Every president since Nixon has advocated trade and engagement with China, with the prevailing belief that engagement will lead to democracy.
Why then do we have a different policy towards Cuba?
Does the Bush/McCain doctrine of isolating and closing channels of communication with our enemies (Iran, North Korea etc.) have any basis in psychological theory, as a valid mechanism to achieve our objectives?
“Negotiating with terrorists” is different than having dialogue to defuse anger and incentivize change, and does not necessarily connote weakness. A large stick can and should be wielded.
As the Tao says,
Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are brittle and dry.
Plants are born tender and pliant;
dead, they are brittle and dry.
Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life.
The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.
Also, by calling our involvement in Iraq a “War,” we are empowering our enemies. Acts of terror and violence against peace, freedom and democracy should not be legitimized by the language of war.
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