Is it productive to talk about talking about the enemy? The candidates talk about it, our diplomats talk about it, etc., etc. It is productive or not productive depending on what is said, like most other things. I personally am not persuaded either way by references to the Soviets or Iraqi tribesmen because the issue has been whether a president should talk to the leaders of Iran without preconditions. The alternative examples, so far anyway, don’t track the question.