I am trying hard to understand why there is so much resistance to and hostility toward the idea of negotiating with the regime in Iran. I’m also having trouble understanding the uproar over having Russians representing our interests. Given the volatility of the issues involved, it seems to make sense to have a neutral third party playing a key role in the process. History is replete with examples of treaties and negotiations between countries that have had opposing interests and points of view.
Just ask people in England who had family that lived through the saturation bombing of London; day after day after day. And then ask some Russians whose ancestors endured the sub-human atrocities of the Nazis. A generation of young English children suffered profound emotional and psychological trauma, having been separated from their families for an extended period of time. They were sequestered in “safe” places outside of London, to protect them from the terror of protracted and incessant bombing. Russia, essentially, lost a generation of young men, who gave their lives to prevent the total annihilation of their country. Both England and Russia had non-aggression pacts with Germany.
As my practice and my life experience matured over the past forty years, I have learned two indelible things:
1.) Never Argue With Stupid People
2.) Never Negotiate With Psychopaths