Presley asked:
So where do folks stand on paroling senior detainees?
I thought that the US-run prison at Bagram AFB had been handed over to the Afghans, so this question in the Afghan context maybe academic.

There is a historical parallel in Northern Ireland, during the long-running 'Troubles' and IIRC is still in use today - as some parolees have been recalled to jail, for breaching their conditions. Before the Good Friday Agreement it is well documented, although I have no references to hand, that the para-military convicts were decisive in arguing the case for a ceasefire and making peace.

Somehow I doubt if there is the capacity, let alone the will in Afghanistan to recall parolees. So are we in fact talking about hostages?

Incidentally in both Italy and Spain, with their own internal terrorist campaigns, made extensive use of imprisonment in reaching a political solution and so curtailing the use of violence.

Further back Rhodesia at one point made use of releasing temporarily jailed nationalist leaders, including Robert Mugabe, to enable political talks and at one point released several of them - where upon they left to lead the violent struggle from neighbouring states. That seems to be a more suitable example.