Combating Terrorists: Legal Challenges in the Post-9/11 World

• Author: Nicholas Rostow
• Position: Professor of International Law, US Naval War College
• Pages: 3-10

I

Combating Terrorists: Legal Challenges in

the Post-9/11 World

Nicholas Rostow*

Introduction

It is a great pleasure to be back at the Naval War College and an extraordinary

honor to be opening this conference. As Ilook out, Isee colleagues of long

standing. More important than that, although that fact is important, Isee col-

leagues who have been my teachers as Ihave pursued my own work.

The annual International Law Department conferences famously address the

most difficult and contentious topics in the field known variously as the law of

armed conflict, laws ofwar and international humanitarian law (IHL). (While Ire-

gard these terms as coextensive, not everyone does, which itself is asource of con-

fusion and controversy.) The coverage of this conference is equally broad and

challenging: detention, civilianization of warfighting, the meaning of "direct par-

ticipation in hostilities," the impact of drones, asymmetric warfare, and issues of

enforcement and accountability. Iimagine discussion also will touch on embar-

goes and blockades. These topics are of operational, not just academic, interest.

Participants here are well known for taking real-world concerns into account. This

fact alone sets the conference apart.

*Former Charles H. Stockton Professor of International Law, US Naval War College. The views

expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe US government or any other

entity with which Iam or have been associated.