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05.17.2008 10:38 am

Apparently, neither Americans nor politicians understand the threat or motivation of the enemy

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

It seems that Obama’s people are flipping out over President Bush’s comments regarding negotiating with radical terrorists – claiming they were an unfair criticism of Obama. Bush never mentioned anyone by name - and Obama’s NOT the only one that the statement applies to – but obviously Obama understands that the shoe fits!

Obama HAS stated, and even published on his website, that he’d negotiate with despotic regimes such as Iran without pre-condition. The shoe DOES indeed fit!

Unfortunately, what the Left in this country does not yet understand is that there are those with whom negotiation is, at best, an exercise in futility.

As I wrote in a December, 2006 article which now appears in a textbook, “Current Controversies – The Middle East” published by Greenhaven Press: Dipomacy/Negotiation: The West is obsessed with talk. Political correctness demands that everything be negotiated and worked out across the table. Perhaps this is desirable amongst the nations of polite society; however negotiation is by definition the art of compromise. Compromise is the finding of a middle ground which can be mutually acceptable.

Unfortunately, for the jihadis there is no acceptable middle ground. Convert or kill all infidels, or die trying, is their only option. They will, however, use our obsession with negotiation to their own advantage. Placating us with talk, they gain opportunity to regroup, rearm, and strategize their next attack. Witness the result of Israel’s giveaway of Gaza!

Diplomacy is only possible where both sides are capable of compromise. When one party to a negotiation has an immutable agenda and the willingness to die in the pursuit of its fulfillment, there is nothing to be gained by negotiation as there is no possibility of mitigating their position. There is no mutually beneficial or mutually acceptable common ground. To believe otherwise is little more than politically correct pie-in-the-sky pipe dreaming.

It is a shame that the American people (and more importantly, the American Body Politic) STILL understand neither the nature of the threat nor the motivations of the enemy that is at war with us.

Doug Edelman

St. Peters

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7 comments

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Mr. Edelman, I would like to read the article of which you spoke, do you have a link to it?

Also, you will probably be labeled a racist for saying anything but praise for Obamessiah, but you probably already know that. Just because he said something in a debate doesnt mean you can use those words against him, that is either racism or a distraction, like everything else is when used against Obamessiah.

— Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum
11:50 am May 17th, 2008

Doug, I would argue that none on the Right get it either. I do agree on one of your points: We are dealing with a Jihad, and religious wars tend to burn themselves out eventually…there isn’t a lot anyone can do to either hasten it or stop it.

I do think it’s a serious miscalculation to not give credence to the radical Islamists’ statements about why 9/11 and the subsequent events happened. Their reasons, while they may sound crazy to us, are very real to them…and that’s all that really matters. The fact is that the DO justify their actions, and their hatred, on how they perceive they’ve been treated by the West. Acknowledging that doesn’t make me disloyal or unpatriotic. It makes me honest.

— hs
3:24 pm May 17th, 2008

If you assume anyone opposed to US policy in the Middle East is a “jihadi,” Mr. Edelman’s point of view has some minimal saliency.

However, the reality is that there are conflicts which are hundreds of years old (or more!)which we have blithely and naively at the behest of neocons and nitwits like George W. Bush marched ourselves into the middle of and now they and their ilk (like Mr. Edelman)wonder why we’re being stung by the hornets from the nests which we’ve kicked.

Our retaliation against the Taliban and al Qaeda was justified and later detracted from by our wrong war, at the wrong time in Iraq. Now, the foes which attacked us on 9/11 are still alive and prospering, and we are mired for the next “100 years” in Iraq.

The Bush administration and the Republicans’ distraction of a “war on terror” from the essence of the real threats we face is at last being seen for the straw man it is.

http://dangerousintersection.org/2006/11/09/real-terror-is-fear/

— Tim Hogan
1:32 am May 18th, 2008

Mr. Hogan, are you aware That the U.N. and this country, negotiated with Saddam Hussein for some 17 years or more….long before George Bush was in the Federal pay roll. The Clinton Clowns did it while he was in the ORAL office.

In case you don’t know “Might makes Right”, not sitting around negotiating with some entity that takes you for a fool. The Man with the biggest club wins….every time.

Tell Me What Jimmy Carter as an envoy to North Korea, he negotiated. We gave them lots of oil in exchanges for promises. Did we get what was promised, NO.

Pleae explain why we didn’t.

— johnh
7:31 am May 18th, 2008

Thank goodness this letter writer is not in charge of the big red button!

— rea
10:15 am May 19th, 2008

HS - you agree with the statement “We are dealing with a Jihad, and religious wars tend to burn themselves out eventually…there isn’t a lot anyone can do to either hasten it or stop it.”

Do you realize that “jihad” was going on during the Crusades? If radical muslims and these religious wars are going to simply “burn out eventually”, how many hundreds of years must we put up with threats and terrorism before they decide to call it quits? Your logic is very flawed…

The “West” didn’t cause jihad…jihad was around hundreds of years before America was even discovered - Maybe if you spent more time learning history instead of protesting wars you know nothing about, you would be able to add value to your cause. Right now, you are an uninformed twit.

— Gaucho
12:42 pm May 19th, 2008

hey history scholar gaucho. which side finally called it quits to end the crusades?

— lunar chiroptera
9:37 pm May 19th, 2008