I just listened to Mr. Cem the Turkish Foreign Minister. He actually filled me with a glimmer of hope for a humane take on this conflict.

Jesse Jackson has assisted in other Middle East "hostage" situations. Perhaps this means of bypassing the authority of the US government is a way out for the 8 American missionaries. Or perhaps the Taliban wants 5 more weeks for the fog to cloak the mountains making it inaccesable to US aircraft...?