--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In principle, there is nothing wrong with…" description: "\"In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United States negotiating directly with the Taliban.\" — Tom Malinowski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg" --- # In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United… ![“In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United States negotiating directly with the Taliban.” quote by Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg) > “In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United States negotiating directly with the Taliban.” [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Negotiating directly with the Taliban can be permissible if it serves strategic interests and adheres to legal norms. **In simple terms:** Direct talks with the Taliban may be acceptable. Key Takeaway Consider diplomatic channels carefully. Themes diplomacy policy conflict negotiation law Mood cautious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - peace talks - conflict resolution - government strategy - humanitarian aid Key Concepts realpolitik peacebuilding international law Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards are needed? - How to ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Risk of legitimizing extremist groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Directly Taliban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directly-taliban-2915023/) [Negotiating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiating/) [Negotiating Directly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiating-directly-2915024/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Taliban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taliban/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) ## Related quotes > [Peace cannot come without the government of Afghanistan speaking directly to the Taliban or the Taliban talking directly to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/peace-cannot-come-without-the-government-of-afghanistan-speaking/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Negotiating with the Taliban must be done from a position of strength. Negotiating from a position of weakness would be a disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/negotiating-with-the-taliban-must-be-done-from-a-position-of-strength/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [Barack Obama said he may negotiate with the Taliban. A lot of people are saying okay, but be careful. But I said this guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/barack-obama-said-he-may-negotiate-with-the-taliban-a-lot-of-people/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Well, does he still have his fingernails? Making inquiries while negotiating the release of a US Army pilot from North Korea, in Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/well-does-he-still-have-his-fingernails-making-inquiries-while/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-capability-of-negotiating-is-something-that-means-you-not-only/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Why are we talking about talking? Why negotiating about negotiating? It's very simple. If you want to get to peace, put all your preconditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/why-are-we-talking-about-talking-why-negotiating-about-negotiating-it/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [We are in the process of negotiating an agreement with the United States. We will be negotiating agreements with India and China. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-in-the-process-of-negotiating-an-agreement-with-the-united/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Never fall in love with something when you're negotiating a price. Never decide you're going to buy something because you can't live without it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/never-fall-in-love-with-something-when-you-re-negotiating-a-price/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [As a mother of four, I feel like I've naturally learned the negotiating skills to bring some win-win results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/as-a-mother-of-four-i-feel-like-i-ve-naturally-learned-the/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sanctions-alone-could-not-stop-iran-s-nuclear-program-but-they-did/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The vote on the Peacekeeper is also a vote on Geneva. Rejecting the Peacekeeper will knock the legs out from under the negotiating table.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-vote-on-the-peacekeeper-is-also-a-vote-on-geneva-rejecting-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Beyond that is the fear that the United States will end up negotiating and agreeing to a deal with Iran. The Israelis do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/beyond-that-is-the-fear-that-the-united-states-will-end-up/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [Donald Trump so far is sending a signal that he's going to run the government like his business and maybe that's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/donald-trump-so-far-is-sending-a-signal-that-he-s-going-to-run-the/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) ## More by Tom Malinowski > [Ever since the end of the Cold War, it has been our paramount interest in Europe to strengthen NATO and to extend it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/ever-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war-it-has-been-our-paramount-interest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Arresting opposition leaders and restricting civil society will not stop people from protesting, but it can create leaderless movements that leave no one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/arresting-opposition-leaders-and-restricting-civil-society-will-not/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Let's face it: much of what we truly value in life is rooted in our experience of repression and conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/let-s-face-it-much-of-what-we-truly-value-in-life-is-rooted-in-our/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Kim Jong Un, like all totalitarian leaders, wants above all to ensure his survival. He is convinced that a nuclear strike capability is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/kim-jong-un-like-all-totalitarian-leaders-wants-above-all-to-ensure/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [I haven't met a single person, Republican or Democrat, who thinks it's just fine for members of Congress to sit on the boards of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/i-haven-t-met-a-single-person-republican-or-democrat-who-thinks-it-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Words matter. Words can be a fire to the gasoline of disturbed minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/words-matter-words-can-be-a-fire-to-the-gasoline-of-disturbed-minds/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The rule of law that China's dissidents ask for is important to U.S. businesses investing in China as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-rule-of-law-that-china-s-dissidents-ask-for-is-important-to-u-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [We already ban foreign donations to political candidates, and we should strengthen that ban with closer scrutiny of credit card donations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/we-already-ban-foreign-donations-to-political-candidates-and-we/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Protecting those with pre-existing conditions was one of the greatest health care reforms in our country's history and must be protected at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/protecting-those-with-pre-existing-conditions-was-one-of-the-greatest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [As a former Assistant Secretary of State, Senior Director on the National Security Council, and Washington Director for Human Rights Watch, I hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/as-a-former-assistant-secretary-of-state-senior-director-on-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Putin interfered in our election because he wanted an American president who sees the world as he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/putin-interfered-in-our-election-because-he-wanted-an-american/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The House Foreign Affairs Committee can and should become the principal institution in Washington exercising foreign policy oversight and serving as an alternative voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-house-foreign-affairs-committee-can-and-should-become-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In a totalitarian state like North Korea, a group of neighbors gathering once a week to watch the latest episode of a forbidden soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-a-totalitarian-state-like-north-korea-a-group-of-neighbors/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In America, we have holidays and monuments that celebrate heroes from our past, most of whom have legacies that are settled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-america-we-have-holidays-and-monuments-that-celebrate-heroes-from/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [By the time I joined the Obama administration in 2014, it was widely expected that the president of the United States would raise human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/by-the-time-i-joined-the-obama-administration-in-2014-it-was-widely/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) [Explore all 100 Tom Malinowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## More Negotiating quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [Donald Trump so far is sending a signal that he's going to run the government like his business and maybe that's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/donald-trump-so-far-is-sending-a-signal-that-he-s-going-to-run-the/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [Beyond that is the fear that the United States will end up negotiating and agreeing to a deal with Iran. The Israelis do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/beyond-that-is-the-fear-that-the-united-states-will-end-up/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [The vote on the Peacekeeper is also a vote on Geneva. Rejecting the Peacekeeper will knock the legs out from under the negotiating table.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-vote-on-the-peacekeeper-is-also-a-vote-on-geneva-rejecting-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sanctions-alone-could-not-stop-iran-s-nuclear-program-but-they-did/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As a mother of four, I feel like I've naturally learned the negotiating skills to bring some win-win results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/as-a-mother-of-four-i-feel-like-i-ve-naturally-learned-the/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [Never fall in love with something when you're negotiating a price. Never decide you're going to buy something because you can't live without it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/never-fall-in-love-with-something-when-you-re-negotiating-a-price/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [We are in the process of negotiating an agreement with the United States. We will be negotiating agreements with India and China. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-in-the-process-of-negotiating-an-agreement-with-the-united/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Why are we talking about talking? Why negotiating about negotiating? It's very simple. If you want to get to peace, put all your preconditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/why-are-we-talking-about-talking-why-negotiating-about-negotiating-it/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-capability-of-negotiating-is-something-that-means-you-not-only/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Well, does he still have his fingernails? Making inquiries while negotiating the release of a US Army pilot from North Korea, in Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/well-does-he-still-have-his-fingernails-making-inquiries-while/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [My message to the world is that until we recognize that peace is not just the absence of war but the revival of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/my-message-to-the-world-is-that-until-we-recognize-that-peace-is-not/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [I've been arguing this for months. This is not our war. This is not a war we should be in. Australia's better spending its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hewson/i-ve-been-arguing-this-for-months-this-is-not-our-war-this-is-not-a/) [John Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hewson/) > [Feeding children is like working for the United Nations - getting reluctant parties to come to the table, negotiating, brokering deals. 'If you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/feeding-children-is-like-working-for-the-united-nations-getting/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) [Browse all 197 Negotiating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiating/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United States negotiating directly with the Taliban.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Malinowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-the-united-states/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Negotiating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-the-united-states/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/tom-malinowski-5887_nothing_in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with_1916127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In principle, there is nothing wrong with the United States negotiating directly with the Taliban.” — Tom Malinowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Malinowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In principle, there is nothing wrong...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-the-united-states/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-principle-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-the-united-states/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```