Negotiate or Fight?

[rodney_g_graves]

We keep hearing about the supremacy of negotiation over confrontation. Better to talk than fight, we often hear.

In an ideal world, that would no doubt be true. In the world we live in, this is the result:

Pakistani Taliban Say They Killed 28 Men From Peace Group
By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH
The New York Times: June 26, 2008PESHAWAR,

Comments

[chuckles48]

Well, if you want to take the truly cynical view of things, then (a) 28 people who don't have the stones to fight are out of the way, (b) their followers/fellow travellers are now demoralized, and (c) there's more clearance to go deal with the Taliban the other way.

That being said, one has to approach these things on a case-by-case basis, as you shall soon see.

Negotiate or Fight?

[rodney_g_graves]

Charlie,

Case by case or enemy by enemy? Certainly some enemies can be negotiated with in good faith. This set of enemies, given the mohammedean practice of taqiya, cannot be.

The traditional response to such a violation of parley is the black flag. Time and past time it was hoisted.

Re: Negotiate or Fight?

[chuckles48]

Yeah, but just remember that this wasn't our parley. This was a parley by the democratically elected government of Pakistan.

Sometimes you have to let your allies stub their toes on the rock you've already discovered. Experience is the best teacher.

Negotiate or Fight?

[rodney_g_graves]

Charlie,

Come Now! I know you know the original quote from Poor Richard's Almanac:

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.