Obama: Soldier's release options weighed

WASHINGTON, July 21 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said officials were evaluating options about how to get back the U.S. Army private held captive in Afghanistan.

Obama said he hasn't spoken with the family of Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, of Ketchum, Idaho, because he wants to have something to tell his family.

"I have not spoken to his family, at this point, simply because we want to make sure that, before we do, we have something to tell them," Obama said in an interview Tuesday on NBC's "Today Show." "And I think that we're, at this point, evaluating what our options are."

Bergdahl was captured along with three Afghan soldiers June 30 in Paktika province in southeastern Afghanistan. He is the first U.S. serviceman captured since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan eight years ago.

"It's always heartbreaking," Obama said of watching a video of Bergdahl released several days ago. "Our young men and women, who are serving in our armed forces, do such an extraordinary job; put themselves in harm's way each and every day, especially those who are deployed in Afghanistan and in Iraq."

Seeing the video "makes you think about families," Obama said "It makes you think about the young man. ... (It) is a reminder of what these young men and women are doing on behalf of our safety, and our security, and I'm thankful to them each and every day."

While not discussing details, Obama said U.S. officials were "doing everything we can."

"We are hopeful that it will have a good ending," he said.