I was driving up to Phoenix—work, not pleasure—on Wednesday afternoon, listening to NPR. Hearing ‘Worst-of-the-worst’ Taliban leader may be set free on PRI’s The World crystallized some thinking for me and provided the theme for this piece.

The Taliban leaders who may be set free were responsible for an Afghan uprising in the earlier 2000s, in which CIA operative Mike Spann died. (His was the first American death in the Afghan war.) In the story Charlie Sennott reports on conversations with Johnny Spann, Mike Spann’s father. Mr. Spann is furious about the Obama Administration not consulting him about the possible release. Mr. Sennott closes his story by noting that “at a minimum [Johnny Spann] wants an explanation, and I think