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We Want to Negotiate

The Secret World of Kidnapping, Hostages and Ransom
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( 155 ratings, 31 reviews)
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We Want to Negotiate investigates the harrowing kidnappings of Western journalists and aid workers in Syria by the Islamic State, focusing on the moral and strategic dilemmas governments face when negotiating with terrorists. Joel Simon draws on his extensive experience with hostage cases to explore the complex debate over whether to pay ransom to secure the release of captives or to refuse on principle, despite the dire consequences.
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Essential reading for those interested in contemporary politics, international relations, and ethical decision-making in crisis situations.

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We Want to Negotiate is an exploration of the ethical, legal, and strategic considerations of a bedevilling question: Should governments pay ransom to terrorists?

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Starting in late 2012, Westerners working in Syria—journalists and aid workers—began disappearing without a trace. A year later, the world learned they had been taken hostage by the Islamic State. Throughout 2014, all the Europeans came home, first the Spanish, then the French, then an Italian, a German, and a Dane. In August 2014, the Islamic State began executing the Americans, including journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, followed by the British hostages.

Joel Simon, who in nearly two decades at the Committee to Protect Journalists has worked on dozens of hostages cases, delves into the heated hostage policy debate. The Europeans paid millions of dollars to a terrorist group to free their hostages. The US and the UK refused to do so, arguing that any ransom would be used to fuel terrorism and would make the crime more attractive, increasing the risk to their citizens. We Want to Negotiate is an exploration of the ethical, legal, and strategic considerations of a bedevilling question: Should governments pay ransom to terrorists?

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780999745427

Publisher: Columbia Global Reports

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 March 2019

Country: United States

Imprint: Columbia Global Reports

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 190.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 189

About the Author

Joel Simon is a fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School and formerly the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Before joining CPJ, he worked as a journalist in Latin America and California. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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