Terrorism, Human Rights, Social Justice, Freedom and Democracy: Some Considerations for the Legal and Justice Professionals of the 'Coalition of the Willing'

Abstract

Not surprisingly, the terrorist incident1 of September 11 2001, left the US (‘US’) asking ‘why us…why do they hate us?’2 President George W Bush asked why there is such ‘vitriolic hatred for America in some Islamic countries’, adding that ‘like most Americans, I just cannot believe it because I know how good we are’.3 Many believed that the American commitment to free speech, religious liberty, and gender, racial, and ethnic diversity were the reasons for the incident, in conflict with the ideals of theocrats in the Middle East supporting a singular religious truth.4 Certainly the way that the media and the US government chose to portray the incident was of America as the innocent victim of an ‘attack’.