The case for engagement: an interview with President Carter (2005) Carter makes the case for engagement with armed groups from the perspective of a non-governmental intermediary. His own criteria for engagement include his own government’s consent, having identifiable leaders in the field to engage with, and a willingness from both conflict parties to discuss a peaceful resolution. Carter tackles the questions of whether by engaging with an armed group you may be legitimizing them and their violence – asserting that the important thing is to explore if they are amenable to ending violence or abuse. He deals with the problem of engaging ‘terrorist’ organizations by drawing a line at certain types of genuine terrorists, but criticizing excessive use of the term by governments to discredit opponents, requiring an independent judgment about their worthiness for engagement.
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