Archiv závěrečné práce Ivana Broučková FSS N-PL EP

Mgr. Ivana Broučková

The Approach of the EU and the US to Combating Terrorism in Relation to Human Rights

The Approach of the EU and the US to Combating Terrorism in Relation to Human Rights

Abstract: Abstract The aim of this thesis is two-fold. The first part is focused on the counter-terrorism policies which have been enacted or otherwise have been revived in the European Union and the United States in the aftermath of the September 11th 2001 attacks. This information is then used to achieve the second aim of this thesis which is the relationship between counter-terrorist legislation and human rights. While in the first part, most attention is paid to the proliferation of legislation in the EU, the second part is devoted to the US since it is this country which has taken a more prominent role in the human rights debate; in the negative sense. Guantanamo, a symbol of human rights violations has existed for a surprisingly long period of time. But this is not to say that there were not serious objections not only from human rights groups but also from world’s governments, many of which European, and even officials and the legislative branch in the US itself. This begs the question how, despite the deep criticisms and thwarting transnational cooperation, the Bush administration has been able to sustain its policy for so long. In an attempt to answer this question, a detailed account of the development of the Bush doctrine is provided for. This, again is not to say, that the US has been the only human rights violator in relation to counter-terrorist legislation. Quite on the contrary, the controversial report compiled by Dick Marty, the so called ‘Marty report’ has in fact made serious allegations and even purportedly provided proof that a number of EU member states have been complicit in CIA extraordinary renditions, a policy that has become yet another symbol of the ‘war on terror’. The report remains a source of contention but nevertheless receives substantial attention. The incoming Obama administration and the highlights of its policies related to counter-terrorism and everything around it in the past three months will be discussed, also so as to reflect on the future of, inter alia, transatlantic cooperation which has been hindered, many times as a result of the Bush administration. In this sense, some remarks are made towards the US role and image of a free nation, which has been seriously stained in the past few years, and whether there is a chance of a recovery. …víceméně

Al Qaeda, terrorism, Iraq, war on terror, George W. Bush, EU, Guantanamo, Human rights, “black sites”, torture, security, imbalance, radicalisation

Zadání: Hypotheses 1. The main reason behind the differences of the counter-terrorist measures undertaken by the EU and US lies in the composition of its security framework. Within the EU itself, the attitudes towards terrorism are diversified. I assume that due to these differences, the EU member states will be less reluctant to act in a unified manner and thus EU–US full cooperation is highly unlikely. 2. I assume that the states which were directly affected by terrorist attacks will push for more effective anti-terrorist policies on the EU level, while those unaffected rather opposed financial and capacity expenses. 3. I assume that the balance between combating terrorism and protecting human rights has not been found in either the EU or the US. Methodology In order to validate the first hypothesis, I will closely examine the effects that 9/11 had on the perception of threat in the US and the EU. It will be shown that the US acts as a unified actor, whereas the EU has up until now not been able to speak with ‘one voice’, which directly affects the attitudes and perceptions the actors have on terrorism and their ideas on how to fight it. The London and Madrid bombings and their effects will be analysed. Did they have any significant effects on the UK’s and Spain’s rhetoric and actions in relation to counter-terrorist policies? It is predicted that they did and that they were taken up by the EU to produce a more effective approach to combating terrorism. The second hypothesis will require a thorough research and a critical analysis of the EU and US policies and to what extent they interfere with civil liberties and under rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is my intention to show a number of examples which will show that the compatibility of countering terrorism and protecting human rights hardly ever exists and that the protection of human rights has been directly affected by the fight against terrorism. Aim of research: - describe the developments which have taken place within the EU - describe the US approach - compare and contrast the EU and US approach and attempt to predict future cooperation, perhaps also in relation with the election of B. Obama as the US President. - analyse the effects that counter-terrorist policies had and have on the protection of human rights - highlight weaknesses of both approaches. Possible to find an ideal approach? …víceméně

Jazyk práce: angličtina