The War on Terrorism and Classical Islam
Abstract
With the leveling of the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, the 'War on Terrorism officially began. This 'war' will likely pit the United States against states, organizations, and individuals that adhere to, or will adopt for political purposes, a traditional view of Islamic law. This paper will discuss international Islamic law as it pertains to armed conflict, concentrating on the classical form, often associated with Islamic fundamentalism, which believes there are only three options for non-Muslims: accept Islam, be subject to a jihad or holy war, or pay a poll tax. While the classical form is not the prevailing view of modern Islam, there are states, as well as non-state actors and organizations that adhere to or 'adopt' these beliefs to further their objectives. This paper will demonstrate that this classical Islamic law poses a number of challenges to the United States military's involvement in the War on Terrorism'. First, it will show the need for the United States to consider fundamental Islamic law when employing military force. Second, the United States will need to understand how prisoners of war and non-combatants will be treated by states and organizations that follow classical Islamic law. Third, this paper will demonstrate a need to incorporate Islamic law into our operational law training.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404366
Entities
People
- Peter Menk
Organizations
- United States Army War College