April 8, 2004
NO, MR. BOND, I EXPECT YOU TO DIE:
'Negotiate with Bin Laden': Mowlam (icCroydon, Apr 8 2004)
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam has called on the British and American governments to open talks with Osama bin Laden and al Qaida around a negotiating table.The former Labour MP for Redcar said that by carrying out military campaigns in the Middle East, Britain and the US were acting as a "recruitment officer for the terrorists".
In a television interview which will be broadcast on Easter Sunday, she described the current hardline approach to the war on terror as "completely counter-productive".
Ms Mowlam told Tyne Tees TV's Sunday Interview that Britain and America must open a dialogue with their enemies.
Interviewer Tony Cartledge asked if she could imagine "al Qaida and Osama bin Laden arriving at the negotiating table".
She replied: "You have to do that. If you do not you condemn large parts of the world to war forever.
"Some people couldn't conceive of Gerry Adams or Martin McGuinness getting to the table but they did."
She added: "If you go in with guns and bombs, you act as a recruitment officer for the terrorists."
Here's Lee Harris's next essay--Ms Mowlam is truly guilty of forgetting what an enemy is. Al Qaeda is no threat, but the Western Left, which thinks like this, is. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 8, 2004 3:28 PM
I think the decision about condemning a large part of the world to war forever is out of American hands.
What is in our hands is which part.
Or as a commenter somewhere said, "If it's them or us, I pick them."
Posted by: Harry Eagar at April 8, 2004 3:52 PMShe should immediately be parachuted into the hills of Afghanistan to find Bin Laden and commence negotiations.
Posted by: Carter at April 8, 2004 4:35 PMGreat plan. Once we get them him to the negotiating table, we kill him.
How can anyone be so foolish? The opposite is true: by asking Bin Laden to the negotiating table, we will be showing weakness, which will act as a huge recruiting tool for the terrorists. Which organization would you rather join:
a. One whose leaders live in spider holes when they are not being incinerated by Hellfire missles?
b. One whose leaders are interviewed on Larry King, shake hands with Bush and Blair in the Rose Garden, are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, get invited to Hollywood parties and Jimmy Carter's peanut farm, all without having to stop any of their terrorist activities?
I forgot to add "touring with Bono".
Posted by: Robert Duquette at April 8, 2004 5:18 PMFrom Ireland the British should nevr have allowed those to at the negotiating table.
Posted by: patrick at April 8, 2004 7:14 PMI'm with Carter. I don't want any fool like this deciding my safety, my family's safety, and my country's safety. And if she gets in the way....
Posted by: jim hamlen at April 8, 2004 9:57 PM"She should immediately be parachuted into the hills of Afghanistan to find Bin Laden and commence negotiations."
She should be equiped with a guitar bearing the motto "This Machine Kills Fascists" and the sheet music to "Where Have all the Flowers Gone."
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at April 8, 2004 10:11 PMDo we want to deliver justice or mercy? I hope the solution arrived at in Northern Ireland is to the good and that everyone lives in peace and prosperity.
Having said that, if Justice were rendered IRA representives would be dead and not be considered just another interest group.
Same applies of course to Osama Bin Laden or his ilk. (Kaddafi ?)
Posted by: h-man at April 9, 2004 7:48 AM