The family of an American man imprisoned in Afghanistan feels ignored by the Biden administration and plans to meet with Taliban captives in person, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
The Taliban were first arrested George GlezmanAn American working as a mechanic for Delta Airlines died in December 2022 while deployed to Afghanistan. According to He told the WSJ that his family is desperate for their son's release from custody and now plans to meet directly with Taliban officials to negotiate, in part because they feel the administration has not done enough to communicate or coordinate with the family.
“We are finalizing the arrangements for the meeting in Doha. [Taliban] “We will work to rescue George,” George Taylor, an attorney for the Glezman family, wrote in an email to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other US officials last week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Taylor also said the administration had not focused enough on Glezman's plight as his health deteriorated in captivity, and called on US authorities to “show the courage and leadership needed to facilitate George's release.” (Related article: Three years after US troops withdrew, the situation in Afghanistan is as bad as it was before the war)
Three years on, Biden still hasn't said who's responsible for messy Afghanistan withdrawalhttps://t.co/lmPxzf9zWe
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 20, 2024
George's wife, Alexandra Glezman, told the WSJ that her husband has a benign tumor on the left side of his body, respiratory problems and poor vision in his left eye. She plans to meet with Sullivan about her husband on September 11, but would like to secure an earlier meeting because she is concerned that George Glezman's health is rapidly deteriorating, the WSJ reported.
The State Department determined that Glezman was wrongfully detained about 10 months after he was captured by the Taliban, a determination that gives the federal government broad powers to arrange for his release.
National Security Council and State Department officials responsible for hostage negotiating had previously warned Taylor that arranging a meeting between the family and the Taliban could make it more difficult to secure Glezman's release because U.S. authorities are scheduled to meet with Taliban officials in the near future, Taylor told The Wall Street Journal. The family's plans for a meeting with the Taliban are on hold until the next time U.S. officials meet with the Taliban, but if Taylor and his family determine there is no progress, Taylor will fly to Qatar for the meeting. (Related article: Taliban celebrate third year in power by displaying U.S. military equipment at former U.S. base)
Biden administration tells US citizens stranded in Haiti to reach evacuation points “at their own risk” https://t.co/SfAv0OQdXg
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 17, 2024
According to the WSJ, Alexandra Glezman wrote a letter to President Joe Biden in July, pleading with him to act on her husband's behalf.
“We are neither rich nor famous,” she wrote to Biden, the Journal reported. “We would like you to personally intervene in George's case and do everything in your power to bring him home.”
The Wall Street Journal reporter Alexandra Glezman reached out to White House staff to clarify whether the two-page letter was placed on Biden's desk, but said she hasn't received any confirmation that the president has read it.
Taylor told the Journal that he, Alexandra and the family's lawyers have not consistently received specific information about the efforts being made on George Glezman's behalf, adding that he believes government officials are playing “the old 'secrecy' card” to refuse questions, especially those that could expose poor judgment or incompetence.
The State Department declined to comment to the Journal about private discussions with the Glezmans, family representatives or the Taliban.
The State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
As an independent, nonpartisan news service, all content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available free of charge to any legitimate news publisher with a large readership. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and affiliation with the DCNF. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
