One solution
Reader comment on article: Samir Kuntar and the Last Laugh

Submitted by Archimedes2 (Canada), Jul 25, 2008 at 19:01

There is one solution to the prisoner swap conundrum, that I only offer half-seriously because I know it is hard to support morally -- yet it seems that Hizbollah and the Palestinian groups are working hard to force Israel into this position: Take no prisoners. Enemies in the battlefield, or illegal combatants caught in terrorist acts are simply shot on sight.

After all, these bulldozer drivers with SJS (Sudden Jihad Syndrome) didn't get free food and lodging at the expense of Israeli taxpayers, they got one-way tickets to martyrdom. The same option could be made available for all terrorists. If Hizbollah is going to publicly declare its intention to take prisoners for the express purpose of obtaining freedom for those committing crimes against humanity, perhaps the only sane alternative is to take this option away from them -- there will be no release of live bodies for live bodies.

Another reason I only offer this half seriously is because there are some very good tactical reasons why live terrorists might be released back to their own side. But first I would recommend surgically embedding a small tracking device firmly in the space between their upper and lower intestine. Then use these "catch-and-release" terrorists to track down their hideouts and gather information about their movements, and catch even bigger fish. Much cheaper than keeping them in prison, and potentially of far greater value. In the end, catching them in action a second time, (more likely with a tracking device on board) may give a morally acceptable opportunity to simply eliminate them altogether. Why bother trying to interrogate them, when they are likely to lead you directly to the answers you're looking for on their own?

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