Joel Simon: We Want to Negotiate

Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, notes that the US and Britain have a no-concessions policy when it comes to paying terrorists. “As a result,” Simon writes, “a high number of British and American hostages have been killed. These countries ask their citizens to make this sacrifice because, they believe, to do otherwise would encourage more kidnapping and funnel resources to terrorists that would be used to finance future attacks.” France and Spain are just two countries that have been more willing to pay ransom in order to free their nationals. Regardless of their decisions, governments, institutions, and organizations feel conflicted, and in some instances countries actually break from previous stated policies and choose to negotiate in hostage situations.
Should governments pay ransom to terrorists? What are some of the ethical and legal issues that governments and organizations face when negotiating with terrorist groups? What is the role of the families of kidnapped victims?
Joel Simon is the recent author of "We Want to Negotiate: The Secret World of Kidnapping, Hostages, and Ransom." Simon, who has worked on several hostage cases, will join us to discuss the conflicts and consequences in negotiating with terrorists and paying ransom.
SPEAKER:
Joel Simon
Executive Director, Committee to Protect Journalists
MODERATOR:
Markos Kounalakis
Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution
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