Negotiating with Evil

When to Talk to Terrorists

By: Mitchell B. Reiss

Narrated by: Peter Johnson

In a career spanning decades, Mitchell B. Reiss has been at the center of some of America's most sensitive diplomatic negotiations. He is internationally recognized for his negotiation efforts to forge peace in Northern Ireland and to stem the nuclear crisis in North Korea. In Negotiating with Evil, Reiss distills his experience to answer two questions more vital today than ever: Should we talk to terrorists? And if we do, how should we conduct the negotiations in order to gain what we want?

To research this book, Reiss traveled the globe for three years, unearthing hidden aspects of the most secret and sensitive negotiations from recent history. He has interviewed hundreds of individuals, including prime ministers, generals, intelligence operatives, and former terrorists in conflict-torn regions of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. The result is a fascinating examination of the different methods countries have employed to confront terrorist movements, the mistakes made, the victories achieved, and the lessons learned.

Negotiating with Evil is a penetrating and insightful look into high-stakes diplomacy in the post-9/11 world and a vital contribution to the global security debate as the United States and its allies struggle to confront terrorist threats abroad and at home.

©2010 Mitchell B. Reiss (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is an excellent and deeply relevant book, and it should be required reading for informed citizens and senior policymakers alike." (U.S. Senator John McCain)

"A truly superb analysis of negotiations with controversial groups and states.... After two decades of personal experience as a mediator and negotiator, I found Negotiating with Evil to be the most comprehensive and thoughtful work on this complex subject. This is a must-read for leaders, negotiators, and those interested in this hot, contemporary topic that faces our current political leadership." (General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC [Retired])

"It’s both an important study and also a compelling set of historical narratives." (Walter Isaacson, author of Kissinger: A Biography and Einstein: His Life and Universe)