This book investigates the moral and legal legitimacy of targeted killing as a state-sanctioned counter-terrorism strategy. Tamar Meisels and Jeremy Waldron, both established scholars in political philosophy and legal theory, present a structured debate that examines whether such actions constitute necessary defensive measures or illegal extrajudicial executions. The text utilizes a dialectical framework, allowing each author to present their position before offering direct rebuttals to the other's arguments.

Experts identify this work as a concise, high-level academic resource for students of international law and political ethics. Readers frequently note the dense, rigorous nature of the prose, which prioritizes philosophical clarity over anecdotal evidence.