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Strawser examines several possible ethical justifications for the killing of Osama bin Laden and finds nearly all of them wanting. One, however, he argues is sound: that bin Laden was liable to be killed as a necessary and proportionate act of defensive harm on behalf of innocent people.

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Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Liability to Defensive Harm 2. The Case of UBL 3. Possible Moral Justifications 4. UBL´s Liability to be Killed 5. Objection: Defensive Killing or Execution? 6. Sovereignty Issues and Precedent Setting Problems 7. The Celebration of a Liable Person´s Death? Bibliography

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´Strawser´s deft handling of complex philosophical issues as applied to the killing of Bin Laden is practical ethics at its very best: a must read for anyone with an interest (academic or not) in the controversial practice of targeted killing." - Professor Cécile Fabre, Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College, University of Oxford, UK

"Bradley Strawser´s intricate, creative, and fascinating discussion of the killing of Osama bin Laden accomplishes two rare achievements: It advances a sophisticated and provocative argument which will be of interest to specialists in ethics and foreign policy and also provides students and general readers with a clear and accessible introduction into applied moral theory." - Professor Michael B. Skerker, Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law; U.S. Naval Academy, USA

"Professor Strawser has written a clear and concise analysis about a highly contentious issue, namely Seal Team Six´s killing of Osama bin Laden. Strawser presents the relevant background, then deftly applies recent developments in just-war theory to analyze the moral issues. His treatment is balanced and fair, and his contribution will define the terrain. I highly recommend this book to both students and to practitioners in the field." - Professor Fritz Allhoff, Department of Philosophy, Western Michigan University, USA

"A book as provocative as it is insightful; Strawser thoroughly analyses the complex ethics and subsequent decisions associated with one of the most significant events in the 21st Century. Anyone yearning to gain a better perspective regarding the ethics of warfare and ´hard´ decision making will benefit from this read." - Colonel Guy LeMire, US Army, USA

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Dr. Bradley J. Strawser is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Naval Postgraduate School, USA, and Research Associate with Oxford University´s Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict. He recently published Opposing Perspectives on the Drone Debate, a point-counterpoint style book on the ethics of drones.

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