Just War

Years ago, prompted by the killing of Osama Bin Laden, I promised I would post something on the issue of “just war”: When is it justifiable for one nation to wage war against another? Here is that post.

First I need to issue a couple of disclaimers: I have never served in the U.S. Armed Services. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who do. I am not trained in military strategy or history. I am just a pastor offering my thoughts on an issue of obvious national relevance at this point, as our country is engaged in wars / hostile situations in three places: Afghanistan; Iraq (it’s winding down, yes, but we still have troops in harm’s way there); and, at least in a support role, in Libya.

Just war theory isn’t stated explicitly in the Bible. Theologian John Frame says it is a tradition that dates back to Aristotle, to the Stoics, has been adopted by Christians like Augustine, and refined by others like Aquinas. The Bible certainly deals with war and warfare, especially in the campaigns led by Joshua as he led the Israelites into their Promised Land (see the book of Joshua). But the U.S. is not God’s covenant people, and there is no direct, one-to-one correspondence between the battles of the Israelites and those of the U.S. So – when is it morally acceptable for a nation to go to war against another? 



All is not fair ... in war


David Augsberger, in When Enough is Enough, offers the following criteria:


• Last resort. “All other means to the morally just solution of a conflict must be exhausted before resort to arms can be regarded as legitimate.”
• Just cause. “War can be just only if employed to defend a stable order or morally preferable cause against threats of destruction or the use of injustice.” (Goals must be seen as just, the opponent must be clearly unjust, even though there is ambiguity in the self.)
• Right attitudes. “War must be carried out with the right attitudes. (The intention must be the restoration of justice, not retaliation or revenge.)
• Prior declaration of war. “War must be explicitly declared by a legitimate authority.” (A formal declaration must precede conflict.)
• Reasonable hope of success. “War may be conducted only by military means that promise a reasonable attainment of the moral and political objectives being sought.” (If there is not a reasonable chance of success then it is wrong to fight no matter how just the cause.)
• Noncombatant immunity. “Selective immunity must be honored for certain parts of the enemy’s population” (particularly noncombatants, women, aged and children).
• Proportionality. “There must be reasonable expectation that the good results will exceed the evils involved.” (Thus, any victory whose cost is greater than the eventual outcome expected is not right.) Frame adds that, obviously, a Christian will never advocate killing anywhere unless it is a genuine responsibility of the civil magistrate, carried out with a serious regard for human life, even knowing that some human life must be sacrificed to attain the objective.

 
Contrast this with the tactics of Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations (Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, etc.) who act under no recognized state authority, and intentionally target civilians, women, and children. They have no regard for the sanctity of human life; they seek to kill as many as possible, indiscriminately.
 
Worldview matters

Worldview matters, and the reason the U.S. military operates the way it does is that it is informed by Biblical principles. I’m not suggesting the average soldier, sailor, airman or marine can quote chapter and verse as to why he does what he does / doesn’t do, only that those principles are grounded in a Judeo-Christian ethical framework.
 
In this life there is no perfect justice – in times of war or otherwise. Innocent people are killed and injured, as we saw on September 11, 2001. Men (and women) at war have to do, and endure, horrible things. I long for that day when, as Isaiah prophesied:

[God] will judge between the nations 
  
and will settle disputes for many peoples. 

They will beat their swords into plowshares 
  
and their spears into pruning hooks. 

Nation will not take up sword against nation, 
  
 nor will they train for war anymore.

– Isaiah 2:4
 
Until that day, we pray for the coming of the Prince of Peace, and work to make our earthly kingdoms as much like his as possible.
 
Kent