Two of the terrorists involved in the Iranian-backed plot to assassinate the ambassador from Saudi Arabia on U.S. soil were ordered released by Barack Obama in 2009.

In 2009, the Obama administration released two of the Iranian-backed terrorists involved in the Karbala operation. The brothers, Qais and Layith Khazali, were freed even though they were directly implicated in the attack. The release of the Khazalis was said to be part of a reconciliation effort inside Iraq.

However, US military officials told The Long War Journal that the Khazalis’ release was really part of a negotiation to free British hostages who had been kidnapped by Iranian proxies. Statements made by an Iraqi spokesman and other press reporting confirmed these suspicions.

In 2009, prior to the one brother’s release but following the other’s release, Republican senators sent the White House a letter questioning its decision:

 In the summer of 2009, prior to Qais Khazali’s release but after Layith Khazali’s release, two Republican Senators questioned the administration’s policy. In a letter to President Obama dated July 1, 2009, Senators Jeff Sessions and Jon Kyl said they were “deeply concerned by recent news reports that suggest your administration may be negotiating directly or indirectly with terrorist organizations for the release of dangerous terrorist detainees.” The Senators argued that such negotiations were inconsistent with longstanding US policy, which prohibited negotiations with terrorists.

Qais Khazali was released several months later. The same day Khazali was released, on Dec. 30, 2009, British hostage Peter Moore was freed by Khazali’s Iranian-backed network.

And this is why we: A) Don’t negotiate with terrorists, and B) Don’t treat terror suspects as if they’re ordinary criminals to be released on a whim. We’re at war with these people, and releasing them only results in their return to the battlefield. It’s high time we learned that.