http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapc...ef=mpstoryview
Quote:
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Afghanistan's Taliban killed one of the 23 South Korean hostages on Wednesday after Kabul failed to free Taliban prisoners, a spokesman for the group said, adding insurgents would kill more if their demands were not met.
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Would you negotiate with the Taliban for the release of the 23 South Korean hostages?
How far would you go - would you meet their demands?
Does giving the Taliban what they want bolster them or satisfy them, steming similar acts in teh future?
In general:
Would you negotiate with hostage takers?
If negotiating, how far should you go to meeting the demands of the hostage takers?
What does it say to the world if you choose not to negotiate?
What does it say to the world if you choose to negotiate?
What message do the hostage takers take away if you choose to negotiate and meet their demands?
What message do the hostage takers take away if you choose not to negotiate or not to meet their demands?
Note: Here when I am referring to hostage takers I am talking about organized hostage taking similar to the situation with teh Koreans taken hostage by the taliban.
I think that these is an essential question that we must confront in the world that we are living in today.
The following, of course, is easy for me to say since I, thankfully, am not in such a position but I will try to be as honest as possible.
I think that if at all possible no real negotiations should take place. Some negotiations may be required to gain information about the situation in order to allow for the planning and carrying out of a rescue.
I think that negotiations are acceptable to a point in order try to convince the hostage takers to abandon their quest - offer them ways out of this situation that don't end in giving in to their demands or them killing the hostages.
As to what a country is saying to the world should they choose to negotiate or not...this is a tough one. I think that it is hard for other countires to criticize one that chooses to negotiate to help is trapped countrymen. The pressure within their country to do something must be enourmous. That being said, I think that they are putting people from other countries in harms way by showing the hostage takers what the result is of their actions...which leads me to the next question.
What are you telling the hostange takers? If you give them what they want I think that you are just bolstering them. You are saying, "hey, don't do this again becuase we will have to get upset and give in to all your demands again"
And the worst part of this whole situation...what message are you giving the hostage takers if you refuse to give in? You are sending a message that this can't be done unfortunately if this is not applied consistently in all cases the message does not get throuhg.