Comments on: Lashings of Insight – Part II http://www.guerrilladiplomacy.com/2009/04/lashings-of-insight-%e2%80%93-part-ii/ Rethinking International Relations Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:44:46 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anurag Sinha http://www.guerrilladiplomacy.com/2009/04/lashings-of-insight-%e2%80%93-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Anurag Sinha Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:08:31 +0000 http://www.guerrilladiplomacy.com/?p=294#comment-16 It is interesting to observe how Hamas, Hezbollah and Taliban are now being viewed as actors with legitimate political aspirations. The Obama administration seems to be willing to engage with them on several issues that could lead to political reconciliation. One is reminded of a remark by John Maynard Keynes, who said, "When the facts change, I change my opinion." Several lessons were learnt in Iraq in this aspect, when the United States opened the political space to extremist groups in order to contain them. It is interesting to observe how Hamas, Hezbollah and Taliban are now being viewed as actors with legitimate political aspirations. The Obama administration seems to be willing to engage with them on several issues that could lead to political reconciliation.

One is reminded of a remark by John Maynard Keynes, who said, “When the facts change, I change my opinion.”

Several lessons were learnt in Iraq in this aspect, when the United States opened the political space to extremist groups in order to contain them.

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