The Italian journalist who was taken hostage by the Taliban and called a spy was freed, but the price was very heavy and it plays right into the Taliban’s hands. Taliban prisoners were released at the behest of the Italian government, but if you recall the case of Guiliani Sgrena, the Italian government has paid a ransom previously. In these cases, the Italian government has become financiers of terrorism.

Daniele Mastrogiacomo likely would have been killed by the Taliban if there was not a prisoner exchange. I have complete sympathy for Mastrogiacomo’s family and I am truly happy he was released relatively unharmed. But we continue to see hostage takings because governments cave in and pay the demands of those who take hostages. If Mastrogiacomo’s employer wished to pay a ransom, that would not bother me, but it was and has been the Italian government doing so.

The government of Afghanistan claims the prisoner exchange was the result of “an exceptional measure that will not be repeated.” Yet it is, time and time again.

But the ransom is only part of the problem. The fate of Mastrogiacomo’s translator is still up in the air, but it is known his driver, Syed Agha, was beheaded by the Taliban.  Mastrogiacomo and his translator were forced to watch the beheading, as the Taliban forced Agha’s head into the sand and cut his head off for being an alleged spy, tied his head to his body and threw it into a nearby river.

Afghani protesters are demanding answers, wondering why Mastrogiacomo was more valuable than the translator and the driver, and they certainly have a good point.

Relatives of Agha, who was also accused of spying by the Taliban, were among those protesting. In this case, the life of an Italian was more valuable to the Afghan government than one of its own citizens.

The idea an Afghan is worth less than an Italian by the Afghan government plays right into the hands of the Taliban. The Taliban has claimed since it was deposed the Afghan government headed by Hamid Karzai is too cozy with the West and is looking out for Western interests, not Afghan interests. One would have a hard time proving that not to be the case after Mastrogiacomo’s driver and translator were hung out to dry.

No worries on the released Taliban officials though. One of those released, Ustad Yasir, claims he’s already “taken up two rifles in order to restart the Jihad, to hunt down the invaders and fight the apostates.” Sounds a bit like the Guantanamo Bay detainees who are released.