The War on Terrorism and the End of Human Rights

Abstract

In response to the crimes of September 11, the U.S. has declared a War on Terrorism. By selectively combining elements of law with elements of war, Washington is able to maximize its ability to mobilize lethal force against terrorists and combat the risks they pose. But the new hybrid of war and law eliminates most traditional rights of military adversaries and those of innocents as well. It raises the troubling question of whether international human rights will be a casuality of the War on Terrorism.