I'll hold my breath and turn blue if you don't talk to me!

According to an article in The Economist, not talking to "the enemy" can be just as effective, if not more, than actual talking.

Not talking doesn't mean we ignore diplomacy all together and get to the stick. It means talks themselves can be used as leverage. You want to talk? Ok, but you have to do something first to show you're serious about it.

"For decades Israel and America said they would not talk to the Palestine Liberation Organisation until Yasser Arafat renounced terrorism. Eventually, he did. The same tactic might make Hamas, Hizbullah or Iran drop their stated plan to eliminate the Jewish state. A tactic, however, is not a principle. Choosing the right one requires guessing how much value the other side places on talking, and what it might pay for the privilege. Israel, incidentally, is currently in talks not only with Syria but also, indirectly, with Hamas."

Fun times.