Date

Oct 20, 1975

Description

This document dissents on the Department of State's policy "that it will not negotiate with terrorists" because it will "deter future kidnappings." After citing a number of examples where State Department negotiations with terrorists saved lives, the paper concludes that the State Department should move beyond "its machismo-image self-concerns into an outward-looking policy which worries about hostages, rather than how the Dept will look. I believe some lives may have been lost and others endangered by the Dept's refusal to move."

The dissent elicited a response from Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for Combating Terrorism Robert Fearey to the Directorate of Policy Planning arguing that the policy of the US State Department not to negotiate with terrorists was "in no sense a 'slogan'" and cited evidence that he believe showed that it was a largely successful policy.

Source

FOIA lawsuit, National Security Archive v. Department of State (17-cv-0770)

Document published in following posting(s):

Department of State’s Dissent Channel Revealed

Mar 15, 2018

• Dissent Paper on Dept's Policies on Terrorism, from [Redacted], October 20, 1975, Confidential.• Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for Combating Terrorism Robert Fearey response to Policy Planning, November 13, 1975, Confidential.

• Dissent Paper on Dept's Policies on Terrorism, from [Redacted], October 20, 1975, Confidential.
• Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for Combating Terrorism Robert Fearey response to Policy Planning, November 13, 1975, Confidential.