we don't negotiate with terrorists

[weflyhigh]

To be honest I don't really know about about this, so that is why I am making this post.

I have heard the phrase used before as a United States policy. How true is it? How effective is it? I know other countries (Isreal?) will negotiate with terrorists. In the past, what policy has proven more effective?

Personally, I think a no-tolerance policy would seem to be more beneficial in the long run as long as it is strictly enforced.

 

[Freshgeardude]

To be honest I don't really know about about this, so that is why I am making this post.

I have heard the phrase used before as a United States policy. How true is it? How effective is it? I know other countries (Isreal?) will negotiate with terrorists. In the past, what policy has proven more effective?

Personally, I think a no-tolerance policy would seem to be more beneficial in the long run as long as it is strictly enforced.

i personally think that the no-tolerance policy is better in the long run. it will stop certain groups from attempting anything.

but sometimes,as portrayed in 24 (yes, i know its not real)terrorist can play your hand by threatening either your citizens or another country's and in that circumstance, you have to defend your own people first

 

[Craig234]

I think it's just a negotiation technique and PR for the public. We can and should negotiate with 'terrorists'.

That doesn't mean the right-wing straw man of 'give them whatever they want and reward them and cause far more terrorism by making it profitable'.

John Kennedy said, 'Let us never negotiate out of fear, and let us never fear to negotiate.'

While his topic was the USSR, it applies more broadly. His administration traded tens of millions of goods for hostages with Castro, for one example.

It's a slogan good and only good for the ignorant who love to cheer on such nonsense and are being played.

Edit: let's spell it out more with an example.

The ideal for these types is the idea that Reagan 'magically' got back the hostages a Democrat didn't - without 'negotiating with terrorist'. Just showed up, they're scared and released them.

YEE HA! They love this guy and elect him.

They're sure there were no negotiations behind the scenes - of course not. Not long after, the American missiles traded themselves with Iran, illegally and secretly, for hostages.

The money for those missiles then went to pay for terrorism in Nicaragua for the agenda of US corporations.

So what these ignorant people actually get is negotiating with terrorists, arming them, the US government lying to the US public and Congress, and backing terrorism.

Way to go, dupes, falling for the lies.

 

[Orignal Earl]

Well there's the famous negotiations with the Sunni insurgents in Iraq to name one. But yes the US does it all the time.

 

[khon]

It's not at all true, just something politicians like to say because it sounds macho.

 

[IronWing]

It depends. Sometimes negotiation can lead to beneficial peace. Other times there is too much money to be made prolonging violence and instability. US politicians have a tendency to label any foreign group it disagrees with as "terrorists". Usually this is done to tie the hands of other US politicians who might decide to settle disagreements in a manner not to the liking of the group who applied the label.

 

[Jhhnn]

It's an empty statement with strong emotional appeal designed to maintain empty headedness in the listener.

Standard Dick Cheney Agitprop.

 

[Modelworks]

It is like they say, Our official policy is...... but....

 

[Exterous]

It is like they say, Our official policy is...... but....

We don't negotiate unless we think it's in our best interests to do so

 

[Jhhnn]

First, I'll sloganeer the erroneous zones in your belief system.

Next, I'll do anything I damned well please.

After that, you'll like it!

(We won't discuss how you came to have that easily exploitable swiss cheese belief system)

 

[Jhhnn]

D/P

 

[Jaskalas]

I think this term originates from terrorists taking hostages.

If you reward them for that action, the next group will learn that taking hostages is both pivotal and effective. This "policy" is an attempt to stymie that, to dissuade hostage taking.

We're at least attempting to appear strong even if we really aren't.