US Soldier Captured; Taliban Releases Video

The war has gone on much too long. Many will agree with that statement. Now, for the first time in many, many months, a videotape of a captured US solider has been released by the Taliban.

This enlisted soldier, who remains officially unidentified, was reported missing from an American military base in the Mullakheil area of eastern Paktika province on July 2. He was found missing at a routine check, the Taliban claims he wandered off from his base, drunk. The military did not release this soldier's status until Thursday when the video was released.

Regardless of the circumstances of his capture, he now is the subject of a typical hostage film. The Taliban is threatening to kill the soldier unless the U.S. halts strikes in two districts: Ghazni province's Giro and Paktika province's Khoshamand. Even as the video is filled with propaganda, we see the soldier is alive and seemingly well.

The Associated Press reports:

"The Taliban claimed on its Web site on July 6 that it was holding the soldier.

"'Five days ago, a drunken American soldier who had come out of his garrison named Malakh was captured by mujahedeen. ... He is still with mujahedeen,' said the report. The short Web message did not elaborate on his whereabouts, nor did it provide any proof such as a photo.

"The U.S. military has said it intercepted communications in which insurgents talked about holding an American.

"The soldier's body armor and weapon were found on the base, and U.S. defense sources say he ‘‘just walked off" post with three Afghans after work. They say they have no explanation for why he left the base."

Now a video has surfaced and with it, more questions than answers. Does this mean the Taliban will become more active once again with captures and perhaps killings? I pray not, but it appears the flavor of the war may be changing.