Killing Of Bin Laden Research Articles

Assassinating Justly: Reflections on Justice and Revenge in the Osama Bin Laden Killing

Assassination has always been part of war and in recent years it has played increasingly important roles in United States military policy. The assassination of Osama bin Laden offers itself as an example of an assassination that nevertheless claims to be just. Comparing the bin Laden assassination with the assassination of Simon Petlura by Sholom Schwartzbard in 1927 and the kidnapping and trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961, this article argues that assassinations, which under certain conditions are justified under international law, can also be just, but only when they are accompanied by the risk of a jury trial.

9/11—100 Years On

The events of September 11th 2001 have undoubtedly had a considerable impact in the past ten years, in the United States, in the Muslim World, and elsewhere, in the fields of politics, religion and culture. It will be interesting, however, to see how they are remembered in 100 years' time, and almost certainly it will be the consequences of the event, as much as the events themselves, which will be remembered, in terms of the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, the bombings in several European cities, and the extra-judicial killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011. This paper investigates the legacy of these events, and the questions which they and what has followed from them raise.

The Terrorist Threat from Pakistan

Despite an air of Western triumphalism over bin Laden's killing, Pakistan remains a major hub of international terrorism, especially for groups plotting attacks against Western countries.

We Can Work with Hamas

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

The art of declining politely: Obama's prudent presidency and the waning of American power

Predictions of ‘American decline’ have come and gone before, apparently in cycles, leading some to regard it as a cultural trope stemming from domestic insecurities rather than a serious prospect. There is reason to believe, however, that this time is different. Fundamental erosion of the United States’ decades-long primacy may finally be at hand, and wise analysis should resist the temptations of contrarianism or denial. Critics of ‘declinism’ have offered important caveats with which we should qualify any overly simplistic or deterministic portrait of America's trajectory from hegemon to lesser status. This article gives such qualifications due weight while nevertheless seeking to steer our gaze back towards the core truth at the heart of the declinist thesis. That is: unless something very significant changes to jolt the course of events onto a different track, the relative power of the United States—measured in terms of its advantage over others in economic and military capacity—will be shrinking significantly over the decades to come. Happily, the nation's current president seems to have a disposition well fitted to leading the nation into the opening stages of an era of relative decline. President Obama has made headlines in recent months for his boldness in orchestrating the killing of Osama bin Laden. A fuller survey of his foreign policy, however, reveals that its most signal feature has been prudence and circumspection regarding American power and its exercise. Major divergence between the ends pursued and the capacities available for their pursuit is one of the cardinal sins giving rise to strategic failure. It is thus fortunate for the United States that it should have a president who, even if he may not be inclined to cast it in such words himself, seems disposed not to ‘rage against the dying of the light’ of American primacy, but to practice the admirable art of declining politely.

The Arab Spring After Osama

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

India's role in Afghanistan

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used his recent visit to Kabul to send the message that, unlike the West, New Delhi has no ‘exit strategy’ from Afghanistan. India and Pakistan have long competed for influence over their regional neighbour, and Singh's first trip to the country in six years came at a crucial time – with the US preparing for a troop drawdown and US–Pakistan relations strained by the discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. By supporting Afghan President Hamid Karzai's peace efforts with Taliban insurgents, committing an extra $500 million in aid and announcing a ‘strategic partnership’, Singh was making clear India's long-term interest in Afghanistan.

The Saudi Counter‐Revolution I

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

The Saudi Counter‐Revolution II

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

Will the Muslim Brotherhood Succeed Where Osama Failed?

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

A Compass of Hope for Egypt

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

The Goal in Libya Is Not Regime Change

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

A Vibrant Post‐Revolutionary Egypt Needs World Support

Just as the Arab Spring blossomed, the al‐Qaeda‐led era of terrorism came to an end with the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his Pakistani lair by American special forces. We asked two of the most contentious experts on all things Islamic—Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan—to assess the meaning of these historic moments on the future. Amr Moussa, the leading candidate for Egypt's presidency, and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, also offer their views. Two top former intelligence agents from MI6 and the CIA look at the next turn of events—the Saudi counter‐revolution.

Pakistan’s nuclear forces, 2011

The US raid that killed Osama bin Laden has raised concerns about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. In the process of building two new plutonium production reactors and a new reprocessing facility to fabricate more nuclear weapons fuel, Pakistan is also developing new delivery systems. The authors estimate that if the country’s expansion continues, Pakistan’s nuclear weapons stockpile could reach 150–200 warheads in a decade. They assess the country’s nuclear forces, providing clear analysis of its nuclear command and control, nuclear-capable aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.

Reclaiming Afghanistan

Reclaiming Afghanistan

The Peril of Hasty Triumphalism and Osama bin Laden’s Death

On May 1, 2011 the headlines of a large number of newspapers and TV channels around the world were saying “justice has been done”. Those were the words used by the US President Barack Obama to announce to the world the killing of Osama bin Laden, the number one terrorist on the US most-wanted list.

Seductive Drones : Learning from a Decade of Lethal Operations

Late on 1 May 2011, in Washington, DC, President Barack Obama announced that United States Special Forces had killed Osama bin Laden in his home in the quiet Pakistani town of Abbottabad. As details emerged, human rights experts began to question the legality of the killing, specifically whether Bin Laden could have been captured, rather than killed. Just a few days later, the New York Times reported that the US had carried out drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, killing as many as 15 persons in Pakistan and two in Yemen. Plainly, no person killed in the drone strikes in the days following events in Abbottabad was as dangerous as bin Laden. Yet, few questioned those killings, in contrast to bin Laden's. Could the targeted persons have been captured rather than killed? A decade after the United States first began using drones for lethal operations complacency about their use may be taking hold. Many Americans, as well as citizens of other countries, may now accept that killing with drones far from armed conflict hostilities is both a legally and morally acceptable practice.

Rational Revenge

Previous articleNext article No AccessDiscussionRational RevengeAlan P. HamlinAlan P. Hamlin Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Ethics Volume 101, Number 2Jan., 1991 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/293294 Views: 18Total views on this site Citations: 12Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1991 University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Joshua Gert Revenge is sweet, Philosophical Studies 177, no.44 (Dec 2018): 971–986.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-018-01225-5Lina Eriksson Rational reconstructions and the question of function, Rationality and Society 31, no.44 (Nov 2019): 409–431.https://doi.org/10.1177/1043463119883959Paul James Larkin, Jr. Guiding Presidential Clemency Decision-making, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2019).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3489987Lloyd Cox, Steve Wood ‘Got him’: Revenge, emotions, and the killing of Osama bin Laden, Review of International Studies 43, no.11 (Aug 2016): 112–129.https://doi.org/10.1017/S026021051600022XKarl-Dieter Opp Norms and rationality. Is moral behavior a form of rational action?, Theory and Decision 74, no.33 (Jun 2012): 383–409.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-012-9315-6Doron Pely When Honor Trumps Basic Needs: The Role of Honor in Deadly Disputes within Israel's Arab Community, Negotiation Journal 27, no.22 (Apr 2011): 205–225.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1571-9979.2011.00303.xMichael J. Boyle Revenge and reprisal violence in Kosovo, Conflict, Security & Development 10, no.22 (May 2010): 189–216.https://doi.org/10.1080/14678801003665968Daniel McFadden Free Markets and Fettered Consumers, American Economic Review 96, no.11 (Feb 2006): 5–29.https://doi.org/10.1257/000282806776157542Frans van Zetten What's Wrong with Social Norms? An Alternative to Elster's Theory, Canadian Journal of Philosophy 27, no.33 (Jan 2020): 339–360.https://doi.org/10.1080/00455091.1997.10715955Robin Small Ressentiment, Revenge, and Punishment: Origins of the Nietzschean Critique, Utilitas 9, no.11 (Jan 2009): 39–58.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953820800005124NOREEN STUCKLESS, RICHARD GORANSON A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LITERATURE ON REVENGE, Psychological Reports 75, no.22 (Oct 1994): 803–811.https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1994.75.2.803Linda Ross Meyer THE NEW REVENGE AND THE OLD RETRIBUTION: INSIGHTS FROM MONTE CRISTO, (): 119–142.https://doi.org/10.1016/S1059-4337(03)31005-1