Terrorism, War and International Law

'Myra Williamson has produced a work of considerable scholarship which not only challenges some fundamental assumptions about the use of force in the modern world, but which sets those assumptions against a strong historical backdrop. This is a book which deserves to be read not only by those interested in international law and international relations, but also by anyone concerned with the question of whether force can be used legitimately to combat terrorism.' Scott Davidson, University of Lincoln, UK 'With the threatened military escalation into Afghanistan by the Obama administration, this book is required reading for all concerned government officials, international civil servants, foreign affairs and defense experts, professors of international law and politics, and citizens of the NATO states who want to stop and then reverse this war of aggression.' Francis A. Boyle, University of Illinois, Champaign, USA 'There are two fundamental themes in this important book: firstly, the relevance of the history of international law and its function in understanding contemporary international relations and secondly, the consciousness of the necessity of multilateral use of force in response to a terrorist attack as a crime against humanity.' Gustavo Gozzi, University of Bologna, Italy 'The book is a welcome contribution to the debate on the use of force in international law. It is clear, accessible and draws upon a good breadth of scholarship which, while primarily legal, draws upon broader material where appropriate to paint a picture of the law that currently exists, how that law rightly applies to the 2001 use of force against Afghanistan, and the current challenges to the law. It ought to find a place in any decent international law library.' Liverpool Law Review