WHY?

[HairOfTheDog]

Surgically implanted GPS trackers stashed in the terrorist that were released would be a good idea.

I wouldn't think these guys would be going out into the field, given their ages and status, but who knows?

The bigger concern may be that they will re-enter the fight as leaders/directors, which can be done from just about anywhere given that militant/rebel groups are using technology more and more in their communications and operations. I don't know the terms of their release, but I'd be shocked if their communications weren't being monitored (as much as possible) by at least one government.

On a related note -- today, the US launched drone attacks on the Pakistani Taliban group which claimed responsibility for the raid on the Karachi airport and the nearby bombings. 16 Taliban fighters were reportedly killed by two drone strikes. No drone attacks had been launched since December when the Pakistani government appealed to the US to halt them because they were pursuing peace talks with the Taliban -- those peace talks didn't go as hoped, obviously.

[Mohammed]

Maybe even better??

I am sure if the NSA is tracking those Guantanamo Bay boys right now in Qatar, they will find them most probably sitting in a Chili's with pitchers of Strawberry Margaritas in front of them, digging into a full rack of their baby back ribs.

No, I'm not gas, I'm oil!

[crash]

Baby back ribs...*drool*

[ramseycat]

Baby back ribs...*drool*

Yum. You should make us some.

[Duchess]

I'd gnaw on a bone right now. Starving.

[HairOfTheDog]

Maybe even better??

I am sure if the NSA is tracking those Guantanamo Bay boys right now in Qatar, they will find them most probably sitting in a Chili's with pitchers of Strawberry Margaritas in front of them, digging into a full rack of their baby back ribs.

No, I'm not gas, I'm oil!

I don't know, slippery one.



I can see Khairhwa sipping an uppity Strawberry Margarita. He was a governor, reportedly considered a moderate by Taliban peers, and someone who is hoped to be influential in the peace-negotiation process.

Wasiq was an intelligence guy and liaised with local police. I see him knowing better than to ruin a perfectly good Cadillac Margarita with a boatload of sweetness. He's having a margarita rocks (not blended -- avoiding the brain-freeze potential), salted rim, with a double shot on the side.

Nabi-Omari. Who? Seems he may only have been rounded up because of his association with the group who held Bergdahl. He's having a Bud Light.

Now...Fazil and Noori - well, they blew Chili's after the ribs -- not much into cocktail-sipping, I imagine. They're back at the condo with a bottle of Jack each, a box of cigars, Playboy Channel and some killer ideas...

[Mohammed]

Lovely chaps and I'm sure if they had a tranquil Spa with some essential oils over at Guantanamo, they wouldn't look that dilapidated and shabby. I always wondered what's up with those full fledged beards. I mean it's a must for any serious believer, but it must be a bitch when there's a reason to wear a gas mask.

You walk into any US Embassy and you'll see the undercover Seals straight away as they all sport them. It's an old tradition of the Special Forces it seems, no matter where they're from ....




Those are the first British SAS chaps from the second world war. I was told that they, the Seals, are the only guys in the army who are allowed to sport those beards so they blend in better into their surroundings, which I guess means any down town Souk or running among a bunch of Arabs pretending to belong.

Yeah right, it's like shaving one of those boys above and telling everybody he is now Bjorn's brother from Iceland.

Or as you will surely know, and one of my favourite scenes from Team America, where they give that deep plastic surgery to the actor and his resemblance to a terrorist is just so .... uncanny.

Truly classic moment!

[Cutz]

Warning: 5 terrorists released in America.

[Duchess]

Hahaha! Evan. I fricken love Jason Kelce. He's got a terrific sense of humor.

[HairOfTheDog]

Or as you will surely know, and one of my favourite scenes from Team America, where they give that deep plastic surgery to the actor and his resemblance to a terrorist is just so .... uncanny.

I can't believe the guys in the photo you posted aren't Arab!

But yeah, Gary's visual transformation from a pretty F.A.G. type into a smarmy terrorist was utterly convincing, I agree.

However, I think what really helped him to infiltrate the Cairo terrorist bar scene was his mastery of the language. Impressive. SF agents all over the world would be wise to follow suit.

Derka, derka!



In all seriousness, really hoping that the turmoil in the Middle East and Afghanistan will die down shortly, but don't think that'll be the case. The US can't change thousands of years of history and culture and grudges -- though we can and should try to protect our interests (not just the oil) and do whatever we can to keep from becoming vulnerable targets on our own ground again for Islamic fundamentalists.

Regarding Iraq, I'm really not sure why there wasn't an insistence that the post-Hussein government include some Sunni representation instead of a full throttle switch to Shia only. That's was ignorant and shortsighted, IMO.

Anyway, tricky business for the US in terms of foreign policy these days.

-We're with Iran in supporting Iraq's govt against ISIS rebels.
-But, we're against Iran in its support of Syria's govt, which is fighting forces partly comprised of ISIS members and affiliates.

-We're with Qatar in wanting peace talks with the Afghani Taliban, which may be rebuilding ties with the Pakistani Taliban, which is currently waging war on the Pakistani govt and military installations (whom we support).
-And, we're with Qatar (our favored middlemen of the moment), cautiously, to support only the non "terrorist" factions of the Syrian "rebels" (though Qatar supports ISIS). As if that's a real possibility...

-We're on the shit list with long-time ME ally Israel for not taking a harder line with Syria and because of our seemingly thawing relations with Iran.

-And, all's quiet on the western when it comes to Saudi Arabia, which of course, is a primary financial backer of ISIS and orchestrator of many of the goings-on in the region.

Ah, well. Domestic policy and the economy were the main areas of focus in the 2012 US presidential campaigns. I think that the 2016 platforms are gonna need to be very foreign policy heavy by comparison.

Whomever takes the helm is gonna have his/her hands full because there isn't a definitive "right answer" as to what should be done, how much of a threat each of the foreign-based terrorist factions presents to the US, which of our partners today will be our partners tomorrow in this time of increasing multi-national conflict... (And, none of that even encompasses Russia and the Ukraine.)