Assassination Quote by Michael Ignatieff
“To defeat evil, we may have to traffic in evils: indefinite detention of suspects, coercive interrogations, targeted assassinations, even pre-emptive war.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Ethics of Counterterrorism, 2005
Combating evil may require morally dubious tactics like detention, interrogation, assassination, or pre‑emptive war.
In simple terms: Fighting evil can involve evil means.
Key Takeaway
Weigh moral costs of security.
Themes
ethics
security
politics
Mood
critical
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- military planning
- legal debate
Key Concepts
moral compromise
counterterrorism tactics
Questions to Reflect On
- When is force justified?
- What alternatives exist?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics can erode moral authority.
![“We have the ability to take him [President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job…” quote by Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/194/pat-robertson-1972_ability_we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-presiden_23256.jpg)
![“We know from Talmadge Hayer, one of the men who carried out the assassination, who was shot by Ruben X as he tried to flee the Audubon after shooting Malcolm X, we know that Hayer confessed years later to his Imam in prison that there had been a walk-through a week prior to February 21st [1965] at…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/645/manning-marable-9023_assassination_we-know-from-talmadge-hayer-one-of-the-m_101701.jpg)
