War, Torture and Terrorism

The ethics of war is facing a profound and rapid transformation. 9/11 and the "War on Terror" have led to many extraordinary changes both internationally and domestically. The ethics of war is facing a profound and rapid transformation. 9/11 and the “war on terror” have led to many extraordinary changes both internationally and domestically. The rise of terrorism and “asymmetric war”, a trend towards preventive war, forcible regime change, detention without trail and even torture, have placed legal institutions and ethical concepts under more strain than they have faced in a generation. This collection of original essays represents the “state of the art” of this topical and contested field. Leading international scholars provide insightful and provocative analyses of some of the central moral problems of modern war, including: under what circumstances is intervention in another state justifiable? Is assassination a permissible tactic in war? Is there ever a justification for killing the innocent, engaging in terrorism, or conducting torture? This thought-provoking new book is accessible on many levels; as an excellent undergraduate teaching text, as required reading for scholars of military ethics and as an introduction for non-experts to the modern debate on the ethics of war. This collection by leading scholars represents state of the art writings on the ethics of war. Many of the most important and contested controversies in modern war receive comprehensive discussion: the practice of torture, terrorism, assassination and targeted killing, the bombing of civilians in war, humanitarian intervention, and the invasion of Iraq Analytical introduction provides a guide to recent developments in the ethics of war An excellent overview for general readers interested in the current debate and controversies over the ethics of war