Unjust wars are defined as conflicts where one side seeks dominance over another for reasons such as economic gain, power, or religious differences. The principle behind unjust warfare is that no war is justified, and conflicts can be resolved through diplomacy. Governments may use reasons, real or fictitious, to justify war. Just war theory suggests that war is sometimes necessary to settle disputes, while proponents of unjust war theory disagree. Issues such as civilian and military deaths, terrorism, military defense budgets, and hasty attacks illustrate the high cost of war.
In the study of the ethics of war, an unjust war is defined as any conflict in which one side attempts to impose dominance over another side. This can be done for a variety of reasons, including economic gain, power, ethnic cleansing or religious differences. The unjust war theory is often contrasted with the just war theory elaborated by Christian theologians.
The principle behind unjust warfare is simple: no war is justified. According to this belief, there is never a cause for war or battle, and all conflicts can be resolved through mutual diplomacy. War is considered an immoral act which can only be limited by the morality of individuals and societies willing to communicate, negotiate and resolve differences without the use of violence, physical conflict and death.
Governments can try to use a variety of reasons to wage war. These reasons, real or fictitious, are used to justify any attempt at domination, be it an occupation, a large-scale attack or a pre-emptive war. The law of war, sometimes referred to as the rules of warfare, may or may not come into play when a decision is made to enter into a physical engagement; the law of war presents justifiable reasons for starting a war, and a leader may not always find his reasoning in these laws.
Since the days of the Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero, both individuals and societies have sought to define exactly what constitutes a just war and an unjust war. In medieval times, Christian theologians took the case prominently and initiated some of the first moral investigations and dialogues about justified and unjustified warfare. The guiding theory behind just war is that while morally reprehensible, war is sometimes necessary to settle disputes.
Proponents of the unjust war theory, however, disagree. They feel there is never a reason to go to war, and doing so is usually at the wishes of the leaders who are following their baser instincts. The late writer and academic Howard Zinn noted that many leaders believe war is not only “inevitable, but desirable.” They feel, on some level, that war makes a country stronger and lends authority, respectability, and patriotic appeal.
Those who follow the principles of unjust war identify several key areas that illustrate precisely how unjustifiable war is. Issues such as civilian and military deaths, the reality of terrorism, military defense budgets, and the insensitivity of hasty attacks are among the most cited. Only when the events that triggered these problems are resolved diplomatically, advocates argue, can war be averted, and these points illuminate the very high cost of war.
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