Can you negotiate with al-Qaeda?

There are only so many alternatives available to us in the fix we’ve found ourselves in after September 11, 2001. These range from the ultra-soft stance—there is no such thing as radical Islamist terrorism—that’s gained some currency in Europe and the Left in the United States to the ultra-hard stance—nuke ’em all—that will occasionally appear in the comments sections of some blogs. Taking these views from soft to hard:

1. There’s nothing to do.
2. If only the United States changes its policies, the situation will resolve itself.
3. Whatever needs to be done can be done through negotiations.
4. It’s primarily a law-enforcement and intelligence matter.
5. It’s a law-enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and military matter but military action should only be taken when authorized by the United Nations Security Council.
6. It’s a law-enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and military matter and we’ll take military action as we see fit to reduce al-Qaeda.
7. It’s a law-enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and military matter and we’ll take military action as we see fit to reduce al-Qaeda or replace uncooperative or undemocratic regimes. Democratic societies won’t provide an environment in which al-Qaeda can endure.
8. It’s a war of civilizations: them or us.

In a recent article from Front Page Magazine (hat tip: The Moderate Voice) author Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior terrorism analyst with the Investigative Project, casts doubt on the first three alternatives. His response to Western scholars and politicians who believe that the recent taped messages attributed to Osama bin Laden represent overtures to negotiation is that they are mistaken. He concludes:

Al-Qaeda has again turned to deception as a means of gaining a strategic advantage in its war against the West. Although many continue to fall for the terrorists’ claims of reasonableness and a limited agenda, al-Qaeda has repeatedly made its true endgame clear: re-establishing a caliphate ruled according to Taliban-style Islamic law, re-conquering all formerly Muslim lands, and preparing Islamic super-state for perpetual conflict with the West. Ignore their true agenda at your own peril.