Extrajudicial killings, or targeted killings as it is sometimes called, are “the deliberate and specific targeting and killing, by a government or its agents, of a terrorist alleged "unlawful combatant" (i.e., someone directly taking part in hostilities in the context of an armed conflict) who is not in the custody of this government" ("Targeted Killing”, Wikipedia). For years, targeted killings have been an integral part of modern warfare, and in recent times they have also become integrated into everyday law enforcement activities. An example of the former would be the United States' constant use of this system as a central part of its counterterrorism operations, and a perfect example of the latter would be its use by Bangladesh's elite anti-crime force, the Battalion of rapid action (RAB). The tactic, as a whole, has been under fire for a long time. This has been condemned by human rights organizations around the world as a “heinous” act that deprives a human being of their most fundamental right: the right to live. Yet what these critics fail to notice is that extrajudicial killings must sometimes be implemented as a necessary means, especially when all else fails. The rate of crime and terrorism today has increased exponentially compared to what it was 15 to 20 years ago. Hundreds of cold-blooded murders, rapes and genocides are taking place even as these words were written, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Therefore, extrajudicial killings, or targeted killings, are morally justified on certain occasions. These opportunities include self-defense by law enforcement, disruption of criminal operations, and reduction of collateral damage. The most important argument that...... middle of paper ...... history, George Jonas, Foreign Policy (magazine)www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/07/20/assassination_a_brief_history?page =fullTargeted killings of suspected terrorists: extrajudicial executions or legitimate means of defense?, David Kretzmer, The European Journal of International Law, Vol. 16 No. 2 (2005) Brazil: Limiting Police Violence in Rio, Sao Paolo, Human Rights Watch, 08/12/2009www.hrw.org/news/2009/12/08/brazil-curb-police-violence-rio - so-paoloThe Role of Targeted Killings in the Campaign Against Terrorism, Colonel Peter M. Cullen, United States Army, US Army War College Strategic Research Project Fatal Choices: Israel's Policy of Targeted Killing, Steven R. David, The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Bar-Ilan University, Israelhttp://biu.ac.il/Besa/david.pdfEthics, Murder and War, Richard J. Norman, Cambridge University Press, 1995