Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Trying Again   [Andrew Stuttaford]

Michael, it hasn't really been "tried before" unless you regard all diplomatic conversations as being essentially the same. Arguing that we shouldn't talk "now" because it didn't work "then" is in many ways the same as arguing that early military defeats are *by definition* reason to give up on a war. Sometimes talks work, often they don't, but that doesn't mean they should not be tried and tried and tried again. Does "talking" preclude other actions being taken at the same time? Of course not.

Your point about being sure that we are negotiating with the right people is, of course correct. One of the best ways to identify the "right" people in a country is by holding talks such as these. Will this involve a certain amount of trial and error? Yup, but so what?

02/28 03:28 PMShare