reporter: and trying to talk their own bosses out of overreacting. sometimes there s this compelling thing we call action imperative where authorities feel they have to do something to be seen as decisive and in charge. and when you re compelled to do that, you often end up doing the wrong thing. reporter: koresh isn t making it easy. he claims to have weapons that can penetrate the armored personnel carriers, which he calls little buggies. and threatens to blow the government s little buggies to pieces. that s when the decision was made by the tactical guys. let s get us a really big tank. they got an m-1 abrams tank. reporter: the military armer is supposed to protect the tactical guys up close. even with the big guns removed it s a show of strength to intimidate the branch davidians. instead, it strengthens the
it s god who is directing david. > rorr:eport el saoy pi hiny mo t as a negotiator i would have preferred to go back to koresh again and again, trying to get him to live up to what he had promised to do rather than taking an action that only gave him ammunition to be more angry at us. reporter: the negotiators are now fighting on two fronts. hello? reporter: trying to calm david koresh you re just schmoozing me, trying use psychology on me. reporter: and trying to talk their own bosses out of overreacting. sometimes there s this compelling thing we call action imperative where authorities feel they have to do something to be seen as decisive and in charge. and when you re compelled to do that, you often end up doing the wrong thing. reporter: koresh isn t making it easy. he claims to have weapons that can penetrate the armored personnel carriers, which he calls little buggies. and threatens to blow the government s little buggies to pieces. that s when the decis
reporter: trying to calm david koresh you re just schmoozing me, trying use psychology on me. reporter: and trying to talk their own bosses out of overreacting. sometimes there s this compelling thing we call action imperative where authorities feel they have to do something to be seen as decisive and in charge. and when you re compelled to do that, you often end up doing the wrong thing. reporter: koresh isn t making it easy. he claims to have weapons that can penetrate the armored personnel carriers, which he calls little buggies. and threatens to blow the government s little buggies to pieces. that s when the decision was made by the tactical guys. let s get us a really big tank. they got an m-1 abrams tank. reporter: the military armer is supposed to protect the tactical guys up close. even with the big guns removed it s a show of strength to intimidate the branch davidians.
you if they think you molest children. reporter: feel duped, the fbi commander orders armored closer to the building to tighten the noose. but it only seems to antagonize koresh. your organization in this united states of america is a liar. you re saying peace with your mouth, but your words are words of a dragon. as a negotiator i would have preferred to go back to koresh again and again, trying to get him to live up to what he had promised to do rather than taking an action that only gave him ammunition to be more angry at us. reporter: the negotiators are now fighting on two fronts. hello? reporter: trying to calm david koresh you re just schmoozing me, trying use psychology on me. reporter: and trying to talk their own bosses out of overreacting. sometimes there s this compelling thing we call action imperative where authorities feel they have to do something to be seen as decisive and in charge. and when you re compelled to do that, you often end up doing the w