Modern Warfare Flashcards
Causes of war
- Violence is part of human nature but usually suppressed. In times of stress, war is a way of releasing this violence
- Expanding populations and resources
- Economic growth and the pursuit of new areas of economic control eg seeking oil or gold
- Conflicts arise when a country or an individual has a desire for power
- Religious beliefs can often contribute to conflicts
Just War theory
Developed by St Thomas Aquinas and the Roman Catholic Church
The Just War theory states that war is justifiable if the following rules are followed;
- War must be a last resort
- The goal must be to restore peace, law and order
- There must be some chance of success
- Weapons must be used proportionally - not excessively
- Decision made by the lawful authority
Cost of war
Military; Lost of soldiers through war. USA lost 6800 American service members and over 6900 contractors in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Civilians; Approximately 210,000 civilians have suffered violent deaths as a result of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Others have been seriously injured and lose limbs or suffer from mental illness following the war
Child soldier; Thousands of children, some as young as 8 years old serve in government forces or armed rebel groups throughout the world. Used because of their emotional and physical immaturity. Duties include working as cooks, guards, messengers and spies
Asylum seekers and refugees; Most refugees take nothing with them as they are in a rush to leave and perhaps in the hope they will arrive home soon. Many risk their lives to escape but don’t make it. From January to March 2017 some 593 refugees were feared drowned trying to make it to Europe by sea
Types of pacifism
Absolute pacifism; It is never right to take part in any form of violence
Conditional pacifism; There might be some circumstances where it is acceptable to fight
Selective pacifism; There are different levels of war and violence
