You know it seems to me having done much business with Arab Gentlemen that if you do not BS a little they really do not respect you much, and the problem is that under US law you have to be truthful. They like to catch you in a tall tale, it makes them feel smart and then they BS back and everyone laughs and they say; “You know I like you.”
It really is a cultural thing, it is not really lying it is more like creating falsehood after falsehood until everything is so G-darn convoluted you don’t know what’s up anymore. It is fun in a way to negotiate like that, but it is nearly impossible for written contracts, because the negotiation really starts once you have already signed the agreement you see or once you have already been had by some rather intriguing line of reason.
Next after signing an agreement they will of course hold you to your obligations, but find convoluted reasons why they will not honor their obligations due to some other interesting made up misrepresentation, embellishment and basically BS. But it is how they do it. It used to bug the crap out of me really. Now I understand how it works it is kind of funny really? Most people get way uptight, I just laugh.
The problem is most Arab Business people are really okay once you get to know them, but they have scoundrels too out to really stick it to you, like the scam artists in the western world. I guess every nation has their fraudsters really. Those are the ones you need to watch out for, but once you learn who they are and deal with them appropriately it ain’t all that bad. But check six.
In negotiating with Iran it is a much different story. As Reagan use to say, "trust by verify" no matter who you negotiate with whether they pound their fists on the table and mean it or whether they are just giving you a round of horse crap; “good guy, bad guy" you see? It’s all fun, but when you play at that level you cannot afford to lose so you keep the cards close to the vest and if someone cheats, well shoot first and don’t miss. I think that is what the Iran deal is coming down too really? Too bad the cultural differences so easily lead mankind to war. Consider all this in 2006.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
