No...the Pentagon gave a military budget check to Qatar, and Qatar arranged for the release, with cash going to the Mafia-like Taliban unit (they had zero interest in the five prisoners....they wanted the cash). So somewhere in this entire deal....there’s a fourth entity (the ones who wanted the five).
I can also say this....no budget officer in the Pentagon would go along with this deal (having worked with dozens throughout my career). So, something had to be worked up with Qatar accepting a check for military hardware (maybe tanks or helicopters), and then they paid the excess money out to the Taliban middle-guys. That’s the only way that the budget guys would have gone along with this.
“...accepting a check for military hardware (maybe tanks or helicopters), and then they paid the excess money out to the Taliban middle-guys...”
That would account for the $200 hammers and $1500 toilet seats.