Introduction: Applied Ethics, Human Security, and the War on Terrorism

Abstract

On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked four passenger jets to carry out attacks that killed more than 3,000 people in the United States, demonstrating the vulnerability of powerful nations to massive attacks by groups of violent extremists. This shocking example of “asymmetric warfare” between powerful nations and adversaries unwilling to confront them directly served as a warning that national security had to be reexamined and an effective, multilateral antiterrorism strategy made a top priority. However, rather than waiting for a full accounting of facts and for debate of dissenting views, in the “global war on terrorism” (GWOT) the U.S.-led coalition has fought violence with more violence and terrorism with massive state terrorism.