Law vs. war
Subtitle: competing approaches to fighting terrorism : conference report
By: Shawn Boyne, Michael German, Paul R. Pillar ; with introduction by Dallas D. Owens.
Contributors: German, Michael.; Pillar, Paul R., 1947-.; Owens, Dallas; Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute.
Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College
Published: 2005
Place of publication: [Carlisle Barracks, PA]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 24
ISBN-13: 9781584872047
Subjects: War on Terrorism, 2001- -- Congresses.; Terrorists -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- United States -- Congresses.; Terrorism -- Government policy -- United States -- Congresses.
Genres: Congresses.
Other titles: Competing approaches to fighting terrorism : conference report
Description: The authors address one of the fundamental assumptions underlying the conduct of the War on Terrorism -- the nature of our enemy, whether perpetrators of terrorist activities are criminals or soldiers (combatants). Although the United States recognizes that terrorist acts are certainly illegal, it has chosen to treat perpetrators as combatants; but much of the world, including many of our traditional allies, have opted for a purely legalistic approach. Disagreement about assumptions is not the only basis for divergent policies for confronting terrorism, but certainly explains much of our inability to agree on strategies to overcome what we recognize as a serious common and persistent international problem. Their insights into how our respective cultures and histories influence our definitions, assumptions, and subsequent policy decisions can assist us to respect and learn from competing strategies. They correctly surmise that our current international struggle is too important for us to ignore assumptions underlying our own and competing ideas.
Notes: "July 2005."

Includes bibliographical references.

Electronic version also available on the SSI website.
Table of contents: value: I. Perceptions of terrorism: continuity and change / Paul R. Pillar; value: II. Squaring the error / Michael German; value: III. Preserving the rule of law in a time of terror: Germany's response to terrorism / Shawn Boyne.