Soon, however, the Pentagon's language lost its sharp edge: the problem did not really exist as the captives would be released soon anyway, and were treated well anyway.
Однако вскоре высказывания Пентагона стали менее острыми: проблемы, в сущности, не существует, поскольку пленники вскоре будут освобождены, и обращаются с ними все-таки хорошо.