A Just War?
According to the National Council of Churches, the War in Iraq is not a just War. The National Council of Churches prints an insightful Curriculum on International relations called “For The Peace of the World”. Session Six of the Curriculum outlines the criteria established by most of Christianity for a decision to go to war. Many Peace making groups argue that War is never an acceptable option, and that there always exist abundant and creative alternatives to war. (If only we tried) But here at least, a minimal standard for Waging War was applied against the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and Iraqi War did not meet the test.
“In the months leading up to the March 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, most members of the National Council of Churches USA called on our government to continue to seek alternatives to war. They repeatedly expressed the judgement that the US decision-makers had not yet exhausted all policy options short of declaring war.... Pope John Paul II, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church World Wide, made similar statements.”
According to the National Council of Churches, the minimal criteria for a Just War are:
1. Last Resort: All efforts to prevent war, through negotiation and arbitration, must be attempted and proven unsuccessful.
2. Just Cause: Force is to be used only to defend innocent peoples against injustice and to end human rights violations.
3. Legitimate Authority: War must be formally declared and waged only by legal public authorities entrusted with such responsibility.
4. Right Intentions: Force is to be used only in pursuit of just objectives.
5. Proportionality: The good ends to be achieved through war must outweigh the destructive results of war.
6. Potential for Success: There must be a reasonable chance for success, with the understanding that disproportionate force may not be used to achieve that success.
7. Humane Treatment: Civilian noncombatants are not to be attacked directly, harm to civilians must be minimized, and dignity should govern treatment of civilians. Enemy soldiers are not to be subject to unnecessary violence or basic rights violations. Prisoners are not to be executed, tortured, or otherwise treated inhumanely, as consistent with international conventions and treaties.
8. Post-War Considerations: Measures used in combat should not preclude the resumption of peaceful stability after war. Annihilation of the enemy and demeaning terms of surrender are illegitimate combat objectives.
President Jimmy Carter, in an Op-Ed written in the New York Times on March 9th 2003, applied this same criteria in his analysis of the then “proposed” United States Invasion of Iraq. Our leaders did not listen.
Write letters, call your congressmen and senators. Tell them to stop this War Now! Tell them to Wage Peace Now!
For the Peace of the World
Saturday, July 1, 2006
A Just War?
