(The Nationalist, 28 February 2003)
The conditions generally regarded as necessary for a war to be considered just are the following. The war must:
- be defensive, that is, fought in the face of aggression considered likely to be lasting, grave and certain;
- be entered into only after all peaceful avenues for resolving the problem have been tried, and found either impractical or ineffective;
- have a serious likelihood of success;
- not do more harm than that caused by the aggression which it resists;
- not deliberately target innocent civilians.
Some people add that only a lawful public authority may authorize war.
These conditions are part of what is called the Just War theory. It originated with Saint Augustine, and has been associated for many years with the Catholic church, although never formally adopted by the church as its teaching. It is more like rules of thumb worked out by the application of reason to experience, in an effort to set morals limits to the purpose, means and intention of war.
It would seem to allow a pre-emptive strike if there is clear and adequate evidence of an imminent attack of a grave nature, that is, if an aggressor is preparing to mount an attack which would cause harm that is lasting, grave and certain.
Let me offer my own evaluation, going through items 1-5 above, respectively:
- No evidence has been presented that Iraq is preparing, directly or indirectly, to attack the US or Europe. The CIA’s evaluation is that, if Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, it is likely to use them only if attacked. British and American intelligence discount the idea of links between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, who were responsible for the 11 September 2001 attacks on the USA. Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda, in a recent broadcast on an Arab TV station (if it was he), described Iraq’s government as “infidels”.
- The UN process of war prevention has not been exhausted or found ineffective.
- A US-led attack on Iraq is likely to be successful. But the US was defeated in Viet Nam, and the USSR in Afghanistan. Though neither defeat seemed likely, they happened.
- We do not know what amount of harm any possible Iraqi-inspired aggression might inflict, but we can be reasonably certain that an attack on Iraq led by the US would lead to heavy casualties.
- I do not believe that a US-led attack would deliberately target innocent civilians.
Are the conditions for a just war met in the current situation regarding Iraq? It seems to me that they are not. Over to you.