Human Rights Violations in the War on Terrorism Essay -- Terrorists Te

Following the September 11th terrorist attacks in which at least 3,000 people were killed, the United States has pursued policies that violate human rights in order to wage the war on terrorism. These policies include the adoption of new security measures, the poor treatment of captured fighters at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, and the willingness of the Bush administration to overlook human rights violations in other countries in return for their support in the war on terrorism. When the enemy is faceless, as it is in the United States' fight against terror, there is a tendency to violate human rights in order to identify the perpetrators and anticipate further atrocities. Violations include detaining suspects without sufficient evidence or cause, denial of access to lawyer, and unfair trials. In addition to these violations, the United States has passed legislation that allows for the indefinite detention of non-US nationals facing deportation on national security grounds. This is currently the case with Mazen Al-Najjar, a Muslim academic who came to the United States in 1981 as student and later became a university professor. In 1997, Al-Najjar was detained for three years after government lawyers claimed that he had raised funds for a terrorist organization. A judge later ruled that there were insufficient reasons for concluding that he posed a threat to national security and he was released. However, he was placed back into custody in November 2001 when immigration agents claimed that he "had established ties to terrorist organizations." According to Amnesty International, no new evidence was presented to support this claim and he is currently being held in solitary confinement for twenty-three hours a day in a ... ...ver, the United States has established military bases there, and is thus willing to overlook several violations in exchange for cooperation against terrorists. While the threat of terrorism does require the adoption of specific security measures and policies, a grave danger exists in that human rights may be sacrificed in the name of security. The United States and its allies must do all that they can to ensure that human rights and freedoms are preserved. As a supporter of international law, the United States should be expected to adhere to a higher standard when it comes to the application and enforcement of these basic rights. Therefore, the United States must not use or condone the use of terrorism as an excuse to curb human rights. Human rights must govern how states treat people at all times. It is only then when states will truly be able to sustain peace.