This, of course, is awful, but we traded terrorists for a prisoner, so Obama set the precedent for this. This will not end well, kidnappings will increase and the world will fund the mass murder and terror that is destroying so many lives and threatens western civilization. Another chit for the Obama legacy. Worth embedding a Rumsfeld tweet here on point:
With respect to hostage negotiations with terrorists, it can be useful to keep in mind the adage: pic.twitter.com/UfpnDqWXGE
— Donald Rumsfeld (@RumsfeldOffice) January 28, 2015
Jordan has agreed to demands from ISIS that it release a female jihadist held since 2006, in a move that could free a Jordanian pilot captured in Syria last month and possibly a Japanese journalist who pleaded for his life in a video released by the terror group on Tuesday.
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani said in a statement the nation was prepared to free Sajida al-Rishawi, who was convicted of taking part in a deadly hotel bombing, if the Jordanian pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, is released unharmed. His comments were carried by Jordan’s official Petra news agency. Although he made no mention of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, a hostage audio message released by Islamic State a day earlier tied Goto’s fate to that of Al-Rishawi, as well.
Al-Rishawi was sentenced to death in Jordan for her involvement in a 2005 terrorist attack by Al Qaeda on hotels in Amman that killed 60 people. Jordan is reportedly in indirect talks with the militants through religious and tribal leaders in Iraq to secure the hostages’ release. The chairman of the foreign affairs committee of Jordan’s parliament, Bassam Al-Manasseer, has been quoted as saying that Jordan and Japan would not negotiate directly with the Islamic State group and would not free al-Rishawi for the Japanese hostage only.
The fact that they haven’t executed the woman terrorist whom they’re swapping is part of the problem. As with all the terrorists we still hold, like KSM, they should have been tried, convicted and executed years ago. Instead, they sit around serving as inspiration and encouragement for terrorists everywhere. And when the American president frees al-Qaeda terrorists for low-hanging fruit like Bergdahl, what message does that send to scum worldwide? Awful. Just awful.
*Never* negotiate with a tantruming toddler or a terrorist; short-term, may work. But the long-term consequences will always end badly.