Is terrorism justified?

To complete the assignment read the following materials:

• Chapter 11 of The Ethics of War and Peace: An Introduction to Legal and Moral Issues
• Terrorism, Justification and Illusion
• Declaration of Jihad by Osama Bin Laden against the US

Explain whether or not you believe “terrorism” is a biased term derived by governments in power to delegitimize those with little power and if you think the use of “terrorism” is simply “war by other means”. Using the Just War tenets of “just cause,” “legitimate authority,” “last resort,” and “proportionality,” make an argument that justifies the use of terrorism by al-Qaeda. Looking at the “distinction” tenet that states that war should be directed towards enemy combatants, and not non-combatants, explain whether or not al-Qaeda is justified for targeting American civilians if it has declared “America” to be the enemy.

The paper must be two pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. Cite all three of the required sources in text and on the reference page (you may use and cite additional references). For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.