As we knew they would. You can’t negotiate with terrorists, let them win, and not expect them to do it again. That’s something too much of the world, including many of our fellow countrymen, has yet to learn. There’s simply no speculation or talking points here. It comes straight from the jihadists’ mouth:

The seven remaining South Korean hostages taken captive last July by the Taliban have been released, and insurgents have vowed they will abduct more foreigners.

“We will do the same thing with the other allies in Afghanistan, because we found this way to be successful,” Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told The Associated Press by phone on Thursday.

Thank you, South Korea. I, like Charles, had warned that capitulation will only lead to more such kidnappings.

Not as much appeasement as expected, but enough appeasement nonetheless. Why? Because once you negotiate with terrorists, and they see they can get something out of taking captives, they’ll do it again. And again. And Again.

And now they’ve assured us they will.