system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is the trade-off of the American soldier so controversial?

I am just seeing there is a lot of controversy.  Why? What is so confusing about this trade? Am I missing the bigger picture?

Edit: I tried to provide a summary of what the debate was bring out.  Apparently, it comes across as a smear campaign against Obama.  It appears the real controversy is not about the American soldier, but our political system and how the branches interact with each other and the media - a common concern for Americans.
gpt
We have two policies and a law that put the President in a bind:

1) The United States does not negotiate with terrorists. Been a policy for several decades now and we obviously did here. In fact, this is the first time we've ever negotiated directly with Taliban/Al-Qaida to exchange anything. 

2) The United States military leaves no man behind. Dead, alive, captured...if there is something to recover and bring back home, we will go out of our way and risk many men to do so. He was a POW for 5 years and had no idea where to get him with special or conventional operations. Deserter or not, we don't leave a man behind.

3) Congress must, by law, receive 30 days notice of what the president intended to do. Even the Bin Ladin raid, certain members of Congress with the security clearance knew the raid was happening, when, where and how. It's being debated if Obama actually notified members of Congress in the timeframe required by law, but it seems as if he didn't. 

It brings up many questions for all Americans and what is the cost of a life. Is an American worth five lives? Six? Ten? How much are all the current Americans being held hostage around the world worth to us? This deal broadcast to the world what we *might* do and have done to negotiate for lives. They have become bargaining chips now with a set price and have an estimated retail value. That's food for thought.

Other issues include that the five prisoners were battled hardened and high ranking members of Al-Qaida who have reportedly killed thousands. Now they want nothing more than to see the US burn for locking them in a hole for so many years. It's no doubt they will take their vengeance seriously.