The Pros And Cons Of ISIS

The terrorist organization ISIS has become known for taking hostages with first world

countries nationalities and then demanding ransom money from these countries in exchange for

the captives’ lives. The latest example of this involves two hostages from Japan and a demand of

$200 million to be paid for their release. Not paying is certain to lead to the Japanese prisoners’

deaths, but paying has a host of implications as well. What ought to be done? Should the

Japanese government pay the $200 million for their citizen’s lives or should they ignore the

request and leave the hostages to be killed by ISIS? The ransom should not be paid. In fact, it

would be unethical to pay the ransom as it would violate a previous agreement Japan

This illustrates that fulfilling

random demands just feeds into the cycle of kidnapping since doing so validates that the terrorist

organization can reap rewards from kidnapping. An attempt to help its citizens by paying

ransoms would in actuality be putting them at a greater risk as it make citizens of the nationality

more targeted for kidnapping attempts (Botelo). An act that leads to more kidnappings is

certainly unethical. The act itself violates the ethical ideals set forth by Kant due to it using

people as a means to an end, as an instrument the captors can use to create revenue (Eichelman).

Kidnapping infringes upon countless human rights including right to not be subjected degrading

treatment, nor arbitrary detention, and the right to liberty ("The Universal Declaration of Human

Rights"). It also accounts for much suffering, not only for the captive, but also the captive’s

loved ones. Actions to prevent the horrendous thing that kidnapping is should be taken and that

happens to include not paying ransom payments. Conversely, some may protest that all

necessary actions should be taken to prevent the death of a captive, and if that includes

To base right or wrong on

emotions would be to use emotivism, a theory shown to be weak. Reason should be used and

reason shows that more harm will be done if the ransom is paid rather than if the captives are

allowed to die. The immoral act that is to kill an innocent would be on ISIS’ conscious, not

Japan’s. Japan must do what will be best for all of its citizens, and that is to not pay the demand.

If Japan gave the $200 million ransom sum to ISIS, the money would undoubtedly be

used to further the organization’s activity. This is an organization that has shot approximately

600 bound captives lying in trenches at a single mass execution site (Saletan). In August of 2014,

1265 civilians were killed in Iraq, a statistic that can be greatly contributed to ISIS (Saletan).

Giving them money, especially that much of it, would just allow them to further their atrocities.

Funding these acts would be a form of support and in no way is this ethical to do. Yes, some of

the activity ISIS does is typical of its culture such as the mistreatment of women and persecuting

for people for their religious faith, but this does not make these things right. Culture