enemy combatant
Wartime opposing soldier
Enemy combatant is a legal and military term for someone engaged in armed conflict against a state or its allies.
The phrase gained prominence after 2001 when the U.S. government used it to classify terrorism suspects held without traditional prisoner-of-war protections: The detainees at Guantánamo were designated enemy combatants.
The label has been criticized for creating a legal gray zone between civilian criminal and military prisoner status.
Hostile opponent
- opponentOne who contends against
- belligerentHostile and eager to clash
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- insurgentOne who revolts
militant · terrorist · fighter · guerrilla · irregular · rebel · aggressor · assailant
Wartime humanitarian treaties
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- habeas corpusWrit challenging lawful custody
- legal statusOne's position in law
- military tribunalArmed forces judicial body
indefinite detention · prisoner of war · extrajudicial · jurisdiction · international law · war crime · counterterrorism · rendition
Person held in custody
- prisonerConfined criminal detainee
- captiveOne held by force
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
confinement · captivity · internment · custody · holding · black site · detention center · camp
foe
Hostile opponent
- opponentOne who contends against
- belligerentHostile and eager to clash
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
insurgent · militant · terrorist · fighter · guerrilla · irregular · rebel · aggressor · assailant · attacker
Geneva Conventions
Wartime humanitarian treaties
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- habeas corpusWrit challenging lawful custody
- legal statusOne's position in law
military tribunal · indefinite detention · prisoner of war · extrajudicial · jurisdiction · international law · war crime · counterterrorism · rendition · civil liberties
detainee
Person held in custody
- prisonerConfined criminal detainee
- captiveOne held by force
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
incarceration · confinement · captivity · internment · custody · holding · black site · detention center · camp · imprisonment
battlefield
Combat engagement area
- captureTake into custody
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- conflictOpposition between parties
theater · operation · frontline · tactics · infantry · assault · ambush · campaign · patrol · reconnaissance
- Doublespeakcollateral damage, enhanced interrogation, friendly fire, regime change, neutralize
- war captivesPOW, prisoner of war, captured soldier, internee, escaped prisoner
- rivalsrival, opponent, adversary, competitor, foe
- villainsvillain, antagonists, Darth Vader, evil characters, Joker
- Aggressorsaggressor, attacker, invader, assailant, warmonger
- captivesprisoner, captive, inmate, detainee, hostage
enemy combatantally
Supportive partner
compatriot · allied forces · coalition forces · comrade · teammate
enemy combatantcivilian
Non-military person
noncombatant · non-combatant · innocent bystander · neutral party · medical personnel
enemy, enemies, enmity, combatant, combatants, combat, combats, combated, combating