Counter-Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Counter-Terrorism - Essay Example Unlawful enemy combatant status can also be given to anyone attacking the US in a war, such as insurgents, that do not belong to an organized military. They can be detained without charges for the duration of the conflict. Lawful combatants, members of a military, are treated as POWs. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld that "the President has unquestioned authority to detain unlawful enemy combatants, including those who are U.S. citizens, during wartime (Haynes, 2002). Without regards to the suspect's status or charges, torture should never be a matter of policy. Torture is an ethical decision, not a matter of procedure. If an agent is faced with a situation in which they believe torture would be productive, then they should take whatever action is necessary, report it, be prepared to justify it, and be prepared to suffer the consequences. When torture becomes policy, the government ends up debating the legalities of their actions, rather than their effectiveness. Our laws, traditions, and sense of justice can never make torture, even perceived torture, acceptable. 3.) The doctrine of a 'Just War' places limitations and restrictions on the motivations for initiating war, the goals of war, and the engagement of war. Advocates of the just war theory contend that a war is justified if it is formally declared, has a just and defensive cause, has the limited objective of peace, uses proportionate force, is a last resort, and targets only military targets (Anderson, 2003). These guidelines are rather straightforward in a traditional border war or against an aggressive occupation. However, the globalization of terrorism adds a new level of complexity to the... The doctrine of a 'Just War' places limitations and restrictions on the motivations for initiating war, the goals of war, and the engagement of war. Advocates of the just war theory contend that a war is justified if it is formally declared, has a just and defensive cause, has the limited objective of peace, uses proportionate force, is a last resort, and targets only military targets. These guidelines are rather straightforward in a traditional border war or against an aggressive occupation. However, the globalization of terrorism adds a new level of complexity to the meaning of a 'just war'. The war on terror and the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive action were justified using the just war standards. It was a declared war, and pre-emption was considered a defensive action against future aggression. Its objective is peace, and has no goal of territory or wealth. In addition, it is a last resort without the alternatives of negotiation or diplomacy. However, the definition of military tar get has changed in the modern world. Through one lens, the terrorists are radicalized civilians with a political and social agenda. However, their funding, organization, training, and commitment can be defined as pari-military.