'War on terror'

The term ‘War on Terror’ (WOT) covers a mass of interlinked topics. Here an outstanding group of authors and academics dissect them from ethical, political, legal, economic and historical perspectives.

Drawn from the world-famous Oxford Amnesty Lectures, the essays are substantial contributions to their fields and of abiding relevance. Here it is argued that members of active terrorist groups should be pre-emptively executed; that there is no provision for WOT in international law; that WOT is not cost-efficient; that war and terrorism can no longer be distinguished; and that the term ‘terrorist’ has been captured by a specific political constituency. The arguments of the celebrated contributors, from Ahdaf Soueif to Joanna Bourke, are confirmed or contradicted by their respondents, resulting in broad, scholarly coverage of the issues. The book concludes with a fatwa against terrorism.

‘WOT’ lies at the heart of current debate about immigration, multiculturalism and foreign policy. It is one of the determining debates in the politics of today. This volume will be of interest to students of politics, law and religion and to anyone concerned with current affairs. It covers the politics of the Middle East and the Iraq War, human rights in Islam and the West and the ethics of intervention. This is a powerful contribution to an urgent debate.

Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Notes on contributors
Introduction: some notes on `terror' – Chris Miller
1. The function of narrative in the ‘war on terror’ – Ahdaf Soueif
Response to Ahdaf Soueif – Elleke Boehmer
2. Terrorism, war and international law – Michael Byers
Response to Michael Byers – Dino Kritsiotis
3. Human rights in an age of counter-terrorism – Conor Gearty
Response to Conor Gearty – Sandra Fredman
4. Terrorism: reflections on harming the innocent – Thomas Pogge
Response to Thomas Pogge – David Miller
5. War/terror/politics – Bat-Ami Bar On
Response to Bat-Ami Bar On – Thomas Dublin
6. War, terrorism and the ‘war on terror’ – Jeff McMahan
Response to Jeff McMahan – David Rodin
7. Islamic law, human rights and neo-colonialism – Khaled Abou El Fadl
Response to Khaled Abou El Fadl – Shaykh Muhammad Afifi Al-Akiti and Dr H. A. Hellyer
8. The threshold of the human: sexual violence and trauma in the war on terror – Joanna Bourke
Response to Joanna Bourke – Avner Offer
9. Defending the transgressed by censuring the reckless against the killing of civilians
– Shaykh Muhammad Afifi Al-Akiti
i. Taqriz/Introduction – Shaykh Gibril F. Haddad
ii. Fatwa – Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti
iii. Select bibliography – Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti
iv. Glossary of Arabic terms - Shaykh Gibril F. Haddad
Index