The Politics of Prisoner Abuse: The United States and Enemy Prisoners After 9/11

When states are threatened by war and terrorism, can we really expect them to abide by human rights and humanitarian law? David Forsythe's bold analysis of US policies towards terror suspects after 9/11 addresses this issue directly. Covering moral, political and legal aspects, he examines the abuse of enemy detainees at the hands of the US. At the centre of the debate is the Bush Administration, which Forsythe argues displayed disdain for international law, in contrast to the general public's support for humanitarian affairs. He explores the similarities and differences between Presidents Obama and Bush on the question of prisoner treatment in an age of terrorism and asks how the Administration should proceed. The book traces the Pentagon's and CIA's records in mistreating prisoners, providing an account which will be of interest to all those who value humanitarian law.

Author: David P. Forsythe
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 05/26/2011
Pages: 334
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.16lbs
Size: 8.92h x 6.09w x 0.59d
ISBN: 9780521181105

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2012

About the Author
Forsythe, David P.: - David Forsythe is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He has been a visiting professor at universities in Geneva and Utrecht and in 2008 he held the Fulbright Distinguished Research Chair of Human Rights and International Studies at the Danish Institute of International Studies, Copenhagen. He has also been on staff for the United Nations University in Tokyo and has been a consultant to both the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Refugees and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.