Talk to Al-Quida? Unthinkable

This is the kind of article that people take issue with when it comes to the main stream media.

But proponents say al Qaeda has established itself as a de facto power,
whether the West likes it or not, and history shows militant movements are best
neutralized by negotiation, not war.

So since they are a "de facto power" we have to sit down and make concessions? Do we give them all Muslim countries to run or just some of them? Do we give these Muslim countries a say in the matter? Buried way in the bottom of this article is why Western Powers can't negotiate with Al-Quida until either we are all Muslim nations (with Israel in ruins) or they renounce violence (like that will happen.)

For Egeland, who now heads the Norwegian Institute of International
Affairs, one peril of entering negotiations is to confer legitimacy on your
opponent, sending a signal that anyone who commits mass murder will be
treated as a serious actor.

Yes, we can't legitimize every organization simply because they have killed thousands of people. This *will* send a signal to anyone with a beef with the West (or any other legitimate government) that mass murder is a path to the negotiating table. So how many deaths would it take for a terrorist group to get a seat at the UN?