Even the Taliban seem to understand that the world is taking on a slightly different shape this morning. Late Monday, news broke that the Taliban are releasing not one but two American hostages in exchange for one of their own; that’s a much better ratio than we usually see in these deals.
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BREAKING
Amazing news!!!
US Citizen Ryan Corbett, who has been held by the Taliban in horrific conditions for nearly two years, has been released and the plane bringing him back to the United States has taken off!!
Ryan’s wife has worked tirelessly for 18 months to get her… pic.twitter.com/mufmz7cIDF
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 21, 2025
Wow. The Taliban have agreed to a deal to release two Americans they were holding hostage.
Ryan Corbett and William McKenty are on their way home already.
The Biden admin finalized the deal but added pressure/threats from the incoming admin helped motivate The Taliban. pic.twitter.com/yUvvz804CW
— AG (@AGHamilton29) January 21, 2025
Note that the acknowledgment in the first account thanks first President Trump, and only then former President Biden.
Of course, the Biden administration was certainly attempting to get these two people released, but just look at the timing. It’s very reminiscent of Iran’s sudden release of American hostages in 1981, on the very day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated.
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This is how you play the game. Oh, the Taliban got back one of their own, but that’s a far better exchange rate than is usual in these matters. Granted the United States will always make these trades to get our own people back, but it’s remarkable that we only had to give back one Taliban goblin to get back two Americans. The Taliban also has to be keenly aware that the American leadership has changed in a way that’s not to their advantage, and President Trump’s historic non-consecutive second term means that the Taliban is dealing with an American leader they have dealt with before. That has to be causing a little consternation in Afghanistan. Presumably, President Trump still knows where the Taliban leadership lives.
“When we were negotiating with the Taliban, when President Trump was still the president, President Trump wanted to get out of Afghanistan, but he wanted a conditions-based withdrawal, meaning. ‘you do what we tell you to do and we will start pulling troops back slowly, as long as you abide by our rules,'” he (Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-TX) said.
“President Trump and [then-Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo were talking to Taliban leadership in the room, and they had one translator. President Trump looked at the Taliban leader and said this, ‘I want to leave Afghanistan, but it is going to be a conditions-based withdrawal.” And the translator translated. And he said, ‘If you harm a hair on a single American, I’m going to kill you.’
“And the translator goes [leans back]. And Trump goes, ‘Tell him! Tell him what I said,'” Hunt continued.
Trump then “reached into his pocket, pulled out a satellite photo of the leader of the Taliban’s home, and handed it to him, got up, and walked out of the room.”
“Do you know, for 18 months not a single American was killed in Afghanistan?” Hunt said. “That’s the definition of strength. That’s what I’m talking about.”
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That’s a power move. That’s how you send a message. Welcome back, Mr. President.
