COMPARISONS OF HOSTAGE-TAKING EVENTS DURING THE 1970'S INDICATE THAT THE FORCES OF COUNTERTERRORISM HAVE APPROACHED THE LIMITS WITHIN WHICH RESPONSES CAN SUCCESSFULLY TAKE PLACE. THE FINITE LIMITS OF HUMAN ENDURANCE RESTRICT THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH CRISES CAN BE RATIONALLY MANAGED. TECHNOLOGY ASSISTS THE RESCUE FORCES UP TO A CERTAIN POINT, BUT THE FINAL ASSAULT ON A TERRORIST GROUP RELIES ON THE STRENGTH OF INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS. TOLERANCES ARE VERY SLIGHT, AND MISTAKES OCCUR AT THE EXPENSE OF INNOCENT LIVES. ALTHOUGH GERMANY'S WELL-TRAINED GRENZSCHUTZGRUPPE-9 (BORDER POLICE UNIT) SUCCEEDED IN RESCUING THE PASSENGERS OF A LUFTHANSA AIRLINER AT MOGADISHU, THE EGYPTIAN COMMANDOS DIED IN A RESCUE EFFORT AT LARNACA, CYPRUS. THE EGYPTIAN FAILURE INDICATES THAT SUCH OPERATIONS SHOULD NEVER BE MOTIVATED BY REVENGE OR SHOWMANSHIP BUT MUST DEPEND ON COOPERATION WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES. EXAMINATION OF THE HOSTAGE-TAKING PHENONEMON INDICATES THAT THE HOSTAGETAKER BECOMES AS MUCH A PRISONER OF THE SITUATION AS IS THE ACTUAL HOSTAGE. IT IS REMARKABLY DIFFICULT TO TRADE HOSTAGES FOR ANYTHING OF IMMEDIATE VALUE. ALTHOUGH THE JAPANESE RED ARMY SUCCEEDED IN KEEPING A LARGE RANSOM AFTER ITS 1977 SKYJACKING VENTURE, MOST HOSTAGE SITUATIONS ONLY GAIN PUBLICITY FOR THE OFFENDER. MANY NATIONS, ESPECIALLY ISRAEL, REPRESENT FORMIDABLE OPPONENTS TO TERRORISM. MOREOVER, THE ENTEBBE RAID DEMONSTRATED THE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES IF NEGOTIATION FAILS. THEORETICAL DISCUSSION OF RESCUE EFFORTS INDICATES THAT GOVERMENTS' PREFERENCES FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS, PRIOR TO ANY USE OF FORCE, REPRESENT AN EXTRAORDINARY TRIUMPH OF REASON OVER EMOTION. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)