Terrorism

Terrorism

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Terrorism

In the recent years, the United States has revamped its campaign on the targeted killings in the Middle East against the Islamic extremists. The Obama administration increased its targeted killings against the suspected terrorist worldwide but especially in the Middle Eastern countries. There have been increased unmanned drone attacks as the search for terrorist groups goes on[1]. Many people feel that targeted attacks are not right because they do not give the victim a chance to be proven guilty[2]. However, one should consider other factors that apply in such instances. It would be dangerous to approach a person who is ready to not only die, but also take many with him as well. In such a situation, everything changes and three reasons for using targeted killing.

The first reason for targeted killing is the nature of terrorists to perform suicide bombing. This makes them unapproachable or rather too difficult to arrest without risking the lives of the soldiers. Therefore, targeted killing is hereby by used for protecting soldiers from such incidents. However, the fact that they could be dangerous does not mean it is enough to kill a terrorist[3]. Rather, the officer of United States must have enough information that the targeted person indeed is planning an attack or the person poses an eminent threat to the United States. Therefore, the first reason is having enough evidence that the person poses a threat to the United States, which would also pose the threat to the soldiers such as a suicide bomber. It would be too danger to approach such as person as well as leaving him alive.

The second reason that a suspect is killed is when it is not possible to capture the targeted person. When you cannot capture a highly dangerous target, it becomes a danger to many people. In most cases, it becomes hard to capture such terrorists considering they are ready to put up as much resistance as possible. Many of them are die-hard and ready to die as aforementioned. This makes it even dangerous. With difficulties of capturing such people, leaving them at large would dangerous to the nation. This leaves the soldiers no choice[4]. Additionally, the terrorist are using technology as well to escape from the intelligence officers and the military[5]. The main reason it becomes hard to capture some of the targets is the kind of weapon they could be harboring or holding such as highly explosive weapons that could risk the lives of those who are supposed to capture them[6].

The third reason for justifying targeted attacks is that this operation would not be in violation of the laws of war[7]. When at war, one is allowed to kill enemies who pose a threat to their country. Thus, when it is known that the person could be dangerous and planning attacks on American soil, it would be within the war laws to kill him before he kills you. As once said, the best defense is attack. Therefore, when it is clear that the person poses a threat to the nation during a time of war, he or she is treated as an enemy who is supposed to be killed if not captured.

Conclusively, it is clear that there are instances when it would be ideal to use targeted killing stead of having to capture the suspect. However, justification is only right when one is sure that the suspect is guilty as suspected. Otherwise, it would be no use to kill a person. Among the major reasons that I think should contribute to target killing is when the suspect meets the three factors. These factors should include incapability to capture the suspect especially when too dangerous and probably armed, when there is enough evidence that the suspect is posing a threat to the United States and finally, when there is no international law on war is broken. With a suspect meeting such factors, targeted killing would be justified[8].

Bibliography

Jonathan Masters. “Targeted Killings.” cfr.org. Last modified May 23, 2013. http://www.cfr.org/counterterrorism/targeted-killings/p9627

Matthew C. Waxman et al. “The Targeted Killings Debate.” council on foreign relations, last modified June 8, 2011. http://www.cfr.org/international-peace-and-security/targeted-killings-debate/p25230

VOA. “The Debate over Targeted Killings.” voanews.com. Last modified June 11, 2013. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/the-debate-over-targeted-killings/1600264.html

[1] Matthew C. Waxman et al, “The Targeted Killings Debate,” council on foreign relations, last modified June 8, 2011, http://www.cfr.org/international-peace-and-security/targeted-killings-debate/p25230

[2]  Matthew C. Waxman et al, “The Targeted Killings Debate,” council on foreign relations, last modified June 8, 2011, http://www.cfr.org/international-peace-and-security/targeted-killings-debate/p25230

[3] VOA, “The Debate Over Targeted Killings,” voanews.com, last modified June 11, 2013, http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/the-debate-over-targeted-killings/1600264.html

[4] Matthew C. Waxman et al, “The Targeted Killings Debate,” council on foreign relations, last modified June 8, 2011, http://www.cfr.org/international-peace-and-security/targeted-killings-debate/p25230

[5] VOA, “The Debate Over Targeted Killings,” voanews.com, last modified June 11, 2013, http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/the-debate-over-targeted-killings/1600264.html

[6] Jonathan Masters, “Targeted Killings,” cfr.org, last modified May 23, 2013, http://www.cfr.org/counterterrorism/targeted-killings/p9627

[7] VOA, “The Debate Over Targeted Killings,” voanews.com, last modified June 11, 2013, http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/the-debate-over-targeted-killings/1600264.html

[8] Jonathan Masters, “Targeted Killings,” cfr.org, last modified May 23, 2013, http://www.cfr.org/counterterrorism/targeted-killings/p9627