South Korean Hostages: Day 21

Remember the 21 South Korean hostages who were taken by the Taliban 21 days ago?

There used to be 23 hostages but the Taliban executed two of the male prisoners days ago. There are still 18 women and 3 men being held while the Afghanistan government of Harmad Kharzi vainly tires to negotiate their freedom:

Afghan President Hamid Kazai said on Thursday the abduction of Korean women by Taliban guerrillas had no precedent in Afghan history and would bring shame on the nation.

The Taliban seized 23 Korean Christian volunteers, among them 18 women, from a bus in Ghazni province three weeks ago. The group has killed two male hostages and warned it would kill the remaining captives if Karzai did not free jailed Taliban.

Karzai, who came under harsh criticism for releasing Taliban prisoners for the freedom of an Italian journalist in March, has repeatedly said he would not resort to a prisoner swap again. “Women from another country are being kidnapped in Afghanistan … This would bring historical shame and defamation for this country and this nation,” Karzai said.

Michelle Malkin, who appears to be one of the only media people who is still covering this story, doesn't think Kharzi's appeal to the Taliban's reverence for the Koran, which specifically forbids the taking of women hostages, will get anywhere.

Incredibly, Rueters concludes their piece with the disclaimer "The Taliban could not be reached for comment." As if anything the thugs had to say would be newsworthy except as propaganda - something Rueters is adept at promoting when it comes to Islamic radicalism.