Delicious. Dont wave me away, this show isnt over. This is what happens because fish look disgusting. Okay. And that is a great lead in for special report. This is the fox news alert. Confirming to fox news that one of the five taliban leaders recently released from Guantanamo Bay for Bowe Bergdahl has been intercepted making phone calls to other taliban personnel. The five were traded for sergeant Bowe Bergdahl and supposed to be monitored by the government. So with that, what do we know . Joining us now National Security correspondent Jennifer Griffin who is at the pentagon. Jennifer this seems like a startleing revelation from all were hearing over the past couple of days about the taliban. Well, its interesting
brett, the pentagon is down playing the story officially. A senior u. S. Official tells fox tonight that the u. S. Has intercepted phone calls placed by one of the socalled taliban five, they didnt say which one. The pentagon says that all five of the gitmo detainees are accounted for. They remain in qatar, but a u. S. Official says they have broached the issue with the qatari officials. We also are learning late tonight, brett, that this information leaked out from a classified briefing on the hill and reports of the concerns about this member of the socalled taliban 5 who were traded of course, for sergeant Bowe Bergdahl last may, thoughs concerns have come out in recent days. But, again pentagon officials telling us they are not concerned that he has socalled returned to the fight because they have no evidence that hes left qatar. Brett . Yeah, but there are a lot of questions about how much qatar
is monitoring these guys and how this whole trade actually worked. And this comes obviously, in an environment in which jordan is considering trading somebody they have in custody for a hostage that isis has and comes a day after the white house said that the taliban is really an armed insurgency and not a terrorist group. Its been quite something to watch these two days unfold. Well, even watching the pentagon officially try to split hairs between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistan Taliban and which ones are technically arm an insurgency which ones are technically terrorists its been a tap dance weve been watching. Right now, we have i understand we have, have a package, our packages ready. Fire. 13 years of war and billions of taxpayer dollars spent training the afghan army and police. Now for the First Time Since the war began, the Inspector General for afghan reconstruction is accusing the u. S. Military of
hiding information by classifying details about the size and strength and desertion rates of the Afghan Military whose training is the corner stone of the Obama Administration strategy to end the war and leave afghanistan. Inspector general john sopko whose audit team delivered the Quarterly Report to Congress Today issued the following statement. Quote, for the first time ever, we were unable to publicly report to the american taxpayer on the status of a large portion of their over 60 billion investment. Im deeply concerned with the implications of this sudden classification decision and have raised it with the appropriate officials. A spokesman for general john campbell, the top u. S. Commander in afghanistan says the afghans requested last august that the information be classified to avoid helping the taliban. Quote, we have a responsibility to protect data that could jeopardize the Operational Security of our afghan partners to include unnecessarily highlighting possible vulnerabilities and capability
gaps. Information that could put lives at risk according to Lieutenant Colonel pat seber. The u. S. Military classifies this kind of information about its own forces for the same reason. The information about the Afghan Forces will be available to members of congress. Theres some information that needs to remain classified, particularly where it has to do with the strength of the Afghan Military and areas of vulnerability. But overall, we should know where the taxpayers dollars have gone. So well be demanding that much of this information be made public. Today at kabuls National Airport showing how dangerous it is for the 9,500 u. S. Troops serving in afghanistan, breath. The president who gave us the sequester as a dare wants to
take it back. Says he will try to get rid of the mandatory spending cuts and move beyond what he dismisses as manufactured crises that have defined the budget battle. The strategy could prove politically problematic and divisive for republicans. Why tonight from the white house. As the president prepares to send congress his 2016 budget, one that includes a plan to catapult military spending well past sequestration levels, its budget conscious republicans that could face a rough ride ahead. Cant get rid of the sequester unless we find other ways to cut. And so we cant have net new increases in spending. The debate forcing the gop to choose between two top priorities. Curbing Government Spending and keeping the military properly funded. Well have to repeal it. Yesterday, one of the heads of our military said if we dont repeal sequestration, well put american lives in danger. Lawmakers argue that automatic spending cuts would mean sharp reductions for the pentagon. In manpower, training, delays even cancellations of some deployments. A threat to National Security says senator lindsey graham. We cant do this by ourselves. Well need the commander in chief to weigh in and inform the American People that the cuts are unacceptable. In his plan to end sequestration, president obama is asking for 38 billion in new spending for the pentagon, plus an additional 50 billion. By strong Economic News on the home front with gas prices, unemployment even if federal deficit down. To pay for it, more taxes on wealthy americans. The president believes if making the investments that are necessary to protect the National Security of the United States means that some of our Financial Firms on wall street have to pay a little bit more the president believes thats a good policy choice. Many republicans reject that path. Some saying at all costs we
ought to raise defense spending because it hits hard. And it does. We have a deficit thats going to grow in the years to come. While the white house wont unveil the budget officially until monday, the president tonight will go over finer points with democrats in philadelphia. A little sparring ahead of what promises to be a bruising fight on capitol hill this year. Brett . Kevin, thank you. Mitt romney is the clubhouse leader in the republican president ial race. Yes, its early, but it is the conclusion of the latest fox news poll. Just out, romney far outpaces a large group headed by mike huckabee, rand paul. For the democrats, its Hillary Clinton all the way. Shes miles ahead of Vice President biden and senator Elizabeth Warren. We have pieces on both front runners tonight. First, clinton may wait a while before confirming that she is running for president. Chief political correspondent
carl cameron tells us the rationale behind the delay. Hillary clintons originally planned april target date could be extended three months. Aides say she feels no time pressure, polls make it abundantly clear she has no serious oppositions for the democratic nomination. She frankly does not need to put herself subjecting herself to typical attacks, slow the pace down. Reporter political aides suggesting she might accelerate our timetable to jump in as soon as this or next month. For months, groups having doing Opposition Research on republicans who attack her and raising and spending millions organizing her supporters. Clintons latest timetable tease features the option of filing with the federal Election Commission to begin her own fund
raising in april. But doing little else publicly until july. Her new thinking emerged the day after learning she will not be able to get her testimony to the select Committee Investigating benghazi out of the way any time soon. Lawmakers say they need more documents from the state department and 30 days to review them and that the state has been stone walling them. In 2011, pentagon officials and Congressional Democrats worried clinton was too eager for war with lib yap ask took it upon themselves to reach out to the son of then president moammar gadhafi. He said he wanted help to avert further hostilities. The story was first reported by the washington times. We need your support and help. The newspaper says calls for a Factfinding Mission to find a diplomatic solution were quashed by clintons state department. And clipt knows as soon as she gets in the race, she goes from the former secretary of state to a politician making a second run at the white house. Benghazi and other controversies are likely to keep her under a real microscope whether she is campaigning, or not. Some of her insiders say its just as likely shell go with the original time frame. Mitt romneys flirtation with possible front run at the top job is producing sharp criticism of mrs. Clinton. John roberts has that story tonight from atlanta. Mitt romney may not have declared himself at candidate yet, but if Mississippi State university, he was sure talking like one. The president s dismiss sal of real Global Threats in a state of the Union Address was naive at best and deceptive at worst. In a speech to students romney took aim at his 2012 opponent criticizing president obamas refusal to label recent attacks in canada and france as islamic terrorism. I dont know how the president expects to defeat the jihadists if he wont even call them the name they are. Romney also took aim at his potential opponent should he make a third attempt at the
white house portraying Hillary Clinton as naive on Foreign Policy and domestic issues. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton cluelessly pressed a reset button for russia. How can secretary clinton provide opportunity for all if she doesnt know where the jobs come from in the first place. The speech was barely over before democrats previewed another romney run. We dont really need to hear a lecture on where jobs come from on a guy best known for bankrupting companies and profiting off outsourcing. A throwback to the same attacks that democrats launched three years ago. When asked in a question and answer session after the speech what he would do differently a third time out romney told the audience, he worked to establish better communication with minority voters and immigrants. And over barbecue with dan mullen he lamented he wished like a football coach hed been judged on his record back in 2012. Be nice for people that run for office their leadership experience and what theyve
accomplished in life would be a bigger part of what people focused on. But its not. Mostly its what you say and what you do is a lot more important than what you say. Romney also cautioned republicans not to ignore minority voters and immigrants during the primaries and then expect them to be there for the general election. An indication if he does choose to run for a third time, he would certainly run as a conservative, though likely not as far to the right as he shifted back in 2012. Brett . Thank you. South carolina senator Lindsay Graham says he has set up an Exploratory Committee for a possible run at the republican president ial nomination. Graham says the move will enable him to raise money. He says hell visit New Hampshire and iowa to see if his message resinates. Up next, the latest on the hostage drama involving isis terrorists and two innocent victims. Some of our affiliates, fox 11, a passenger flight from l. A. X. To washington was forced to make an Emergency Landing east of the city. Passengers reportedly said there was smoke in the planes cabin. Fox 25 in boston with the start of the murder trial for former patriots player aaron hernandez. Charged with killing a former semipro player. Defense attorneys say prosecutors are ignoring evidence that hernandez is in and this is a live look at portland, oregon from our affiliate out there. Fox 12. A former Oregon State University student under investigation for allegedly filming an adult video inside the campus library. A School Spokesman says the 19yearold female has been charged with misdemeanor public indecency. The 20minute video has been seen by thousands online. Thats tonights live look outside the beltway from special report. Well be right back. If you dont think beat con men at their own game when you think aarp, you dont know aarp. The Aarp Fraud Watch Network helps everyone protect themselves and their families against scams and identity theft. Find more real possibilities
at aarp. Org possibilities. Well continue our investigation into the stone wall surrounding the case of sergeant Bowe Bergdahl colonel peters will throw down a challenge. Also, bernie on how the press is covering bergdahl. That and more next factor. Your eyes really are unique. In fact, they depend on a unique set of nutrients. Thats why theres ocuvite to help protect your eye health. As you age your eyes can lose vital nutrients. Ocuvite helps replenish key eye nutrients. Ocuvite is a vitamin made just for your eyes from the eye care experts at bausch lomb. Ocuvite has a unique formula thats just not found in any leading multivitamin. Your eyes are unique so help protect your eye health with ocuvite. Meet the worlds newest Energy Superpower. Surprised . In fact, america is now the worlds number one natural gas producer. And we could soon become number one in oil. Because Hydraulic Fracturing Technology is safely recovering lots more oil and natural gas. Supporting millions of new jobs. Billions in tax revenue. And a new century of American Energy security. The new Energy Superpower . Its red, white and blue. Log on to learn more. We are waiting on word tonight on the fate of two hostages held by the isis terror group. Some kind of prisoner swap is being considered. But there are complications. Connor powell tells us what they are. The International Efforts to release goto before hes executed continues. Even as a sunset deadline passed tonight without a deal. In an audio recording released just two days ago, goto said jordan must release in exchange for his life by sunset today or he would be killed. Al rashawi an iraqi citizen was arrested in 2005 while wearing a suicide vest while attempting to blow up a hotel. Despite her ties to al qaeda, jordans government says its open to exchanging her. But it also wants the jordanian pilot whose plane crashed over syria last month included in the deal. The exchange will happen once
we receive the proof of life that we asked for. Then we can proceed with the next step that we announced yesterday. Jordans king alabama dullbdullah is under pressure to secure the release. Hails from a powerful tribe in southern jordan and his family is demanding he be freed. In japan gotos wife begged for her husbands release. The japanese government the fate of both men are in their hands. Isis has failed to provide any evidence the pilot is still alive and the fate of goto is unknown. Both jordanian officials are remaining tightlipped. But the would be suicide bomber remains in prison in jordan tonight. Following hezbollahs
wednesday attack in northern israel that killed two israeli soldiers, tensions appear to have calmed down today. Whats keeping the fight between israel or hezbollah, which by the way is a proxy for iran from escalating . Yeah, thats right. 24 hours ago seemed like hezbollah and israel were poised to go to war. But both sides have really good reasons not to escalate this. Hezbollah is involved deeply in syria, back in the assad regime. They dont have the manpower or the equipment to launch a fullon war against israel right now and essentially a second front for that organization. Israel, intelligence officials know that essentially hezbollah has a longrange missile that will strike anywhere in israel pretty much any corner and that means ahead of the election. This is not a fight that officials want to get into. Connor, thanks. Still ahead the Measles Outbreak linked to disney parks in california keeps getting worse. We have an update. First, one news channel refuses
to use words like jihad and terrorist. Who it is and why it matters. You only know in a fire to get out, to escape and now ok you are outside and you are safe but what do you do now and thats where the red cross came in. We ran out of the house just wearing our pajamas. At that point just to even have a toothbrush that i could call my own was so important. You know it just makes you feel like a person again. Every 8 minutes the American Red Cross responds to