Introduction

• Pages: xi

T he events of September 11th brought home to the United States that, perhaps unlike any time in its past, the 'tyranny of distance' could not be relied upon to protect its citizens from harm. The destruction of the World Trade Center and the attack on the Pentagon wrought countless millions in damages to those affected and to the economy of the United States as a whole.

More importantly, the attacks caused the deaths of some 3,000 and injury to countless others. Many of the victims were, of course, from countries other than the United States. With the benefit of hindsight, it seem clear that an act of the magnitude of September 11th would eventually strike the United States.

Still, terrorism on this scale is clearly new to the United States and the world and brings with it challenges to the law of armed conflict paradigm that has lasted since the closure of World War II. This changed environment and its impact on the existing laws of armed conflict require careful study and debate to develop insight into the future legal framework for responding to terrorism.

This was the purpose of the colloquium that this book, volume 79 of the International Law Studies ('Blue Book') series, memorializes.

In June, 2002, the Naval War College conducted a symposium on International Law and the War on Terrorism. The colloquium, organized by Lieutenant Colonel Steven Berg, JAGC, US Army, was made possible with the support of the Center for National Security Law of the University of Virginia,

Charlottesville, Virginia, the Israeli Yearbook on Human Rights, Tel Aviv, Israel, the Roger Williams University Ralph R. Papitto School of Law, Bristol,

Rhode Island, and...