should the usa ever negotiate with people like osama bin laden?

Question

as history has taught us todays terrorist is tomorrows president , can we ever sit down with these people and thrash out our differences

Answer 1

Since it is extremely difficult to defeat terrorists without adopting their methods, as Golda Meir did post the Munich Olympic massacre, governments are faced with the dilema of being branded as state terrorists. Religious terrorists are generally much harder to deal with, as their fanaticism is instilled in them from birth, and often supported by State Governments. Recent events in Iraq and Afganistan illustrate the fact that in most circumstances terrorists are funded and supported by external Governments as part of a global strategy, adopted to put pressure on Western Alliances (USA, UK, EU.). This global strategy is usually aimed at resolving the Palestine/Israel situation, so I suppose the only answer to the question is It is pointless negotiating with terrorists as individual organisations, resolution can only be obtained by pusuading their sponsors to cease their support.

Answer 2

In a perfect world, no, we should not negotiate with terrorists. It gives the impression that it will happen each and every time and they will never let up then until they get their way. But if you look at it in that way, then what do we have to lose? They're not rational anyway and will go to whatever lengths they can to terrorize the world. So why should we not negotiate? Would it save any American lives? Perhaps. Would it cause more problems? Perhaps. But I think the question here shouldn't be if we should negotiate - it should be, "Why do we not know where Osama bin Laden is right now and why is he still alive?" If we have the technology to read books being held by someone standing on Earth using satellites in space, why can't we find someone as high-profile as bin Laden? And as far as negotiations are concerned - who says we don't negotiate? Do you really think that the public is made aware of everything that goes on "behind the scenes" or just what is "fed" to the media?

Personally I think that the media should be out of the war completely and let the military handle it their way. It's what they're trained for - let them do their job without being worried constantly about being filmed or caught doing something that may be perceived as illegal for fear of prosecution. It's war - let it happen.

Answer 3

I don't know if we'd ever be able to successfully "negotiate" anything with the likes of Osama bin Laden or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but I think it would be incredibly interesting and insightful to have a conversation with them to hear their point of view and how they've arrived at the decisions they make or the actions that they take.

Answer 4

They should, but how could they negotiate with a terrorist, when the President and his family get along with the attacker. So victims of the Sept. 11, Say thank you Bush.

Answer 5

Both Bushes have the father when help was given when bin laden was fighting Russia. The son when he help his family leave this country after 9/11. In my mind they both have given aid and comfort to the emery

Answer 6

Negotiate......funny thing is it's the best way to handle situations, but our governments of this world most of the time don't handle things in this way. They look to violence to solve problems. Look at 911 and what Osama create and how we retaliated. Nothing was solved. Nothing was gained. Just a lot of dead people.

Answer 7

Unfortunately, negotiation is not possible with those of Osama's stripe - only capitulation. They see themselves as Allah's instrument doing His will. There is no compromise in God's will and compromise is a part of negotiation.

Answer 8

President Bush has already had deals with Bin Laden...our government is corrupt.

Answer 9

Don't fool yourself the goverment dose all the time. Bin Laden was given money and had CIA help in fighting the USSR.

Answer 10

Unfortunately Islamic fundamentalists find are whole way of life offensive. eg secular states, Woman's rights, democracy, the film industries and freedom of speech. Every thing are culture stands for is an abomination to them. So I can't imagine they will ever embrace peace.
Sadly