SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 2, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Law and graduate students at the University of Utah‘s S.J. Quinney College of Law will conduct student-led counter terrorism simulation on Thursday and Friday.
The simulation is set at the time when the war between Russia and the Ukraine, the Israel and Gaza conflict, and other major global events first begin to unfold. The event is part of the Global Perspectives on Counterterrorism course, and will place students in key decision-making roles as they navigate terrorism scenarios in a high-pressure environment.
Students participating in the simulation are tasked with applying domestic and international law as they attempt to mitigate loss of life and the geopolitical consequences of domestic and international terrorist attacks, an issued news release says.
They must address complex dilemmas as they decide on appropriate responses by U.S. military forces and political leadership. They must then justify their decisions before a panel of legal and political experts, the course description says.
The simulation is directed by Amos Guiora, a professor of law, retired lieutenant colonel of the Israel Defense Forces Judge Advocate General Corps, and expert in terrorism and geopolitics.
“The subject matter of this unique simulation bears directly on matters of national security and foreign policy that command the public’s attention today,” Guiora said in a released statement.
“The invasion of Ukraine — along with recent Hamas attacks in Israel — remind us that we face a continued threat from domestic and international terrorism, as well as significant challenges posed by chemical and nuclear war, interstate conflict, economic consequences, and refugee crises.”
Four simulations will take place over two days, with each simulation ending in a 45-minute debriefing before the expert panel, which is open to media. The debriefings allow experts to challenge and critique the decisions made by students during each simulation — and present students with an opportunity to defend their choices and build the confidence needed to respond to similar challenges in the real world after they graduate, the news release says.
“The counterterrorism simulation and Global Perspectives on Counterterrorism course are entirely unique: No other university or law program offers students the opportunity to apply classroom-based counterterrorism skills in an environment that simulates the pressures and real-time consequences of the student’s actions,” the news release says.
