The ASIL Task Force on Terrorism seeks to provide informed
and informative debate on issues of international law related
to terrorism through a series of essays analyzing legal issues
underlying the War on Terrorism. Wherever possible, the Task
Force will publish multiple essays on a particular topic to
showcase differing points of view. Essays represent the opinions
of the individual authors and are not necessarily the opinions
of the ASIL.
For permission to reprint, please contact ASIL at 2223 Massachusetts
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008. Attn: ASIL Task Force Papers
The Task Force on Terrorism, established by then-ASIL President
Arthur Rovine in 2001, is co-chaired by Ruth Wedgwood, Edward
B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy and
Director of International Law at the Paul H. Nitze School
of Advanced International Studies and Professor of Law at
Yale Law School and by Anthony D'Amato, Leighton Professor
of Law, Northwestern University School of Law.
"Old Rules, New Threats"
Roundtable Project—
Co-sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations
(November 2002 to Present)
Titled "Old Rules, New Threats," Anne-Marie Slaughter's
essay for the July/September 2002 ASIL Newsletter observed
that there seem to be two fundamental approaches to policy
questions raised since September 11, 2001.
"Some have argued that we are breaking new ground
and need new rules, or at least a new paradigm for future
behavior. Others have applied the lawyer's usual response
to new situations; rather than throw out the old rules and
start fresh, explore how the old rules can be most logically
and sensibly extended. However, much lies between those
positions - political affiliation, theories of constitutional
interpretations, schools of international jurisprudence-to
name only a few."
To explore this issue, the ASIL is cosponsoring a roundtable
project with the Council on Foreign Relations co-chaired
by Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School
of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
and former ASIL President, and Lee Feinstein, Senior Fellow
for U.S. Foreign Policy and International Law and Director
for Strategic Policy, Council on Foreign Relations. As Anne-Marie
Slaughter continued in her essay, the purpose of the roundtable
is "not just to talk. It is to engage different points
of view in a genuinely constructive dialogue to provide a
strong political and legal basis for action."
Participation in the roundtable is by invitation in order
to allow for maximum engagement across points of view. Outlines
prepared as the basis for each discussion, however, will be
made available through our respective web sites as will a
summary of each roundtable's discussion. For ASIL members
interested in exchanging views, the ASILforum
listserve might provide an opportunity for further dialogue.
