Lawrence Wright compares Gilad Shalit to Bowe Bergdahl:
In June, 2009, an American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, was captured by the Taliban. His name is practically unknown. He is still being held, but he is rarely mentioned in the press, political figures never invoke him, his image is rarely seen. He’s an afterthought in the long war in Afghanistan, if indeed he is ever thought of at all.
Ackerman picks up on the same parallel:
[T]he U.S./NATO military command, as much as it wants Bergdahl released, do not make Bergdahl a major public symbol. That would only increase the Taliban’s negotiating position, making it more likely that ISAF would box itself into the corner that Israel just faced. I don’t want to criticize Benjamin Netanyahu for striking the deal with Hamas to release Shalit. The decision must have been agonizing. It’s just important to recognize the steps that led to such an awful decision, and not to repeat them.
The Dish 