Does the world only react to violence?

I was struck today by the disturbing parallels between sentiments expressed by a Tibetan social worker and Osama bin Laden. Here’s the social worker: Tibetan youth are frustrated," the social worker says. She talks about her 21-day hunger strike in front of the United Nations office in New York, meant to raise awareness about the ...

I was struck today by the disturbing parallels between sentiments expressed by a Tibetan social worker and Osama bin Laden. Here's the social worker:

I was struck today by the disturbing parallels between sentiments expressed by a Tibetan social worker and Osama bin Laden. Here’s the social worker:

Tibetan youth are frustrated," the social worker says. She talks about her 21-day hunger strike in front of the United Nations office in New York, meant to raise awareness about the Tibetans’ plight. "It didn’t help," she says bitterly. The first TV cameras arrived only after 12 days. "But when a bomb explodes or a house goes up in flames," she says, "the UN is right there. The world only reacts to violence. Just like in Kosovo."

And here’s Bin Laden, in his most recent tape:

Palestine cannot be retaken by negotiations and dialogue, but with fire and iron… Our enemies did not take over Palestinian through negotiations, but rather, by force."

Of course, the social worker isn’t advocating violence, but merely commenting on how it seems to be the only way to get attention. And Bin Laden isn’t calling for Palestinian autonomy, but the destruction of Israel (nor is he saying anything that Gamal Abdel Nasser didn’t say 40 years ago). Both quotes nonetheless underline why it’s so important to make negotiations and dialogue work. Because when they fail, those who say that violence is the answer will begin to win the argument.

More from Foreign Policy

Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

What Putin Got Right

The Russian president got many things wrong about invading Ukraine—but not everything.

Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.
Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.

Russia Has Already Lost in the Long Run

Even if Moscow holds onto territory, the war has wrecked its future.

Sri Lankan construction workers along a road in Colombo.
Sri Lankan construction workers along a road in Colombo.

China’s Belt and Road to Nowhere

Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy is a “shadow of its former self.”

Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.
Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.

The U.S. Overreacted to the Chinese Spy Balloon. That Scares Me.

So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible.