Q&A Friday: Prisoner Exchanges

21 May, 2004 by John Hawkins

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Question: “Do you think a prisoner exchange would be justified to facilitate the return of Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin? Especially in view of the evnts that transpired at Abu Ghraib?” — John7714

Answer: Regrettably, the answer to that is “no”. Once you start allowing people to kidnap your soldiers and trade them for prisoners, it’ll never end. Yes, it might very well bring Pfc. Keith Matthew Maupin home, but what happens when the terrorists/insurgents kidnap 10 people next week in hopes of trading them for prisoners? Do make the trade or do you try to explain to their families why, in this case when their loved one has been captured, that you’re not going to deal?

On top of that, what happens if you release some terrorist and he ends up being responsible for a truck blowing up some children’s school? How do you explain to their families why you let the guy out of prison who killed all of their kids? As bad as I feel for Matthew Maupin and as tough this must be on his family, that’s not a deal we can afford to make.