You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Britain
’Open talks with bin Laden’
2004-04-09
Former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam has called on the British and American governments to open talks with Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda around a negotiating table.
Hasn't been paying attention, has she?
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-Qaeda 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."
As Mr. Boffo would say, "semi-finalist, most idiotic thing said by politician."
Posted by:Paul Moloney

#15  Sure, an' it takes an Irishman to say somethin' that stupid.
Posted by: mojo   2004-04-09 11:13:15 AM  

#14  Ah, but they left out the best part of the interview:
Ms Mowlam said she was ready to criticise the Government she once served in her new one-woman show, particularly about its policy on Iraq and the Middle East.

She's pimping her new show, bet it'll be a laugh riot.

She also confirmed on the programme that she has completely recovered from a brain tumour. She stepped down as an MP in 2001.

Better get a second opinion on that tumour, Mo.
Posted by: Steve   2004-04-09 11:12:00 AM  

#13  oh my god! this is worse than talking with a fascist who is the rightful leader of a country...(maybe germany comes to mind). when will the west learn - these terrorists are dogs - they will never be satisfied!
Posted by: Dan   2004-04-09 10:51:56 AM  

#12  By her logic, we should have allowed the Grand Masters of the KKK to visit with the President and legitimately discuss the benefits of lynchings and cross burnings. Stupid.
Posted by: B   2004-04-09 10:14:58 AM  

#11  maybe him just wanting an easter basket with chocolit fill eggs.
Posted by: muck4doo   2004-04-09 10:08:27 AM  

#10  ...asked if she could imagine "al-Qaeda 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."

You have to do that. So where does Mumblin' Mo suggest we draw the line at people we have to negotiate with? Anyone who harbours a grudge, however irrational? Or do we only have to negotiate with violent people? How violent? Has it ever occurred to her that the reasoning that how violent someone is determines to how much we have to negotiate with them might perhaps encourage ever more violence, and actively discourage those with grievances from protesting peacefully? This isn't exactly sophisticated consideration cause-and-effect reasoning...

Can you imagine how Mo's sort of approach would work in a classroom?
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-04-09 9:59:49 AM  

#9  "Say hello to my leetle friend!"
Posted by: Dar   2004-04-09 9:33:31 AM  

#8  I think it's a great idea. Bring him to the table and we'll ..um...talk!
Posted by: B   2004-04-09 8:35:56 AM  

#7  don't feel bad Raptor, she was the Former Northern Ireland secretary after all.
Posted by: Jarhead   2004-04-09 8:31:42 AM  

#6  Makes me ashamed of my McManus heritage.
Posted by: Raptor   2004-04-09 8:27:13 AM  

#5  "I'm Osama bin Laden and I want to negotiate."
Posted by: True German Ally   2004-04-09 6:45:41 AM  

#4  Ms. Mowlan may feel free to negotiate the cut of her burkha with bin Laden. Al Qaeda has yet to put on the table a single issue that can be negotiated.


Complete abolition of women's rights? Ummm ... no.

All women wearing the burkha and hahib? Ummm ... no.

All men wearing beards and praying five times daily? ... no.

All alcohol prohibited? ... Rhully big no.

Apostasy punishable by death? ... no.

Mandatory schooling using the Qu'ran? ... no.

Due process substituted with religious councils? ... no.

Sorry, Osama old pal, not a single thing there to negotiate. Feel free to yak it up with Ms. Mowlan, but all I've got for you is a bullet.
Posted by: Zenster   2004-04-09 1:55:38 AM  

#3  Peace in our time. Any takers?
Posted by: Rafael   2004-04-09 1:28:35 AM  

#2  OMFG. Did you hear that? That was the sound of my brain exploding. Quick, everybody go read DenBeste on diplomacy and negotiation and then come back and slap Ms. Mowlam upside the head. Gah.
Posted by: Seafarious   2004-04-09 1:24:08 AM  

#1  *points to Israel vs. Palestine*

They tried. Look what that came to.
Posted by: Edward Yee   2004-04-09 1:19:08 AM  

00:00