The Art of Business Negotiation in the Middle East

You know it seems to me having done muchit is kind of funny really? Most people get way
business with Arab Gentlemen that if you do notuptight, I just laugh.
BS a little they really do not respect you much,The problem is most Arab Business people are
and the problem is that under US law you havereally okay once you get to know them, but they
to be truthful. They like to catch you in a tall tale,have scoundrels too out to really stick it to you,
it makes them feel smart and then they BS backlike the scam artists in the western world. I guess
and everyone laughs and they say; "You know Ievery nation has their fraudsters really. Those are
like you."the ones you need to watch out for, but once
It really is a cultural thing, it is not really lying it isyou learn who they are and deal with them
more like creating falsehood after falsehood untilappropriately it ain't all that bad. But check six.
everything is so G-darn convoluted you don'tIn negotiating with Iran it is a much different
know what's up anymore. It is fun in a way tostory. As Reagan use to say, "trust by verify" no
negotiate like that, but it is nearly impossible formatter who you negotiate with whether they
written contracts, because the negotiation reallypound their fists on the table and mean it or
starts once you have already signed thewhether they are just giving you a round of
agreement you see or once you have alreadyhorse crap; "good guy, bad guy" you see? It's all
been had by some rather intriguing line of reason.fun, but when you play at that level you cannot
Next after signing an agreement they will ofafford to lose so you keep the cards close to the
course hold you to your obligations, but findvest and if someone cheats, well shoot first and
convoluted reasons why they will not honor theirdon't miss. I think that is what the Iran deal is
obligations due to some other interesting made upcoming down too really? Too bad the cultural
misrepresentation, embellishment and basically BS.differences so easily lead mankind to war.
But it is how they do it. It used to bug the crapConsider all this in 2006.
out of me really. Now I understand how it works