. My question is a pretty simple one. Did you make an assessment of how many American lives may be put at…