1: ROGGIO Bill Roggio, associated with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed the recent news regarding a hostage situation involving the Taliban. Key details from Roggio's segment: Hostage Release: Secretary of State Rubio reportedly won the
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 29 September 2025
⏱️ 2 minutes
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Summary
Key details from Roggio's segment:
- Hostage Release: Secretary of State Rubio reportedly won the release of an American citizen who had been held hostage by the Taliban in Kabul for nine months. The citizen was being held "illicitly and outrageously."
- The Cost (The "Twist"): Roggio noted that the crucial detail—the "twist"—is what the US may have given up in order to secure the return of its own citizen.
- The Likely Swap Target: It is very likely that the exchange involves an individual held at Guantanamo named Muhammad Rahim, an al-Qaeda operative.
-
Significance of Muhammad Rahim: According to US intelligence:
- Rahim was close to Osama bin Laden.
- He helped bin Laden escape from Tora Bora.
- He served as Mullah Omar's driver. Mullah Omar was identified as the founder and former head of the Taliban.
- US Military Stance and Prediction: Muhammad Rahim is an individual whom the US military does not want to release. Despite this, Roggio predicted it is very likely that Rahim will be "walking free sometime soon."
- Negotiation Dynamics: Roggio concluded that in these types of negotiations, there is "always a cost," and the Taliban usually wins.
Transcript
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| 0:26.0 | This is John Batchett, a conversation with my colleague Bill Rajio, the Foundation for Defense of Democracy, about the news that Secretary of State Rubio has won the release of an American |
| 0:31.5 | held hostage illicitly and outrageously by the Taliban and Kabul for nine months. However, Bill adds, |
| 0:40.8 | the twist is what we very well might have given up in order to get our own citizen back |
| 0:47.8 | from being held illicitly, and that is one of the al-Qaeda ops held at guantanamo his bill to describe what he thinks is going on the swap |
| 1:00.2 | much more of this tonight about the taliban about bagram about return to afghanistan about what can and can't be done for the people left behind |
| 1:12.6 | before i address problem i just want to say really quick about that hostage release. |
| 1:17.6 | The question is, is what is the U.S. going to give up in return? |
| 1:20.2 | It's very likely that that's going to be an individual who's held a Guantanamo named |
| 1:25.2 | Mohammed Rahim. |
| 1:26.7 | He was, well, Omar's drug, according to all of the |
| 1:31.4 | U.S. intelligence, close to Osama bin Laden, helped him escape from Tora Bora, Mullah Omar's driver, |
| 1:39.3 | the former head of the founder and former head of the Taliban. He's one individual, the U.S. military, doesn't want to give up, |
| 1:45.6 | and it's very likely that he will be walking free sometime soon. So there's always a cost, |
| 1:51.7 | and the Taliban usually wins in these negotiations. |
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