It's the best plan available. How many thousands of others would be sacrificed for the failure to deal with hostage-takers the way one should? Don't you see the connection between the success of hostage-taking in Iraq and the efforts to take hostages elsewhere?
If the results of a hostage situation are a lot of people angry enough to want to kill jihadis wherever they may hide, then it is less likely that future hostages will be taken. If the result is that they get part or all of what they want, it guarantees more hostages will be taken.
"If the results of a hostage situation are a lot of people angry enough to want to kill jihadis wherever they may hide, then it is less likely that future hostages will be taken. If the result is that they get part or all of what they want, it guarantees more hostages will be taken."
Of course.