Taliban bargaining on 18 US soldiers: According to this Pakistani news source, written with stilted English, the Taliban took 18 American soldiers prisoner during Operation Anaconda. They want to trade them for the Guantanamo Bay detainees. Does the notion of safe passage for the hostage-bearing Taliban and al Qaeda forces explain why Anaconda didn’t kill as many foes as it was billed to do? Reader comments on this news item are largely of the incredulous variety…