Deterrent?

In a caption to one of the photos on Yahoo there is this interesting bit:

" With four death sentences handed down within the space of days, judicial executions are set to return to Iraq where the authorities are desperate for a deterrent to halt rampant insurgent attacks."

Now, excuse me, but why would an execution be a deterrent to someone who was willing to commit suicide? Why aren't the Iraqis at least talking to one another? Are we so all fired stupid not to realize that negotiations with the insurgents with a cease fire would be a frigging public relations coup? After years of killing in Vietnam we finally started talking to the other side. Yes, it took another five years to get us out of that mess, but at least the killing eventually stopped. We can't WIN there. The best we can hope for is to avoid a civil war. Let Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran handle it. Jebus!