13-Feb-14: What does US fury at Afghan militants walking free say about US role in freeing convicted Palestinian Arab terrorists?

Kerry, Karzai, talking peace [Image Source]

Some questions for the US State Department and for Secretary Kerry:

The Afghanistan government this morning freed some 65 prisoners [according to Associated Press], many or all of them "linked to attacks that have killed American troops... American officials have questioned why President Hamid Karzai's government is turning them loose". They "have ties to the most violent terror groups in Afghanistan and were caught with weapons and materials for making improvised explosive devices... "These are bad men," said Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman. "They've got a lot of blood on their hands. A lot of blood." ...All 65 were freed Thursday morning, prison spokesman Maj. Nimatullah Khaki told the Associated Press. They were laughing and smiling as they boarded a bus to leave the prison, Khaki said."

The New York Times, anticipating the release, said yesterday that the US military feels

exasperation at the Afghan side’s apparent determination to release the remaining prisoners and growing concern over the consequences. ["U.S. Military Denounces Afghanistan’s Planned Release of More Prisoners", February 11, 2014]

And it's not only America's military which is angry and shouting, justifiably so. The State Department is too.

Jen Psaki, the spokeswoman for the State Department, criticized the release, saying that it undermined justice under Afghan law and that the detainees being freed were “dangerous criminals against whom there is strong evidence linking them to terror-related crimes, including the use of improvised explosive devices, the largest killer of Afghan civilians.” ["With Release of Prisoners, Afghan Leader Again Defies U.S. Wishes", NY Times, January 9, 2014]

Now here in Israel, our government - under intense pressure from the US - has freed three out of four groups of murdering terrorists in the past half year. The fourth and final bunch of them is due to walk out in the next two weeks. Their reception in Palestinian Arab society has been a sickening, well-publicized orgy of public celebration of barbarism and savagery. The prime minister of the PA has led the parade, waving the freed killers' arms, declaring them heroes, honoring them with high ranks in his military apparatus (they don't call it an army but that's what it is) and granting them phenomenally large cash prizes plus ongoing salaries from his regime's bankrupt coffers.

There's one big difference between the Afghani jihadists and the Palestinians that we should mention before we get to our question. Those prisoners in the Israeli system were all, every last one of them, put on trial with the assistance of legal counsel, and were convicted and lawfully sentenced. In Israel, the rule of law, the systemic administration of justice and the checks and balances which come with that, are all real. Not make-believe like the propped-up Afghan regime of Karzai, but real.

So now how are we to understand the justifiable American fury and the State Department's gnashing of teeth over the release of alleged perpetrators when those same American voices are right behind the same kind of process that has delivered up unwarranted freedom for unrepentant Palestinian Arabs? (And do you have answers yet for some related questions we have been asking your staff for some months.)

Malki, of blessed memory

If State believes (as Ms Psaki says) this undermines justice under Afghan law, do you, does she, do they at State, see that freeing Palestinian Arab murderers of innocent civilians, some of whom are Americans, does the same to justice under Israeli law?

Mr Kerry, as parents of a US citizen, aged 15 at the time she was murdered in a jihadist outrage, we have tried to have you hear our protests about the US spearheading the freeing of convicted Palestinian Arab terrorists - and have been comprehensively ignored.

We wonder whether you see what we are getting at. If yes, a reply would be much appreciated.

The main organizer of our daughter's murder, just to complete the background, is walking free today despite the 16 life terms to which she was sentenced. She's vociferously unrepentant, widely honored, and fully engaged in inciting globally for more murders of more people like our daughter. This may help you understand the passion and deep pain we bring to this issue and our questions. Hoping to hear.