bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
|
 Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject: Speaking to the Enemy: Appeasement? |
 |
|
A good article in the economist this week:
Speaking to the enemy
| Quote: |
When he spoke to Israel's parliament on May 15th, George Bush blasted those who sought �the false comfort of appeasement� by negotiating with terrorists and radicals in the Middle East. Barack Obama assumed the barb was aimed at him. He in turn accused Mr Bush and John McCain, the Republican candidate, of �hypocrisy and fear mongering�.
Mr Obama had it right. Speaking to the enemy is an ordinary part of diplomacy and does not on its own amount to appeasement. In Munich in 1938, Neville Chamberlain's sin was not that he talked to Adolf Hitler, but that instead of standing up to him he sold Czechoslovakia down the river. |
| Quote: |
| Speaking to the enemy should never be ruled out. But withholding talks can sometimes make your adversary give something up beforehand. For decades Israel and America said they would not talk to the Palestine Liberation Organisation until Yasser Arafat renounced terrorism. Eventually, he did. |
That's the difficulty: figuring out what parameters to set for a discussion to take place. |
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
