CNN Tonight host Dan Lemon recently featured Program on Negotiation Chair Robert Mnookin along with fellow Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz, storied commentator Anne Coulter, and Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst, for a panel discussion regarding the recent exchange of Taliban prisoner for US soldier, Bowe Bergdahl.
The night’s discussion centered on whether or not US President Barack Obama was remiss in releasing five Taliban prisoners in exchange for one US soldier who was being held by the Taliban.
Robert Mnookin’s “Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight” describes when and how to negotiate with parties who may have done evil deeds. Colleague Alan Dershowitz cited past prisoner exchanges between Israel and its adversaries. Robert Mnookin said, “Well, I think in this instance, President Obama made the correct decision. I don’t believe you can categorically say you should either never negotiate with an evil adversary or that you should always negotiate because that’s the way you can make peace. It very much depends on the context and a careful assessment of the potential costs and benefits and what your alternatives are.”
You can read the entire transcript of the debate here on CNN’s website.
Claim your FREE copy: International Negotiations
Claim your copy of International Negotiations: Cross-Cultural Communication Skills for International Business Executives from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.