Just War

The concept of Just War was pioneered in the Christian world by St. Augustine, but has been around since the time of Cicero. The following principles must be satisfied to ensure the war is just: First, the damage by the aggressor must be lasting, grave, and certain. Second, everything else must be tried first to stop them before war is used. Third, you have to have a good chance of winning the war. Last, one can not cause more harm than would have otherwise occurred.

St. Thomas Aquinas, expanding on St. Augustin's theory, said that for a war to be just one must ensure that it is for a good purpose and not selfish. It must be waged by a state. And, third, peace must be the central motive (even amidst violence).

The only thing more dangerous than a warmonger, is a peacenik. If the world had attacked Hitler when he built his first treaty violation weapon, instead of being afraid of fighting, there would have been no second world war. If they had carpet bombed The Third Reich, they would have saved 6 million Jews! As I have said before, "Peace first, not peace at all costs."

Dr. King, a man opposed to violence said, "A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." He also said, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it." Archbishop Tutu said, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."

Almost as an aside, I'd like to point out a pet peeve of mine. George Bush takes a lot of heat for the post nine eleven violence the US got involved in, as does PM Harper in Canada. They are labeled warmongers. It wasn't wrong, though, when Clinton launched Tomahawk missiles at Iraq or bombed Belgrade. Nothing was said of Mr. Obama when Seal Team Six executed Bin Laden. It wasn't wrong when the Liberal government sent Canadian soldiers to war in Afghanistan. It wasn't wrong when JFK threatened the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It's never wrong when a liberal is violent. But, watch out for those dangerous conservatives. Yup, them right wingens loves them a good war.