Jordan is willing to trade a prisoner to ISIS in exchange for the release of their captured pilot. Yahoo/AP

Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh and Sajida al-Rishawi. Yahoo/AP

Jordan is willing to trade a woman involved in a 2005 bombing to ISIS for one of their captured pilots. Yahoo/AP. The exchange would be a departure from Jordan's former stance of not negotiating with terrorists and would likely anger the United States. Jordan is under domestic pressure to bring Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh home since the pilot crashed in December and was captured by ISIS. The woman, Sajida al-Rishawi has been convicted and sentenced to death for her role in the 2005 attack on a hotel in Amman that killed 60 people. It is unclear if such a deal would even happen and if it would include the release of Japanese prisoner Kenji Goto. ISIS has released videos claiming that they will kill both Kaseasbeh and Goto if Rishawi is not released. Both the families of the Jordanian pilot and the Japanese journalist are putting pressure on their government to secure the release of the prisoners, especially after the execution of another Japanese citizen, Haruna Yukawa.  

My Comment:

There is very little chance of this exchange happening. I don't doubt that Jordan is willing to release this prisoner for their pilot and possibly for Kenji Goto as well, but I don't trust ISIS. I don't see them releasing these hostages ever. They are too valuable as a propaganda tool. There is a chance that they won't kill them and use them as spokesmen like they did with British hostage John Cantlie. But, more likely, they will be executed, even if Rishawi is released. The propaganda value in executing them is more valuable then what they would get for the release of Rishawi. 

I could be wrong here, and to be honest I hope that I am. Neither Kasesbeh or Goto deserve to be executed. But if they are released, and again, I hope they are, it could set a dangerous precedent. ISIS would be encouraged to take further Western hostages. They could take western hostages and use them as bargaining chips to be cashed in whenever they need something. If they are low on funds they could "sell" them. If they are being attacked they could release them to buy a cease fire to regroup. Or they could murder them for propaganda value or to punish their home countries. Of course, all of this was possible before this deal came up, but now there is more conformation that these tactics work. 

I had first posted about al-Kasesbeh here. Since I posted that I haven't heard much of anything about him. Even in articles about hostages held by ISIS, there was no mention of him. Sure he isn't a western hostage, but he is a member of the armed forces of a major U.S. ally. You would think that would warrant a mention in major news media but I guess not. I, for one, appreciate the help the various local countries, including Jordan, are providing in the fight against ISIS. And I hope this pilot, and Kenji Goto, are released safe and sound.