War and terror with Phillp Bobbitt

29 Apr 2008

Speakers: Peter M Robinson, Philip Bobbitt

Professor Philip Bobbitt describes the “wars for the 21st century” as wars against terror — against modern market-state terrorism, against the distribution and assimilation of weapons of mass destruction, and against the forces that create human catastrophes such as genocide and ethnic cleansing.

During the 20th century, it was important that the Law and the Allied war strategy were separate. According to Bobbitt, “We won the war and then the Law followed.” In the current century, however, Bobbitt says, our challenge is to unite the two: law and war strategy must meet because we are now fighting to protect what free people have the lawful right to do. But how do we strengthen the power of government to protect ourselves and at the same time protect civil and human rights?