Thursday 1 July 2010
Talking to Terrorists
Thoughtful piece and undoubtedly correct, if difficult for politicians to follow in practice. Had a British general or politician proposed talks with terrorists Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys in 1776, they would have been out on their ears.
It is particularly difficult when the terrorists in question practice "asymmetrical warfare," attacking soft civilian targets that little to do with the issues and even less ability to defend themselves, simply because they are easy to hit. For all their faults, the ANC and the IRA usually tried to murder people directly involved with the conflict, in preference to just blowing up anyone who happened to be at a crowded marketplace.
In other words, it is the tactics, rather than the goals, that are so reprehensible as to make talking difficult. (Of course you are right about Al Qaeda: their only goal is to destroy western society. The Taliban goal: forcing all Muslims to live as the Taliban say they should, is not much better.)
Thoughtful piece and undoubtedly correct, if difficult for politicians to follow in practice. Had a British general or politician proposed talks with terrorists Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys in 1776, they would have been out on their ears.
It is particularly difficult when the terrorists in question practice "asymmetrical warfare," attacking soft civilian targets that little to do with the issues and even less ability to defend themselves, simply because they are easy to hit. For all their faults, the ANC and the IRA usually tried to murder people directly involved with the conflict, in preference to just blowing up anyone who happened to be at a crowded marketplace.
In other words, it is the tactics, rather than the goals, that are so reprehensible as to make talking difficult. (Of course you are right about Al Qaeda: their only goal is to destroy western society. The Taliban goal: forcing all Muslims to live as the Taliban say they should, is not much better.)
# posted by Had It in Holland Park @ 00:32 
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