The US has always said it will not negotiating with terrorists. Every time a US citizen is kidnapped in Iraq, I hear about this policy. I know the families of the kidnapped must feel pretty mad at this policy.

Other countries have negotiated to get the release of their citizens. I do believe that the female Italian reporter may have got her release through negotiation.

Should we negotiate with terrorists?

The problem with negotiating with terrorists is that as soon as you do, you have ten other terrorists knocking at your door.

No- giving into them will cause them to do it more.

we should never negotiate with the terrorist.no way.
if we negotiate for what ever reasons, the terrorist will go another inch further

my gut reaction is to say no, but looking to northern ireland it seems talking produces the best results and while the peace process isnt perfect (now theres an understatement) the bombings have stopped and that can only be good.

We were talking more to sinn fein then the ira in northern ireland. In some cases such as northern ireland where the terrorists have been in place for many years then possibly negotiation is an option. But in iraq if you start negotiatin more terrorists are going to get on the act, and it wont work.

Established Governments should not negotiate with terrorists knowing that terrorists can make irrational choice. But, you'll have to consider the morale aspect as well. What if a foreigner was to be held as hostage and the captors demand a certain amount of currency in return of the hostage. If the Government refuses to comply or to negotiate, surely the hostage would be executed. We've seen this many times in Iraq. Italy, instead of following the American and British Policy of no negotiations, paid the ransom instead of ignoring the demand which actually saved lives. But, it would be clear that the money given would be invested into more terrorist activities.

Concerning to Spain, the Goverment began to talk with ETA a few years ago and the terrorist stop the bombings for a while. With the pass of the time it was demostrated that they used that time for reforcing their selfs, buying more weapons and recruiting more fanatics.

I think it has to do with the terrorists you're dealing with and the govt. The US and russia won't negotiate since they feel above that and that their militaries will take out terrorists permanently. But if you don't have all the necessary resources to deal with terrorists, and for years and decades the fighting has been going on like the ira, it's really the only thing you can do to negotiate. Even if that means buying time for terrorists, at least things will slow down.

Islam will have egg on its face until it takes responsibility for its fanatics. Sure, I know of some Christian-focussed extremist groups in the USA and throughout the world. They hang around in bedsheets, then go to rallies in them or other silly thing. Some move to Northern Idaho or elsewhere in the inner Mountain West of the USA where they go and hide from the rest of the human race. And what do we think of them? We think they're absolutely nuts!!

I've heard from Iranians and Paletinians and a number of other Muslim nation's people. They often are offended by the notion that a man who walks into a preschool with a bomb strapped to him, then detonates it killing himself and 33 children, is a "Terrorist". Nope, he's a "freedom fighter." Some will not go that far. They will say "he is just a very misunderstood individual." A frequent common thread is how we Americans (or others) do not understand anything about it. That shred of sympathy for an idividual who deserves none.

Most of the USA isn't on the verge of joining the KKK or the Nazi Party. They are made fun of. People take them about as seriously a man who is 100% convince that he is a glass of orange juice, and terrified that everyone will try to drink him. (Yes, its a true story.)