DePaul University faculty experts are available to discuss numerous issues stemming from the United States government’s killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden.  They are:

Alberto Coll, professor of law, 312-362-5663 or acoll@depaul.edu. Coll is an authority on international criminal law and was an advisor to former president George W. Bush on counterterrorism efforts.

Scott Hibbard, assistant professor of political science, 773-325-7542 or shibbar1@depaul.edu. Hibbard’s research focuses on religion and politics, with a specialization in Islamic politics in the Middle East. He is the author of two books, “Religious Politics and Secular States: Egypt, India and the U.S.” (2010) and “Islamic Activism and U.S. Foreign Policy” (1997).

Barry Kellman, professor of law, 312-362-5258 or bkellman@depaul.edu. An expert in terrorism involving biological and chemical weapons.  “Al Qaeda members have written and talked about their desire to use weapons of mass destruction, but most U.S. officials believe that they lack capacity or are waiting for the ‘right’ moment.  The killing of bin Laden might spur his remaining adherents to contemplate extreme action.”

Khaled Keshk, associate professor of religious studies, 773-325-4466 or kkeshk@depaul.edu. Expertise includes Muslim communities in Afghanistan and Iran and sectarian differences within Islam and its early history, rituals and practices.

Khalil Marrar, assistant professor of political science, 773-325-8682 or kmarrar@depaul.edu, teaches Middle East politics and American foreign policy and is an expert on the Muslim world.  He is the author of “The Arab Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy: The Two-State Solution.” Marrar also specializes in Islamic political thought, and the ideology and practice of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

Aminah McCloud, professor of Islamic world studies, 773-325-1290 or amccloud@depaul.edu.  “In some ways, this is an auspicious time given the ‘Arab Spring.’ The killing of bin Laden could further open the door for those seeking greater freedom. But it is unlikely to be the end of attacks against perceived enemies by extremist groups. It also raises a number of questions, including will the U.S. continue to support dictators over the people they rule? Further, will we capitalize on this military success to heal our country, which has dissolved into bickering and mean-spirited debate?”

Michael McIntyre, associate professor of international studies, 773-325-7877 or mmcintyr@depaul.edu.  “The event would be to start with the implications of the discovery of Bin Laden less than half a mile from the Pakistan Military Academy, and its implications for the war in Afghanistan and regional security strategy in South Asia more generally.

Tom Mockaitis, professor of history and author of a 2010 book on bin Laden. 773-325-7471 or tmockait@depaul.edu. “The killing of bin Laden was a dramatic intelligence and Special Operations success, but it will not change the threat posed by al-Qaeda and its network of affiliates. Although bin Laden was the spokesman and icon of the movement, he had long since ceased to be its effective leader. The U.S. will be on heightened alert in the coming weeks to prevent possible retaliation. The death of the al-Qaeda founder will have no effect on the war in Afghanistan. The operation also reveals the troubled relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan in all of its complexity.”

Bruce Newman, professor of marketing and a leading national expert on political marketing, 312-362-5186 or bnewman@depaul.edu.  “The campaign for the 2012 United States presidency is over! With the capture of bin Laden, it will be difficult for any Republican candidate to beat President Obama. He has positioned himself as a “risk-taking war president” who knows how to use the “power of the office” to defeat enemies of the American people.

Scott Paeth, associate professor of religious studies, 773-325-4447. Paeth is an ethicist who specializes in questions of applied ethics, including the ethics of war and peace, and can address the ethics of targeted assassinations.