Ethics of War: Just War Tradition

Question 1

Definition of use of coercive force

Answer 1

To manage internal conflicts and divisions and to assert interests and desires of societies against each other

Question 2

What are the three ideal positions on the Ethical Dilemmas of use of force?

Answer 2

1. War is never legitimate
2. In war, everything is legitimate
3. Just War tradition

Question 3

War is never legitimate

Answer 3

Based in Pacifist tradition (common in Pacific northwest)
Rise in Christianity
Minority Position

Question 4

In war, everything is legitimate

Answer 4

Parallels with European state-led system
Classical Realist interest
Classical thinking about state’s interest

Question 5

Just war tradition

Answer 5

In war, some sort of restraint is morally required on both sides:
What we may legitimately fight for
How we may legitimately fight

most dominate position in war for the last 100 years (after the Crusades)

Question 6

Jus ad Bellum

Answer 6

Justice of war; why and for what reasons force can be used
1. Just cause
(response of doing wrong)
2. Right of authority
(emphasizes public aspect of legitimate use of force; must be made by legitimate authority)
3. Right intent
(implies to correct attitude to both the fact of war and waging it; cannot be driven by vengeance)
4. Proportionality ends
(Ends of war must match the damage inflicted –> rewards=casualties)
5. Last resource
(only use force when everything else has been exhausted)
6. Reasonable hope of success
(If there is no such hope, war should not be undertaken)
7. The aim of peace
(all use of force must have the aim of returning to peaceful settled world)

Question 7

Jus in Bello

Answer 7

Justice in war:
what can be done in war
who can be targeted
what amount of force can be used

Question 8

What are the two central principles of Jus in Bello

Answer 8

Proportionality of means (make the means proportionate to the means used against you)
Noncombatant immunity (restricts who counts as a target; enemy soldiers who have surrendered and civilians cannot be targeted)

Question 9

Pre-emptive war

Answer 9

Usually understood as an attack conducted by actor A in anticipation of imminent threat from actor B
(Iraq war was justified by this)

Question 10

Preventative war

Answer 10

Understood as acting in advance of a threat fully being formed, in advance of any clear capability or deliberate attempt.
Not allowed by Just war tradition
(This is how Iraq war really was and how people see it today)