UN Study on targeted killings by Philip Alston

[Solly Mack]

Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions - Study on targeted killings by Philip Alston


Summary

In recent years, a few States have adopted policies that permit the use of targeted
killings, including in the territories of other States. Such policies are often justified as a
necessary and legitimate response to “terrorism” and “asymmetric warfare”, but have had
the very problematic effect of blurring and expanding the boundaries of the applicable legal
frameworks. This report describes the new targeted killing policies and addresses the main
legal issues that have arisen.

Read it. Seriously - read it. The entire report. Don't pre-judge it. Read it. It is very informative. It does precisely what the summary says it does - "addresses the main legal issues that have arisen" from States adopting a targeted killings policy.

If nothing else - once you read it....you'll be better informed when discussing current events. :D

[G_j]

1. bookmarked!

I've already started it, crucial reading..

[Solly Mack]

2. Hi G_j! It really is well worth the read.

[G_j]

7. I'll have to admit

I skipped forward to the section on Drone Attacks, which was definitely worth reading, then went back to the beginning. This will profoundly expand anyone's knowledge of this subject.

Must read!

[Solly Mack]

8. I skipped around the first time I read it too. :)

I've read it several times now - I still refer back to some parts more than others.

[leftstreet]

3. K&R

Very interesting so far!

[Solly Mack]

6. Thanks!

[MisterP]

4. this fits with Agamben's "permanent exception" where laws are suspended indefinitely

and national leaders assume extrajudicial powers

the decades-old National Security Doctrine srengthened the military to a position above civilian authority and law—a position without accountability and answering to nobody’s scrutiny. The fight against Communism was a total, permanent, dirty war without borders, quarter, or distinction between combatants and civilians. The government was to serve the security forces. The doctrine held that opposition and dissent were treasonous subversion of the state and forced all problems into a black-and-white, “East-West” fight (Leticia Salomon).

[Solly Mack]

5. The report touches on many of those elements.

[Solly Mack]

9. kick

[Solly Mack]

10. Another good paper to read. :)

Interesting Times for International Humanitarian Law: Challenges from the “War on Terror” by Gabor Rona: Legal Advisor in the Legal Division of the International Committee of the Red Cross

[spanone]

11. targeted killing...isn't that what john f. kennedy was on nov. 22, 1963?

just another euphemism for assassination

[Solly Mack]

12. The paper addresses such things.

[Solly Mack]

13. ...

:D

[G_j]

14. kick

[Solly Mack]

15. TY, G_j

:hi:

[G_j]

16. YW

:hi: